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The Best Brunch Spots In Playa del Carmen, Mexico

American breakfast
American breakfast | Photo by Mary West on Unsplash

Playa Del Carmen has it all: white, sandy beaches, crashing turquoise surf, and some culinary gems. It’s also conducive to a relaxing brunch culture, hence the abundance of excellent options for a laid back breakfast lunch combo. You don’t have to venture far, here’s our list of the ten best, centrally located brunch spots in Playa Del Carmen.

Plank

Stop by for a weekend brunchat Plank, with their exquisite menu available on both Saturday and Sunday. For an extremely reasonable price you get coffee and tea, fruits, pastries, homemade breads and spreads, plus a choice of main and a drink. Choose from mimosas, Bloody Marys, or frappuccinos, and accompany with frittatas, omelettes, or traditional Mexican breakfast options, among others. After 10.30am, the brunch menu expands to include more lunch-oriented dishes. Everything comes served with hash browns.

Chez Celine

Chez Celine

Enjoy a French style brunch at Chez Celine. This quaintly decorated spot is known for delicate pastries, such as the highly recommended strawberry tartlets and flaky, light croissants, but also offers a great sandwich selection. For a lighter brunch, try out the seasonally available pan de muertos, accompanied by a coffee. This traditional orange flavored Mexican pan dulce is produced and sold only around the period of Día de Los Muertos celebrations which take place in early November.

Madrez Café

A teeny tiny café located just off La Quinta, Madrez Café offers one of the classic brunch options: waffles that Leslie Knope would be proud of. Try the sweet and salty combination of eggs, bacon and maple syrup-topped waffles, or go for an entirely sweeter (and healthier) option that tops the waffles with fruit and yogurt. Sweet or savory, they won’t disappoint. Enjoy your brunch with a smooth cappuccino or fresh fruit juice.

Ah Cacao

Ah Cacao

For the chocolate lovers among you (or just those who like an excuse to eat desserts for brunch), Ah Cacao is the perfect spot. This cute little café, which has a few branches all over Playa Del Carmen, uses chocolate (and coffee beans) direct from the growers, meaning you’ll be helping to give back as you brunch. Pop down for some people watching, and enjoy a delectable, rich chocolate brownie and a mocha, or perhaps pan de elote (sweetcorn bread). They also sell chocolate body scrubs, soap, and shampoo, which would make great souvenirs.

La Cueva del Chango

Cueva del Chango

La Cueva del Chango is a great option any time of the day or evening, with its cozy and relaxed atmosphere, however we recommend dropping by earlier on in the day for a spot of brunch. The service is excellent, and the food falls in the category of traditional Mexican dining, including items like chilaquiles and soups. This is a great place to take kids for brunch, as they have a small rock and water habitats with turtles and fish which will have them fascinated. The protein shakes and juices are highly recommended.

El Nativo

Pop by for breakfast and a gigantic, freshly-made juice or milkshake. El Nativo offers simple but well-executed meals from dawn ‘til dusk every day, with the dependable chilaquiles coming highly recommended. Order with eggs or chicken and start your day the Mexican way. However, the real selling point here, looking beyond the enticing brightly painted interior and palapa-style, thatched roof exterior, are the freshly made smoothies. Litro servings of fruits mixed with either water or yogurt, made to taste.

Micaela’s Grill

Erring slightly more on the side of a bar, Micaela’s Grill is still a good option for a slightly more budget brunch in Playa Del Carmen. While they don’t offer a specific brunch menu, you can order from a selection of generously portioned Mexican dishes such as ceviche and Tex Mex options like fajitas. If you’re in the mood for a boozy brunch, they also have well priced cubetas of beer, and streetside seating. It’s located extremely handily on the famed Quinta Avenue, making it a convenient brunch spot.
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About the author

Lauren is the Mexico City Hub Writer and while she loves to write about anything Mexico related, especially if it concerns food, she also thinks there’s nothing more horrifying than having to write a humble yet engaging personal bio. Aside from content about Mexico, she dabbles in European language learning and publishes sporadically on her personal blog where you can find a whole host of eclectic, amusing content.

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