To really get a feel for a place you must first travel to areas that are off the beaten track. These days the hotels in Cancun’s Hotel Zone offer all the services you could wish for to have the perfect vacation in this paradisiacal destination. Nevertheless it is definitely worth taking the time to get to know your surroundings. Mexican hospitality is well-known and you can be assured of a warm welcome wherever you decide to stop and eat. So with that in mind, we give you 5 must-visit places if you want to eat like a local.

1. Tacos Rigo

The most typical of Mexican dishes

No dish is more Mexican than tacos. With its many interpretations from the north to the south, tacos are, at the end of the day, the most typical Mexican food. Meat, corn, lime, onion, and chili peppers form the basis of colors and flavors that represent Mexican food to the world. In Cancun few places showcase this humble food more than Tacos Rigo. A favorite for many wanting to satisfy their taco craving, Tacos Rigo has grown hand-in-hand with this young city. If you’re looking for true Mexican food this is one of your best bets.

2. Las Quekas

Las Quekas, a Cancun staple

The delicious Quekas of Cancun

The quesadilla is a traditional Mexican food which comprises of a corn tortilla and melted cheese. In ‘Las Quekas de Kramer’ or better known simply as ‘Las Quekas’ you can order quesadillas with a choice of fillings, such as chicken, chorizo, or mushrooms. With its tasty quesadillas and low prices it’s easy to see why this franchise, which started in Cancun in 2004, has grown to have chains throughout the country. You’d be hard pushed to find an upstanding Cancun citizen that has not eaten at one of the many Las Quekas dotted throughout the city. There are a couple of chains in the Hotel Zone, one near the Oasis Palm hotel and another in the party zone where all the nightclubs are. So if you get a bit hungry after a night of dancing you know where to go.

3. Va que Va

Succulent lobster at Va que Va

The drop in tourism in 2005 following hurricane Wilma led a newly unemployed taxi driver to open what would soon become one of the best seafood restaurants in the city. Located in the popular 220 district of Cancun, Va que Va has in just 10 years turned into a must visit place on the city’s gastronomic map. Well served portions of delicious food at fair prices with an excellent service to match, it is easy to see why the place is so popular with locals.

4. Tacos el Polilla

Pork meat tacos, a Mexican favorite

Right in the heart of Cancun is Ki-Huic market, one of the oldest markets in the city and the first dedicated to selling handicrafts to tourists. Located between Avenida Tulum and Avenida Nader this is also the home of meat tacos, and at Tacos el Polilla pork meat in particular, where it is fried in the animal’s fat. Needless to say these tacos are delicious in addition to being cheap and well filled. They are without a doubt the sort that will have you coming back for more.

5. Ty-Coz

Ty-Coz, a tasty and inexpensive alternative

Ty-Coz may not be as traditionally Mexican as the others on this list but it’s still a firm favorite for thousands who visit each week to eat their famous baguettes. There are three key reasons for this. First, its most popular baguette costs just 18 pesos (less than one and a half US dollars), second, they are easily accessible with chains across the city, and third and most importantly, they are really delicious. You can find one of their chains in the Hotel Zone close to the Coral Negro market. So if hunger strikes while you are browsing for souvenirs Ty-Coz is the ideal place to enjoy some great food.

So there you have it, our list of places where you can join the locals in enjoying some great food at great prices.

Why not let us know where your favorite place to go is!