Best Restaurants in Puerto Escondido: What + Where to Eat

Fine Dining Puerto Escondido

With a Michelin star under its belt, Almoraduz is one of the best fine dining restaurants in Puerto Escondido. To eat here is an experience that takes you through the flavors of Oaxaca in a unique way.

Another fine dining restaurant I recommend is Metxcalli, also located in Rinconada.

Best Restaurants in Rinconada

There is a long strip of restaurants in Rinconada along Benito Juarez. It makes for a convenient central dining hub. But in my opinion, it lacks traditional Oaxacan restaurants.

So just keep that in mind as you decide where to eat in Puerto Escondido. If you’re staying here, you should also explore other areas. I’ve also expanded this section to include the area between Rinconada and Centro, which is technically called Sector Hidalgo and offers more traditional fare.

1. La Salsa

📍 Location

This open-air restaurant has a fun vibe even when there are only a few people dining, which is rare because the fresh seafood is that good. 

Mexican music plays for ambiance, strong fans keep the space cool, and the sand floor with the colorful papel picado decoration reminds you you’re at the beach in Mexico.

But the real reason to eat at La Salsa is their fresh seafood and delicious cocktails. The aguachile verde is one of the best I’ve ever had. And for those who typically can’t handle this spicy dish, there’s an option to choose your level of spice.

My friend and I enjoyed this place so much that we returned the next night for their 2 for 1 cocktail special on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-6 pm. 

Everything we ate was so incredible that I wouldn’t hesitate to name this one of the best seafood restaurants in Puerto Escondido.

2. Comedor Tere

📍 Location

This local Puerto Escondido restaurant offers a menu del día that also includes a few classic breakfast items such as chilaquiles and enfrijoladas. The prices vary based on the dish, though all are affordable and include the flavored water of the day.

This casual restaurant is always full of local residents when I pass by. You’ll want to arrive earlier in the day since the more popular dishes on the menu run out by 2 or 3 pm.

3. Nana Pancha

📍 Location

The menu at Nana Pancha highlights fresh seafood and Oaxacan specialties, like tlayudas and enmoladas. 

There are a few creative variations including cecina al pastor tacos, lengua tlayuda, pulpo and chicharrón gordita. And few vegetarian options throughout – vegan tacos, vegetarian tlayuda, and a veggie enmoladas stuffed with plátano, sweet potato, and banana bathed in mole negro. 

I ordered the fish dish which featured a beautiful cooked piece of mahi mahi, a side of cheesy rice, and a beautiful salad with a tasty dressing. They also serve craft beer on tap.

I returned to Nana Pacha with a group from my Puerto Escondido coliving space. And although I had already eaten, I enjoyed sipping on their house mezcal. All the plates looked fabulous and everyone raved about the food.

4. Arrachela Grill

📍 Location

I was instantly drawn to the name of this Puerto Escondido restaurant which combines the words arrachera (marinated steak) and chela (a bottle of beer). The only possibly better combination would be a glass of red wine but at the beach, it’s cold cerveza. 

The menu has expanded since I first ate at Arrachela Grill, but one thing remains the same: the wood fired grill in front of the restaurant which is used to cook the arrachera. 

The menu options now include tacos, tlayudas, and other Oaxacan specialties as well as snacks like nachos or a hamburger. There’s also a grill plate that’s ideal for two people and includes arrachera, two types of chorizo, potatoes, pineapple, onions, and nopales.

Is your mouth watering yet?

5. Gallo Negro for Tlayudas

If you want to try tlayudas, one of the most popular Oaxacan street foods then Gallo Negro is a great spot.

A tlayuda is essentially a large tortilla with a thin layer of beans, quesillo (Oaxacan stringy cheese), and shredded cabbage. It’s then folded and cooked on a grill or a comal with a smidge of pork fat.

You can order it as is (sencillo) or with your choice of protein. In this case: chorizo, ribs (costillas), spiced pork (cecina), grasshoppers (chapulines), or tasajo (thin salty beef). 

I highly recommend the tlayuda de costillas at Gallo Negro. The ribs are well seasoned and grilled, making them the star of the show. The menu also includes squash blossom quesadillas and tostadas with similar protein options.

