To be honest, we only bought items that we used to prepare our own meals in the condo.
The store has a dedicated website, but have to admit, my Spanish isn't that great.
Puerto Adventuras questions
- Thread starter mje113
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
The store has a dedicated website, but have to admit, my Spanish isn't that great.
San Diego Climber
Contributor
No prepared food like you find in the sandwich section in the US, have to get all the components. Both cold cuts and the panederia are in the far back/right side. Easy enough to find and all the baked goods are so cheap they're almost free, so try them all.
Most important Chedraui note: they hate making change at the registers (I think because they usually just don't have enough in the drawer), so either have exact change ready or just pay with a card. 9/10 times they ask if you have exact change, then they roll their eyes when they don't, and they have to have a manager come over with more coins and you stand and wait awkwardly for far too long while the manager finishes up whatever they're doing.
Another wonderful food option is El Mero Mero, right off the highway exit across from Zero Gravity, and next to Good food, pleasant ambiance, and the staff are all always fantastic. The woman who's usually there (but wasn't in September, maybe on holiday) is particularly delightful. El Arbolito next to it is also good but not open for dinner.
Also, I've seen things listed on the website that the PA Chedraui didn't carry, so YMMV
Final note, for the most part it's pretty much like a well-equipped US supermarket but notably milk is (almost entirely or completely) the non-refrigerated ultra-pasterurized variety, so if you're looking for it it's in the "Leche" aisle, not a fridge. Surprisingly, the variety of fake milk offerings (I'm vegan-ish) are better than in the US.
Most important Chedraui note: they hate making change at the registers (I think because they usually just don't have enough in the drawer), so either have exact change ready or just pay with a card. 9/10 times they ask if you have exact change, then they roll their eyes when they don't, and they have to have a manager come over with more coins and you stand and wait awkwardly for far too long while the manager finishes up whatever they're doing.
Another wonderful food option is El Mero Mero, right off the highway exit across from Zero Gravity, and next to Good food, pleasant ambiance, and the staff are all always fantastic. The woman who's usually there (but wasn't in September, maybe on holiday) is particularly delightful. El Arbolito next to it is also good but not open for dinner.
Also, I've seen things listed on the website that the PA Chedraui didn't carry, so YMMV
Final note, for the most part it's pretty much like a well-equipped US supermarket but notably milk is (almost entirely or completely) the non-refrigerated ultra-pasterurized variety, so if you're looking for it it's in the "Leche" aisle, not a fridge. Surprisingly, the variety of fake milk offerings (I'm vegan-ish) are better than in the US.
Another chedurai note. Even if your spanish is good, you probably aren't going to understand the first question that the cashier asks you. She's going to ask if you have a chedurai number. You can just say no. . .
Just look forward to it. Emoke is amazing!
Recommend a good strong breakfast, and if you like bananas, the small ones a really nice for snacks. (Wont melt, like chocolate).
Recommend a good strong breakfast, and if you like bananas, the small ones a really nice for snacks. (Wont melt, like chocolate).
OP
Thanks for that! Honestly, hoping to get by on credit card mostly.
I was curious, if I have the time is Zero Gravity worth a visit? I won't be in the market for gear, but I don't have any GUE/DIR focused dive shops local.
Assuming you mean the restaurants inside the complex, it would be really long if you had to walk along the roads, but of course you can cut through the greenspace to make a fairly direct route. Just use Google or whatever navigation app. But you knew that.
It's not "giant"--certainly smaller than a Walmart or Super Target. It seems big because, like those stores, they have sections with housewares, clothes, etc., in addition to the obvious food sections.
Lunch has always flummoxed us. No pre-prepared sandwiches at Chedraui. There is a sort of deli counter, but good luck finding things that look good and/or familiar. We speak okay Spanish, and we didn't buy any of that stuff. There are, of course, all kinds of breads and cookies and things. For the last two trips our lunch strategy has been to buy some bananas, packaged nuts and whatever other snacky stuff looks appealing, and to pre-boil some eggs. We like hardboiled eggs--good protein boost--even on our dive days at home. We find it's best not to scarf down a "lunch" but rather eat a small amount before the first dive, and then some more after the second dive.
I'll add that Chedraui sells local pork delicacies cochinita pibil and lechon by the kilo at a counter, if you want to brave that. You could make some insanely good "pulled pork" sandwiches with that. But for me, it would be too heavy a lunch. For dinner--hell yes.
Seconded! @mje113, when you pass by these places with Emoke on your way to the dive sites in the mornings, you'll see Arbolito packed with breakfast-goers. As SD Climber said, it will be closed by the time you get back. But consider it for breakfast (tacos) on your last day, before you get picked up to return to Playa del Carmen or wherever you're headed.
This. Plastic grocery bags are now banned there, I believe.
I was curious why you chose Emoke and not someone at ZG. Emoke is a great choice--just wondering how you found her, since ZG advertises themselves more than Emoke and Laszlo do. Anyway, as to your question, ZG looks like any other dive shop, focused on GUE/DIR stuff, of course. Nothing really special to see there. Well, I suppose if you want to see a really nice fill station or just have a look, by all means stop by.
OP
Not a great breakfast eater my self. At home I never eat before 11, but on dive days, especially for classes, a good breakfast with eggs, bacon, toast, butter, avocado, OJ and a bit of mango keeps me going all day. Puts less pressure on the eating bit the rest of the day.
Emoke and Lazlo doesn't work out of ZG, but ZG does have a quaint cafe with proper french patissery and a really nice selection of coffees.
Similar threads
