The 7 Best Breakfast Restaurants in Tulum, Mexico

Looking for the best breakfast Tulum can muster is hardly going to be a chore. Salsa-topped eggs, huevos rancheros, refried beans, avocado-smothered sourdough – the tastes and flavors of this resort town are tailor-made for those morning meals. And that’s not even mentioning the array of tropical smoothies, packed with guava and banana, or the strong Latin American coffee beans sourced from the surrounding continent. Get ready to start the day on a high note, folks!

We’ve slung together this list to save you tasting your way through the overload of breakfast joints in the resort town. It runs through seven of the most acclaimed breakfast and brunch options in the area, revealing the highflyers when it comes to chowing down in the early hours between the lapping waves of the Mexican Caribbean and the bustling Centro of Tulum.

You’ll notice there’s a pretty eclectic mix of establishments in the offing these days. That’s because Tulum has changed considerably in the last decade or so. You’ll still find the rustic Mexicana cantinas with their spicy fried eggs, but you also get bohemian eco kitchens that are all about smashed avocado and dustings of habanero powder. Sounds enticing, eh?

Azafran

scrambled eggs breakfast
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In our eyes, Azafran is right up there with a shout at the very best breakfast Tulum can offer. Okay, so it’s a little off the beaten path. You’ll find it hidden away in the backstreets of Tulum Centro, about 12 minutes by car from the famous sands of Playa Paradiso. There, it invites guests into a lovely little al fresco patio space where gnarled and twisted banyan trees watch over the tables.

The menu is the antithesis of pretentiousness. In in a simple pack of plastic pockets, it offers hearty staples that you might find tricky to get in the chicer establishments by the Caribbean shores. We’re talking scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, sausages, and traditional omelets. There’s also a wide selection of bagels that can be packed with all sorts, from French brie cheeses to smoky Texan roast beef.

Azafran opens at 8am each morning and draws of a mix of both locals and travelers. You’ll want to score a seat in the leafy garden. Or be sure to grab one of the benches on the street out front, where you can people watch as you munch on the crusty home-baked breads. Oh, and did we mention that Azafran is one of the cheapest breakfast options in Tulum?

Address: Av Kukulkan #6, Tulum Centro, Centro, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico

Don Cafeto

fruit platter breakfast
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Don Cafeto is up there with the best breakfast Tulum choices for one reason: Its coffee. In fact, the joint claims to have made history as the first place to import a real coffee machine from Europe back before the people of Quintana Roo even knew what they were. We have to say that the brews are fantastic. Keep it simple; keep it plain, black and without sugar.

Food wise, you’re looking at a filling menu of both Mexican and American morning meals. That means big plates of eggs any way, salads, and toasted breads. It also means platters of healthy tropical fruit, rich mole sauces, and fried eggs with a topping of red or green salsa and a side of refried beans.

Don Cafeto also deserves its spot on this list on account of its location. Right on the main Av Tulum in the heart of the town center, it’s a cracking place to sit back, relax, sip a strong coffee, and watch the world go by. We’d recommend getting there early to grab one of the best tables under the thatched canopy out front.

Also Read  Mexican Food Culture: 9 Dishes That You Must Try in Mexico

Address: Av. Tulum, Tulum Centro, Centro, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico

Tunich

health bowl
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The breakfast offering at uber-cool Tunich is something truly special. For starters, you’ll be eating with the sound of the swaying coconut palms and the lap of the Caribbean Sea as the backdrop. The whole place really makes the most of the location, too, with an open front and bar seating that lets you drop one foot in the sand as you dine.

Then comes the menu. It’s a corker. Health buffs can opt for the poke bowls. They come replete with chia seeds, yoghurts, berries, chopped almonds, desiccated coconut – basically a nutritious hit of all the tropical flavors you’d expect of the Yucatan Peninsula. If you’re feeling something a little naughtier, consider the stacks of American pancakes with syrups and jam, or the potent huevos rancheros with a side of fried potatoes. Mouth: Watering.

If you’re liking the vibes, be sure to stick around to enjoy the two-for-one cocktail deals that kick into action later on. And if you really can’t bring yourself to leave, that’s okay too. Tunich offers a few salt-washed beach cabanas and glamping choices within a stone’s throw of a gorgeous beachfront.

Address: Tulum Beach, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

DelCielo

danish pastry
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Whisking us back to the hubbub of downtown Tulum from the relative clam of the Carib beachfronts out east, DelCielo is a bit of a breakfast oasis. It’s got all the edgy charm of an East London hipster dive but with an added dash of Balinese style on top. The result? A calm and relaxing space that’s ideal for shedding the sleepy haze of the morning, complete with rough-wood grains and polished concrete.

