I know this thread will deteriorate into a list of people’s favorite restaurants and the non-traditional foods now served on the island, most of which I see on this board all the time and don’t understand why American and Canadian tourists think they are so good, but here is my list of foods and drinks quintessentially “Cozumeleña” that I recommend you try out.
guanabana ice cream, (available at many ice cream stands on the island). Also corn ice cream.
chico sapote fruit. Sometimes available at Chedraui, the market, or local fruit stands. Must be almost mushy to the touch to be ripe.
annona (cherimoya) fruit. Also the market or local fruit stands. Also must be very soft to the touch.
filete de caracol, Not diced; the whole filet of conch, with garlic sauce on the side
cochinita pibil, pig slow-baked in achiote and sour orange underground
lechón asado, pig slow-baked in an oven
tamales colados, tamales made with strained corn masa
ceviche de caracol, marinated raw conch
Noche Buena beer, still available if you hurry (it is a Christmas thing here)
pavo en escabeche, marinated chichen stewed in its marinade
relleno negro, burnt chiles/ground turkey/boiled egg loaf
queso relleno, Edam cheese stuffed with ground meat and capers in sac’kool white sauce
pavo en relleno negro, turkey in a black burnt pepper sauce
poc chuc, thin slices of marinated, grilled pork (only if they also offer blackened, grilled tomatoes; that will tell you if it is authentic or not)
horchata, sweet rice drink
café de olla, coffee simmered in a clay jar with Mexican cinnamon
frijol con puerco, slow cooked pork chunks and black beans, served “deconstructed” with chopped radish, onion, and cilantro
cebada, barley infused water
panuchos, open faced chicken, lettuce, cucumber, avocado, and pickled onion taco on a black-bean stuffed tortilla
salbutes, panucho without the black bean stuffing
sopa colado de frijol negro, silky-smooth, strained black bean soup
licuado de sandía, watermelon blended in a blender
helado de coco, coconut icecream with chunks of fresh coconut
agua de coco fresca, juice of the immature coconut
tres leches cake, a sweet and soggy three milk cake
pay de queso de bola, savory pie made of Edam cheese
fresh chicharon, fried pork skin
castakan, fried pork belly
sopa de lima, lime soup
huevos Motuleños, eggs Motuleño stlye (a Cozumel fav)
huevos revueltos con chaya, scrambled eggs with “Mayan spinach”
chilaquiles, day-old tortillas in salsa (a breakfast tradition here)
kibis, fried pork and cracked wheat rolls (Lebanese cuisine became tradition here in the every early 1900s)
xtabentun, anise flavored liqueur (D’Artiste is my fav)
marquesitas on the square at night
sikil p’aac, pumpkin seed and chile dip
whole fried boquinete, deep fried hogfish
…AND DON’T LET THEM PUT A LIME IN YOUR BEER!