As a side note, I was happy to see all the traditional condiments served with a tlayuda: sliced radishes, chepil (an aromatic herb), and a mason jar of guajes, which you should absolutely try! They remind me of a flat soybean but more delicate and herbaceous.

6. Almazul

📍 Location

After our habitual sunset swim at Playa Carrizalillo, my friend and I decided to peek at the menu at Almazul. She was craving a burger at the time but she took one look and the ambiance won her over.

The wooden tables and woven chairs are surrounded by tropical plants. Simple coastal light fixtures hang from the palapa overhead and colorful placemats on the tables welcome diners. 

Ignacio and Manon, an Argentinian-French couple, have created a Puerto Escondido seafood experience that focuses on fresh fish and incredible cocktails.

And while the chef’s sushi sampler caught our eye, there are other items on the menu that highlight the freshness of the fish such as an aguachile negro, sashimi with leche de tigre, and a marinated octopus dish.

7. La Batata Sabor Argentino

📍 Location

If you’re looking for Argentinian baked empanadas, you are in luck. These are some of the best empanadas I’ve ever had. I’d give this restaurant high ratings for the chimichurri sauce alone.

In addition to a variety of baked empanadas, the menu includes grilled Argentinian steaks, sausage, and a handful of sandwiches. The beef rib sandwich looks incredible and I can already imagine how well it pairs with the chimichurri sauce.

8. Oaxaca Grill

📍 Rinconada | Zicatela

Just as the name implies, the grill is the centerpiece of this Puerto Escondido restaurant and the specialty is burgers. Options include wrapped in bacon, stuffed with gouda cheese, or topped with shrimp. And let me tell you, these hamburgers are the real deal.

They’re large, juicy, and one of the best burgers I’ve eaten in Oaxaca. The handmade patties are cooked to perfection and topped with grilled onions (and whatever else you order). By the way, you’re going to need extra napkins.

9. Almoraduz Cocina de Autor

📍 Location

This Michelin restaurant in Puerto Escondido serves beautifully plated dishes right on the strip in Rinconada. Diners can choose from the menu or their tasting experience which can be ordered with or without drinks.

The husband and wife team has created a menu that use Oaxacan ingredients in unique ways, like the seafood and huitlacoche risotto and the shrimp guava mole. Naturally, it’s rounded out with a variety of mezcal by the glass or as a cocktail.

10. Metxcalli for Fine Dining

📍 Location

Among restaurants for fine dining in Puerto Escondido, the creative menu at Metxcalli stands out to me as one of the most interesting. The unique appetizers practically beckons you to order an array of small plates to share with the table to start. And the entrees include coastal and Oaxacan flavors.

Now let’s get to the other important part of the menu – the cocktails. I ordered the house mezcal cocktail with clarified pineapple juice, rosemary, and chile. It was incredibly well balanced. And they offer a variety of mocktails.

To dine at Metxcalli, you’ll need to ascend two flights of stairs to the rooftop terrace. To your right is a long wood bar with seating that curves as if to mimic the coastline. The terraza includes beautiful wooden tables and chairs with a small bar.

11. Chill a Kill

📍 Location

Based simply on the name, you would assume this bar and restaurant specializes in chilaquiles. And while they do serve several variations, including a vegan version with tofu, the menu is wide-ranging.

Chilaquiles, enchiladas, and a few sandwiches are served all day. The simple breakfast menu from 10 am-1 pm includes omelets, various egg plates, and waffles – both sweet and savory.

From 1 pm-10 pm, the menu expands to include a few salads, stuffed baked potatoes, a hummus plate with lamb kabob, fish tacos, and various specials of the day.

There is also a small vegan and vegetarian section. The garbanzo burger is accompanied by a cucumber carrot mix while the lentil burger comes with plantain chips.

And perhaps one of my favorite finds for vegan/vegetarian is the tinga tacos using carrots and beets. I really love when restaurants branch out from soy-based products and create vegetarian versions of traditional Mexican dishes.

12. Restaurant El Nene

📍 Location

El Nene is a staple restaurant to eat some of the best seafood in Puerto Escondido. And it recently got an incredible update. Still located in Rinconada, this open air restaurant features a tall palapa with gorgeous lighting and a beautiful bar.

