Whether you’re a fan of all-inclusive resorts or prefer to dine a la carte when taking a dreamy beach vacation at a resort, there’s no guarantee that every property – no matter how expensive the rooms — will serve five-star food. Not all resort restaurants are created equal. Especially in a place like Mexico, where the cuisine is well known to be among the very best in the world, smart travelers will situate themselves in a place where they can sample the local dishes. These resorts in Mexico go above and beyond when it comes to culinary excellence, so you can expect inventive dishes made with top-notch ingredients, beautifully-crafted cocktails, curated wine lists, hands-on cooking workshops, and renowned chefs at the helm of their on-property restaurants. From Baja to the Riviera Maya, these resort restaurants in Mexico need to be on every traveler’s bucket list.
7 Mexico Resorts That You'll Want to Book for the Restaurants Alone
Resorts in Mexico with the best restaurants
Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection
Photo: Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection
The rocky beaches of Los Cabos aren’t always the most swimmable, but Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection is nestled along a protected cove where guests can swim in turquoise waters and see pristine coral reefs. Water sports like paddleboarding and kayaking are on the docket, as well as relaxing by the three-tier infinity pool.
The resort is also known for its culinary excellence and offers hands-on experiences like a “History of Mexican Cuisine Workshop” and “Agave Journey.” In addition, it houses four restaurants and bars. COMAL is considered one of Cabo’s best restaurants, and the menu highlights innovative takes on regional flavors – think blue corn sopes with duck carnitas and Baja scallop aguachile with chiltepin, turnip, and koji.
To celebrate its fifth anniversary in 2022, COMAL is hosting a series of renowned Latin American chefs as part of Baja Lab Kitchen, where they will collaborate alongside executive chef Yvan Mucharraz. New to the property this year is YAYA, a female-led Californian and Latin American restaurant that’s helmed by chef Eliana Godinez and mixologist Yared Alba. Local ingredients and live fire cooking turn out dishes like roasted sunchokes with date sauce and poblano, while creative cocktails like the Sesamo (made with coconut-sesame oil fat-washed gin, limoncello, and palo santo bitter) feature Mexico-made spirits.
Chablé Maroma
White sand beaches and the rainforest canopy await along the coasts of Riviera Maya, and Chablé Maroma syncs wellness amenities with the surrounding nature for a mind and body retreat.
Guests can get moving with activities like diving and beach yoga or relax and unwind with a spa treatment or in the water therapy pool. Chablé Maroma’s culinary program – helmed by award-winning Chef Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil in Mexico City – gets guests acquainted with Mayan culture and cuisine.
The tasting menu at Bu’ul offers dishes like cactus ceviche, venison carpaccio, and cured hamachi into works of art that are almost too pretty to eat, and the restaurant features an outstanding wine list that you can pair with each dish.
Poolside restaurant Kaban offers gorgeous views and dishes that highlight fresh produce and seafood like tuna tostadas and crispy octopus tacos. Meanwhile, the drinks are just as gorgeous as the food at Raw Bar, where you can sip a zesty, refreshing Spicy Roasted Pineapple Margarita. The resort also offers culinary experiences like wine tastings and cooking classes so you can get up close and personal with Mexican flavors and techniques.
ACRE
Photo: ACRE
If your main vacation priorities are to relax and reconnect with nature, book a stay at ACRE, a lush oasis that’s tucked into the foothills of San Jose del Cabo. The modern resort is set on 25 acres of greenery, so expect to see citrus trees and agave plants while roaming the grounds or retreating to one of 12 private treehouses, which are furnished with plush king beds and private terraces.
ACRE’s award-winning restaurant is a destination in its own right. The menu is truly farm-to-table, as the kitchen sources 70 percent of its ingredients – including fruits, vegetables, and herbs – from the on-site working farm and orchard.
Expect dishes that infuse local ingredients with global flavors, like Baja oysters with kimchi mignonette and citrus ponzu, and roasted suckling pig with cactus salad and grilled pineapple-habanero relish. The cocktail program, created by Vancouver’s Keefer Bar, focuses on refreshing original drinks like the Agave Silvestre, a mix of tequila, tarragon-infused elderflower liqueur, celery bitters, lime, and agave syrup. The property even serves its own brand of mezcal which is sourced from the best small-batch Mezcaleros.
Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita
Photo: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita
For those seeking the beauty of Bahía de Banderas without the crowds of Puerto Vallarta, Punta Mita is a quieter locale that’s perfect for a romantic getaway or low-key trip with friends.
With its prime location on the Pacific coast, you’ll never miss an epic sunset or salty ocean breeze when staying at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita. Soak it all in from your casita’s private terrace, or book a suite and take a dip in the private plunge pool. When all of that relaxing has worked up an appetite, indulge in one of the resort’s 10 restaurants and bars.
At Bahía by Richard Sandoval, guests can enjoy zarandeado-style catch of the day, a 500-year-old method for grilling fish that originated in Nayarit. The fish is marinated in adobo and citrus before it’s grilled over hot coals in a wood-fired oven. At Aramara – which was just named in the 2022 edition of the Greatest Mexican Restaurants Guide – Chef Jorge González celebrates Asian cuisine and highlights local ingredients in dishes like sashimi with Ancho Reyes ponzu and five spiced duck. Hop onto a bar stool at Mez to try their collection of agave spirits, including 70 types of mezcal and lesser-known varieties like sotol and raicilla.
Viceroy Los Cabos
Photo: Viceroy Los Cabos
Luxurious serenity awaits at Viceroy Los Cabos. The modern design by architect Miguel Angel Aragonés highlights cinematic views of the Sea of Cortés, and guest rooms are designed with floor-to-ceiling windows and private patios and balconies so guests can take in the views.
In addition to amenities like five pools, an on-property movie theater, and full-service spa, the resort has six restaurants and bars, all of them excellent. Earlier this year, they debuted their latest concept, Dalia, where Chef Carlos Terán blends traditional Mediterranean flavors with Baja culinary influences.
Expect fresh preparations like mussels with Pernod, chorizo, fennel, and mint, and a Greek lamb shank braised with lemon and herbs. Pop into Casero’s indoor/outdoor dining room for breakfast or lunch where you can nosh on tacos made with freshly pressed tortillas. Visit Nido – which is surrounded by a stunning nest-like structure – for ceviche, sashimi, and robatayaki, and end the night with a signature cocktail or artisan Mexican beer at Otro Bar, which also serves coffee and pastries by day.
Hotel Xcaret Arte
Opened in July 2021, this brand new property was designed to blend eco-architecture with the natural landscape of the surrounding Mayan region. Hotel Xcaret Arte pays homage to Mexican artists, which can be seen in the property’s 900 adults-only suites that are spread across five different buildings, or casas. The hotel excels in the culinary arts as well, as it brought together some of the best names in Mexican gastronomy for the resort’s nine restaurants.
At Xaak, Chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita’s eight-course tasting menu changes often and is a tribute to regional food with pre-Colombian influences. Michelin-starred Chef Paco Méndez also offers a prix-fixe menu at Encanta, which celebrates Mexican cuisine with global influences from Barcelona to the Caribbean. Expect playful, delicious dishes like a Caesar salad tostada and seared ribeye with avocado crema.
At Chino Poblano, Chef Jonatán Gómez Luna melds cuisines from Puebla and China, and the Peking duck served in a ceramic bird is a must-order during your stay. Many of the casas have their own rooftop bars, so stop by each one for a different drink and new view.
Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort
Photo: Las Ventanas al Paraiso
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort, has been welcoming guests to its luxurious Los Cabos property since 1997. Spend all day basking in the sun at the expansive infinity pool or lazy river that winds through an artwork-filled grotto, and treat yourself to pampering at the spa and salon.
Upon check-in, you’ll be welcomed by an in-room tequila amenity and fresh fruit that’s replenished daily. The property’s five restaurants and bars all offer a different taste of the destination. Alebrije celebrates Oaxacan cuisine, and dishes like roasted mushrooms mole amarillito and grilled octopus with peanut sauce and huitlacoche are meant to be served family-style.
The restaurant also boasts the largest mezcal collection in Baja. At Sea Grill, dishes like pork shank with pineapple puree, eggplant puree, and pickled vegetables are cooked over fire. End the evening at La Botica, a speakeasy piano bar that serves inventive signature drinks, as well as Prohibition-era classics. If you’re feeling peckish after a nightcap, grab a snack at La Botica’s late night food truck, which serves bites like tacos, mini burgers, and fries. 