In our countdown to Valentine’s Day, we have shared our ideas on what to do and ways to show your love.
Now, we offer our picks of the most romantic restaurants in the Riviera Maya. While there were lots of romantic restaurants from which to choose, we selected these five because of their unique combination of ambiance, menu, and location.
We hope these restaurants inspire you to taste the beauty of life and share your love with the ones you love on Valentine’s Day and throughout the year.
Cetli
Perched on the edge of the Tulum Pueblo, Cetli Restaurant transports guests to a storybook Mexico of soft violins, silver crosses, and shadows of Catrina figurines dancing on candlelit archways. Playful touches like decorative, wooden, tasting spoons, Mexican handicraft displays, and embroidery set the stage for enchantment.
The restaurant’s specialty is the mole, a chili-pepper based sauce made in several varieties, from white to deep chocolate.
Take time to linger while dining at Cetli. Savor the decadent appetizer plate, featuring a cheese sampling and orange slices topped with spicy grasshoppers. The restaurant doubles as a handicraft and antique gallery. Glass of wine in hand, walk around and gaze at the eclectic mix of Virgin of Guadeloupe art, Yucatecan cookbooks, and lush, tropical grounds.
Hours: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday through Tuesday. Closed on Wednesdays.
Whereabouts: Cetli is located on the north side of Tulum, along the highway from Tulum to Coba. The address is Carretera Tulum-Coba, Km 2.5. Tulum, 77780, Mexico.
Extras: Reservations are preferred and can be made via Facebook or call the restaurant at +52 984 108 0681.
La Lunita
Its beguiling surroundings inspire La Lunita in Half Moon Bay in Akumal.
Dine under a canopy of stars with swaying palm trees. Gaze at your beloved over a margarita or mescal while grazing your toes in the sand as a small crab meanders by.
Its seasonal menu features tantalizing interpretations of seafood classics such as octopus, salmon, tuna, shrimp and lobster. Innovative variations on traditional Mexican staples like ceviche, tacos, and chile poblano are always a favorite.
Hours: Monday through Saturday 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Whereabouts: Travel along the main road on Akumal’s Beach Side, away from the shops and toward Half Moon Bay. The official address is Secc H Depto 243 Lote D, Hacienda de la Tortuga, 77729 Akumal.
Extras: Reservations are preferred and can be made by calling +52 984 875 9070.
Taverna
A candle-lit staircase at night leads to a thatched-roof, second-floor restaurant bathed in a warm glow.
Your setting for food and romance is Taverna in Akumal. Part of a constellation of Italian trattorias that includes restaurants in Texas and Georgia, Taverna Akumal is like a warm, welcoming treehouse.
From its creamy risottos to homemade pizzas made with fresh ingredients, Taverna strives to bring the best of northern Italian cooking to the heart of Akumal. Ask about the daily specials for surprises like pasta with fresh mussels and clams and specialty gnocchi.
Taverna offers a great selection of wines, as well as fresh, Caribbean cocktails. The Tequila Mockingbird made with tequila, a watermelon-based puree, fresh lime juice, and agave syrup topped with a jalapeno slice is a personal favorite.
Hours: Daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Whereabouts: The orange building on Akumal Square near the basketball court. Address — Plaza Ukana 1 Building D, High Floor, Akumal.
Extras: Reservations are preferred and can be made by calling +52 984 875 9009.
Kitchen Table
Kitchen Table Restaurant in Tulum is designed to be an “inside-out” dining experience. The restaurant is hidden in a jewel box of lush, tropical forest near Tulum National Park.
Watch the sun dip below swaying palm trees as you dine at sunset. Sip a hand-crafted cocktail while watching the chef and his Mayan team prepare your meal in the open kitchen located in the center of the restaurant.
The seasonal menu is an intriguing mix of Portuguese dishes made with fresh, Mexican ingredients, and European techniques. The pork ribs, grilled deviled avocado, and the pan-seared octopus cooked with garlic, olive oil, white wine, and coriander are among our favorites. Top it off with the chocolate or sea-salt caramel ganache.
Hours: Daily 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Seatings are at 6 p.m., 8 p.m., and 10 p.m. Walk-ins are accepted between seatings
Whereabouts: Tulum’s Beach Road. Address – Carretera Tulum A, Boca Paila Km 1.5, Tulum
Extras: Make reservations +52 984 188 4924.
Fuego Restaurant & Cantina
Fuego Restaurant & Cantina in Playa del Carmen offers oceanfront dining in a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.
Tucked in the Mahekal Beach Resort, Fuego features a “farm to fork” menu that is an eclectic mix of flavors from Mexico, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, and the United States. At Fuego, you can taste the world without a passport. Savor the Argentinian-inspired pizza with marinated flank steak, watercress, and parmesan or try Mayan Octopus grilled with habanero and sour orange, cactus, and served with rice.
Seafood is also a Fuego specialty. A local fisherman brings in-season lobster, octopus, grouper, and sea bass early in the afternoon, which later become individual dishes like Caribbean Grouper and Blue Fin Tuna that guests have come to enjoy. We recommend the Chilean Sea Bass which is served with a huge portobello mushroom, sweet corn, and bacon.
Sweet sensations like the Chocolate Volcano Cake and a wide array of cocktails, coffee, tea, and digestives are also available to top off your dinner. We enjoyed the Mayan Coffee, which comprises orange liquor, cinnamon, and Xtabentun, a traditional Yucatecan liquor made from anise seed, fermented honey, and rum.
Hours: Daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Whereabouts: Inside the Mahekal Beach Resort. Address — Gonzalo Guerrero, 77720 Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo
Extras: Reservations are preferred and can be made by calling +52 984 873 0611.
Inspired to make the Riviera Maya the setting of your next romantic escape? Contact our reservations team to help you plan a dreamy vacation just for two.