On my first visit to El Nene, I ordered perfectly cooked grilled fish tacos topped with a cabbage slaw. The next time I enjoyed great cocktails and sashimi appetizer with a friend. All of the plates I saw were gorgeous.

13. ChupAlitas – Wings and Beer

📍 Location

If you want to spend the afternoon in a low-key bar, consuming wings and beer while watching football, this is the spot.

It was a Sunday afternoon when I walked into ChupAlitas, a small restaurant and bar along Rinconada’s strip. There was a decent crowd watching American football playing on the TV above the bar.

I was instantly welcomed by the owner, Joe, who was also enjoying a beer and watching the game. Fellow patrons assumed I had an interest in the TV, but in reality, I was drawn to this Puerto Escondido restaurant for the wings.

The wings at ChupAlitas are big. Joe sources them from a local butcher specifically for their meaty quality. A plate of six is enough for one person. And the tortilla chips they are served with are helpful to scoop up the extra sauce.

I later learned that Joe’s wife makes all of the sauces from scratch using her original recipes. The exception is the buffalo sauce recipe from the famous Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY. Yum, yum, yum!

Central Puerto Escondido Restaurants

I found the biggest variety of restaurants in Puerto Escondido’s downtown area. It’s also where you’ll find several restaurants serving traditional Oaxacan food, cheap tacos, and some of the best pizza I’ve had in Mexico.

14. Pepe’s Fish Tacos

📍 Location

If you only manage to visit one place on this list of the best restaurants in Puerto Escondido, make it Pepe’s Fish Tacos. Pepe’s friendly energy will warm your heart. And the large shrimp and fish tacos will warm your belly.

After growing up in Puerto Escondido, Pepe moved to the Big Island of Hawaii where he lived for 13 years while perfecting his tacos, Hawaiian style. 

I opted for two fish tacos – one of grilled fish taco with cabbage and the other coconut style with pineapple.

The generous portion of fish was fresh and cooked to perfection. The sweetness of the coconut peeped through as well while the pineapple rounded out the tropical, Hawaiian flavors. 

Pepe’s serves some of the best fish tacos in Puerto Escondido for a really fair price.

15. Cocofam (Vegan)

📍 Location

Cocofam is one of my favorite places to eat vegan food in Puerto Escondido. 

The small menu features tortas and tacos with heavy use of mushrooms, beans, and vegetables. The menu may be small but the large plates are full of vegetables and served with a side salad.

I ordered the mushroom taco with sauteed vegetables stuffed inside a bright green, spinach tortilla. The side salad which included long thin strips of carrot, thinly cut lettuce, and apple slices was tossed in a tasty dressing.

Even if you aren’t a plant based eater, this restaurant is a must for healthy food in Puerto Escondido.

16. Chili Garden for Asian Food

📍 Location

Chili Garden serves some of the best Asian food I’ve eaten in Mexico. As I walked through the doorway, the colorful lanterns hanging overhead transported me to a little bit of Asia.

The menu features a variety of Southeast Asian cuisine with dishes that include butter chicken, thai curry, and pad thai. In addition, vegetarians will be satisfied with the option of tempeh. 

When I ate at Chili Garden, I ordered a sort of sampler platter that’s no longer on the menu. Everything was tender and flavorful, including the tempeh.

17. Non Solo Homemade Pasta and Pizza

📍 Location

The menu at Non Solo Pizza is authentically Italian. The handmade pastas: tagliolini, tagliatelle, gnocchi, ravioli, and cannelloni are available in a variety of sauces. Plus there are two specialties from Sardinia: gnocchetti and fregola.

And one restauranteur told me this is the best pizza in Puerto Escondido. It’s certainly one of the best I’ve tasted, but keep in mind it’s only available after 5 pm.

The menu also includes a variety of Italian wines and a menu del día until 5 pm that includes soup, entree, fruit water, and bread.

18. Las Juquileñas

📍 Location

This is a traditional Oaxacan restaurant in Puerto Escondido to enjoy breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack. Long wooden tables line the corridor under colorful paper cut-out decorations that flutter under the welcome breeze of the ceiling fans.

When you arrive you’ll see the chefs in the kitchen as they tend to the comal – a round flat metal cooking surface that is ubiquitous in Oaxacan cooking. They stay busy as they also tend to the grill and various pots of stews.