Although there’s a full day menu, we’d say breakfast is where DelCielo’s really excels. The reason? Well…there are lots. One is the perfectly formed duo of ryebread poached eggs set in a lush avocado mash with infusions of jalapeno and cayenne. Another comes in the form of crispy-bottom fried eggs with smoked salmon. Then you have the smoky bacon and scrambled combo – a big fav among US travelers after a taste of home.

Matching the savory is an array of mouthwatering sweet treats. We’re talking curled Danish pastries packed with cinnamon and brown sugar, crusty French croissants, and plates of exotic fruits with chia seeds and nuts on top. Lovely stuff.

Address: Satélite Sur 5, Tulum Centro, Centro, 77760 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico

Ziggy’s Beach Club

breakfast in tulum
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Ziggy’s Beach Club isn’t just about cocktail drinking and jazz nights on the pristine beaches of the Mexican Caribbean. They’re great, but the spot also boasts some of the best breakfast Tulum can manage if you ask us. Much of that is down to the setting – you’ll be waking up to a meal served right on the sands of one of the nicest lengths of coast in the whole region. It’s travel-brochure stuff.

Breakfast is served from 7am and involves a fusion of local and international dishes. Perhaps you might want to start off with natural yoghurt souped up with passion fruit seeds? Maybe you’ll dive straight in with the red chilaquiles and their salsa of picked cabbage and coriander? Or will it be the local Motuleños-style eggs, served on corn toast with turkey meat and red mozzarella? The whole lot is creative and just a little different.

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We really like that Ziggy’s Beach Club offers a totally separate menu for smoothies and fruit juices. Get stuck into that and you’ll be faced with some pretty eclectic concoctions. Some come with blackberry and chia seeds. Others fold natural bee honey into lemon and kiwi. All are downright tasty and healthy ways to begin a beach day in Quintana Roo!

Address: Carr. Tulum-Boca Paila km 7.5, Tulum Beach, Zona Hotelera, 77760 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico

Fresco’s

Best Breakfast Restaurants in Tulum, Mexico
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Feeling lazy? Been hitting the cerveza a little too hard? Cue Fresco’s. At this breezy joint that’s bathed in the trade winds of the Caribbean, it’s all about starting the day on a healthy note. But that doesn’t mean they sacrifice creativity. Not a chance. The dishes here are zesty and edgy, all made on the spot, and pull in ingredients and inspiration from the surrounding region.

The menu is packed with oat bowls and fruit salads. They come with dashes of Greek yoghurt and crunchy pistachio and almonds on top. There are also stacks of pancakes served with sweet preserves, along with boiled eggs on rye with a touch of zingy lime for good measure.

To crank up the health push even more, there’s really nothing for it but an in-house Fresco’s smoothie. Those bad boys are an immune-system-bolstering mix of flaxseed and ginger, cardamom and rosemary, agave honey and granola. Afterwards, you can head off for a stretch and a laze on the beach – it’s right out front.

Address: Carr. Tulum-Boca Paila KM 7.5, Tulum Beach, Zona Hotelera, 77760 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico

La Zebra

breakfast pancakes
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Last but most certainly not least is the chic spot of La Zebra. It’s actually a part of the larger La Zebra Hotel Tulum, but the menus here flaunt some of the best breakfast Tulum can promise if you ask us. They’re served up on the powdery white sands of the main beachfront, some 15 minutes’ drive from Centro Tulum on the long run of shoreline that flanks the 15 highway. It’s a gorgeous setting, with palm trees overhead and lapping waves right out front.

Anyway, back to the food. Go local with the spicy chilaquiles in green sauce and their topping of cilantro and sour cream. Choose a French twist with the trio of pancakes doused in whipped cream and fruit conserves. Get a fix of Tex-Mex with the breakfast burrito, a filling wrap with pico de gallo and scrambled eggs all ensconced with salsas and spice.

There’s a mix of tempting smoothies on offer to boot. They include the Jungle Jam – a fusion of pineapple and ginger and lime – and the Mexican Buzz – pitting horchata against espresso beans and banana. You also get the usual selection of cappuccino and latte coffees, which can be converted into vegan with a change to almond or soy milk if you please.

Address: Carr. Tulum-Boca Paila Km 8.2, Tulum Beach, Zona Costera, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico


If you’ve been on the hunt for the best breakfast Tulum has up its sleeve in the past and have a secret to share, we’d love to hear your input! We don’t mind if it’s a local Mexicana cantina with the finest huevos you remember or a sleek beachside resort that does smashed avo – anything goes!

James

James Ardimento has spent the last 12 years journeying around the globe ! With its precious experiences and tips he gained around Asia, South America, Europe and the US he is a precious asset for this blog and for its readers