Know of any good authentic restaurants for between dives?

[Christi]

Overally, Christi's Restaurant List is probably your best bet as a jumping-off point.

My own short-list includes:

El Pique for tacos
Los Chilangos for huaraches
Los 3 Gatitos for panuchos and salbutes
Los Otates for posole and tacos
La Candela for home-style meals and nice Tikin Xic (fish in banana leaves and achiote)
Parilla Mission for breakfast, home-style meals, tortas, and arrachera (open breakfast to supper)
Camilo's for shrimp and fish tacos
El Capi Navegante for seafood (my kid loves their octopus ceviche)
La Choza for breakfast (this is another all-day place but doesn't float my boat apart from breakfast. Many people adore it, but I think La Candela is better.)
Kinta for fancy, creative Mexican dinners
El Super Hit has tortas de cochinita that are nice to take for lunch on the plane home

Note that some of these places are lunch-only, most dinner-only.

There are many more, and everyone has their favorites. I love me some fancy food, but in San Miguel de Cozumel we always seem to end up going more mid-range or quick, cheap eats and loving every bite.

"Authentic Mexican" covers an awful lot of territory, so if there's something in particular you're looking for it might help to specify that.

Thanks mstevens!

I'll add Kondessa to the list now too!

It is a new place, by the same owner as Kinta - but more of a traditional Mexican menu - burritos, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, etc. DELICIOUS with great service and atmosphere!

They are located on Av. 5 between Calle 5 and Calle 7 Sur on the right hand side of the street (it's one way).

 

[diver 85]

For afternoon & evening meals, Parilla Mission---the one on 30th I believe, along Taco Row over by the (now older) supermarket...

 

[mstevens]

Thanks mstevens!

I'll add Kondessa to the list now too!

It is a new place, by the same owner as Kinta - but more of a traditional Mexican menu - burritos, enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, etc. DELICIOUS with great service and atmosphere!

They are located on Av. 5 between Calle 5 and Calle 7 Sur on the right hand side of the street (it's one way).

Kondessa is most definitely on our list for this trip. It would have to be MUCH worse than Kinta not to be worth it, and it's hard for me to picture that possibility given the people involved. One of the worst things that's happened on a Cozumel trip for us was finding Kinta closed in the middle of a renovation. The owner of Especias had closed for his vacation, so that trip was a bit of a bummer on the fancy-ish restaurant front.

 

[mstevens]

For afternoon & evening meals, Parilla Mission---the one on 30th I believe, along Taco Row over by the (now older) supermarket...

Parilla Mission, just down from the Super San Francisco de Assis, is open for breakfast, too. They're really quite good. It's the same people as Casa Mission, but we prefer the more family-style Parilla Mission. They used to have a Parilla Mission Sur that was a great place to get breakfast on the way to the caleta, but I'm pretty sure it's closed.

 

[WOODMAN]

There is a hole-in-the-wall place on Ave 5 between Salas and calle 3 called El Casino. This place specializes in Cuban food, and is really cheap for a downtown restaurant. It looks like a bar, but the owner whips up some really neat stuff in the back. He used to have a Cuban sampler platter that was out of this world. Nice for something different. Woody

 

[njones259]

El Casino is a real nice place to grab some good food and the owner also makes a great mojito.

 

[deborahdelamar]

El Casino is a real nice place to grab some good food and the owner also makes a great mojito.

Was going to post a recommendation for the mojitos but got beat to it. El Casino is next door to El Foco tacqueria.

At the southern end of the block -- 5th Ave. at Calle 3 -- is Del Sur which opens at 5-5:30pm and serves grilled meat & poultry, dinner-plate size salads, and a large variety of very tasty empanadas. You can make a satisfying meal of empanadas only -- save room for one more for dessert. Very good Argentinian wine by the glass or bottle there, too.

 

[MMM]

At the southern end of the block -- 5th Ave. at Calle 3 -- is Del Sur which opens at 5-5:30pm and serves grilled meat & poultry, dinner-plate size salads, and a large variety of very tasty empanadas. You can make a satisfying meal of empanadas only -- save room for one more for dessert. Very good Argentinian wine by the glass or bottle there, too.

I was just there for lunch today with DH. They now open at 1 p.m.!

 

[mmtndiver]

Great up to date info Thanks for posting.

Was the Cuban place on 5th called the "El Casion" last year? Think I've seen it but never tried it or remember it by that name.

Anyone know what days San Carlos Pescador is closed? Sure would hate to miss it! (2 taxi rides last year) but well worth it.

C-ya in Coz
Mmtndiver

 

[spector39]

During a surface interval, we went to the place in this pic. I don't know what it was called, but it served one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. If anyone knows what this place is, please post it as I'd love to go there again!