If you have yet to try mole amarillo (with chicken) you should definitely order the empanada armarillo. It was incredibly flavorful with a subtle spiciness.

A quick note, Oaxacan empanadas are more like a quesadilla in size and minus the cheese. They aren’t fried or baked but rather heated on the comal. In Oaxaca City, they are large but I’ve noticed along the coast the empanadas are smaller.

19. Taqueria Tlaxcalli

📍 Location

With two rotating spits of meat out front, this is one of the best places to eat tacos in Puerto Escondido. The options are simple – pastor, arabe, chuleta, chorizo, bistec, or costillas (ribs) on your choice of corn or flour tortilla with or without cheese.

20. La Parrilla Mixteca for Tacos

📍 Location

Inside this Puerto Escondido restaurant, ceiling fans whip the air through the open dining area like a refreshing ocean breeze.

Outside, a man tends to the rotating spit of pastor. He continuously trims the meat with a large knife, only taking a break to add another round of pineapple to the top. As a result, the pastor tacos are fresh, fast, and when I was there, beautifully marbled with fat.

This is a no-frills kind of place that features tacos al pastor, tlayudas, and several alambre plates that mix different meats with cheese and sometimes vegetables served with tortillas on the side of course. 

If you’re looking for cheap tacos in Puerto Escondido, La Parrilla Mixteca is a great spot in centro.

21. Street Food in Puerto Escondido

To be honest, I didn’t find a lot of street food in Puerto Escondido other than sweets and a cart with esquites and elotes. There are some taco carts on this street (map) in the evening. They are cheap and fast, though I ate better tacos at some of the restaurants.

I would highly recommend stopping for a coconut ice cream if you happen upon an helados street vendor in Puerto. It is a sweet and refreshing treat in the hot sun.

Best Restaurants in Zicatela

Zicatela is full of beach bars that tend to serve mediocre food at inflated prices. But I did find a beach restaurant with a fabulous sunset view and some of the freshest seafood in Puerto Escondido.

Plus, once you get a few blocks from the beach there are some really good restaurants in Zicatela, many of which are featured below.

22. Tistal Cocina Traditional

📍 Location

This traditional Oaxacan restaurant is one of my favorite places to eat breakfast in Puerto Escondido. From the beach, follow the road toward the highway. There is a steep set of steps to climb at the end. But it’s totally worth it for the ocean views from the balcony seating.

And for the food of course! This is one of the best places to eat in Puerto Escondido, especially if you’re looking for Oaxacan food. 

As you walk up, you’ll see several women – some making tortillas and others tending to the comal. It’s exactly what you’d expect at a traditional restaurant.

The menu includes various plates of eggs as you wish, empanadas, chilaquiles, tlayudas, and more. To drink there are fresh juices, smoothies, coffee, and hot chocolate. The food is delicious and the prices are super reasonable.

23. Taqueria Los Molcas

📍 Location

For over 50 years, this restaurant has been serving some of the best tacos in Puerto Escondido. They are authentic, cheap, and tasty and all the better washed down with a cold beer or agua del dia.

While Taqueria Los Molcas is best known for tacos al pastor, they also have chorizo, bistec, chuleta, arrachera, and others. They also have interesting vegan and vegetarian taco options that use mushrooms, nopal cactus, onion, and pineapple.

Keep in mind – like most taco places, Taqueria Los Molcas opens at night and stays open until 1 am. 

24. Zicachela

📍 Location

Zicachela serves tacos, wings, and burgers with mezcal and chelas (beers) to wash it down in a chill atmosphere located just above the highway in Zicatela. 

Mondays are the busiest since it’s the only night they offer suadero tacos. The slow-cooked, tender meat is stuffed into corn tortillas and topped with onion, cilantro, and crunchy homemade potato sticks.

While Zicachela may be highly regarded for their suadero tacos, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. The burgers are incredibly flavorful and the optional fries are perfectly cooked which is often rare in Mexico.

25. Mariinera

📍 Location

Fresh seafood and sunset views – what more could you ask for? When you arrive you can choose to sit at one of the shaded wooden tables or lounge in the hammocks suspended between palm trees.

Mariinera is known for serving fresh seafood sashimi and tostadas. I opted for dorado (mahi-mahi) sashimi, which seems to be the main type of fish in Puerto Escondido.

And if you’re only looking for a quick snack, the tostadas are available to order individually. The options include marinated fish, shrimp, octopus, mixed, and options of the same prepared in a curry.

This is one of the best restaurants in Zicatela on the beach and one of the best places for seafood in Puerto Escondido.

26. Mercado de Zicatela

📍 Location

Zicatela Market is a relatively new mercado with a sweeping view of the beach. And while the market resembles a traditional Mexican market, it’s also a haven for some of the best restaurants in Zicatela. Here are some of my top picks. I included a map link but they don’t always correspond to the exact location within the mercado.

• Doña Claudia (map) for a traditional Mexican breakfast
• Rinconcito Criollo (map) for Mexican and seafood
• Panaderia Marcelo (map) for incredible croissants
• Ojitos Deli (map) for a strong cup of coffee

Best Restaurants in La Punta Puerto Escondido

This is one of the most expensive places to eat in Puerto Escondido.

It’s also where you’ll find the most international restaurants, which are naturally more expensive in Mexico. Nonetheless, my tastebuds were happy for a change of pace as I sought out Thai, Japanese sushi, and Korean food.

If you’re eating dinner, I highly recommend you choose where you want to go ahead of time and arrive soon after sunset. At this time, everyone seems to exit the beach and flood the restaurants.

27. Maria Sirena

📍 Location

This outdoor restaurant in La Punta mostly serves seafood. And its chic design fits the neighborhood.

The name is an ocean twist on Maria Sabina, a woman from the mountains of Oaxaca known for her use of medicinal mushrooms, like the ones you find in San Jose del Pacifico.

I know it’s starting to sound a little kitschy. And even though I don’t love these changes happening in this area of Puerto Escondido, I enjoyed the vibe here. I also enjoyed the mezcal, although it’s served slightly chilled which was a first for me.

The menu features a variety of tostadas, tacos, and other dishes that mostly feature seafood. I ordered the maracuyá (passion fruit) ceviche tostada and the coconut shrimp taco. Both were solid.

28. Fish Shack La Punta

📍 Location

This is a proper fish shack in La Punta, located on one of its narrow alleys that lead to the beach. Two long community tables and several smaller tables line the corridor just outside. Place your order at the cash register and then listen for your name as the servers bring out food and drinks.

When I expressed my surprise to see a po-boy on the menu, the owner told me that he wanted to open a fish shack. And well, you can’t have a fish shack without a po-boy.

The southerner in me can tell you, they do know how to properly fry. The girl to my right was served perfectly crispy fish bites and french fries. I literally heard them crunch as she bit into them.

However, I highly recommend the grilled fish sandwich. The grilled fish filet was thick and juicy, layered on a mixture of shredded iceberg and cabbage with pickles and a serrano tartar sauce.

29. Sommo

📍 Location

If you’re craving traditional Japanese sushi, one of the best places to eat in La Punta, Puerto Escondido is Sommo. Their specialty is the long list of nigiri available to order by the piece or as several pre-selected combinations.

They also have tiraditos and sashimi, sushi rolls, rice bowls, and more. Or their omakase experience allows the chef to choose your sushi creations.

In addition to creating some of the best sushi in Puerto Escondido, Sommo serves sake and handcrafted cocktails, which is exactly what you would expect at this fine dining restaurant.

30. Chicama

📍 Location

Chicama is one of the most popular restaurants in La Punta. And I would argue it’s for good reason – mainly their delicious seafood creations and Peruvian ceviche.

Although it doesn’t stop there. Chicama also has a lively atmosphere and tasty cocktails including a Peruvian classic, the pisco sour.

If you want to continue eating seafood in Puerto Escondido but change up the flavors a bit, I highly recommend dining at Chicama.

31. The Thai Garden

📍 Location

This Thai restaurant in La Punta is located in a shady outdoor area with wooden tables and colorful hanging lanterns. The menu mostly focuses on a handful of noodle dishes and curry bowls with your choice of chicken, shrimp, vegetables, or tofu.

If you’re craving some Asian flavors, The Thai Garden is a solid choice. When I was there they featured a 2 for 1 cocktails happy hour from 3-6 pm.

Well, that rounds out this list of the best restaurants in Puerto Escondido.