Restaurants around Catemaco
There is possibly one restaurant or food stand for every tourist who comes to Catemaco.
Most menus are similar and concentrate on seafood and basic Mexican fare.
There are some Catemaco fish specialties that are worth trying.
Most menus are similar and concentrate on seafood and basic Mexican fare.
There are some Catemaco fish specialties that are worth trying.
And of course the famous monkey meat dish (carne de chango). Since the monkeys are almost extinct, that meat nowadays
is actually smoked roasted pork, but don´t tell anyone!
Except during semana santa (easter week) or New Year´s Eve, most of the cavernous restaurants at the edge of the Laguna
seem empty. Tell that to the waiters. But hold on! Mexican vacationers travel in packs. An empty place fills quickly when some
families of 8 or more or a bus load show up.
For the low budget crowd or even gourmets, Catemaco has its share of cocinas economicas or loncherias. Try whatever the
comida del dia is (lunch special). It´s usually several courses, cheap, and composed of items usually not on main menus.
If you need a real hamburger, hold out for Cancun or somewhere north, unless you actually like ham in your hamburgers. But, if
you´re dying for some quality Mexican red meat - head for the San Andrés Montepio restaurant.
Fresh local fruit is available everywhere, and it is delicious. Try one of the street vendor´s version of a fruity delight with
yogurt. (if your stomach is adjusted to Mexico).
In the beach areas, ask them to SHOW you what fish is on hand. It varies by the hour, is usually pan fried and never enough.
Order 2 fish!
Recommendations:
All Around - Inexpensive
Melmar´s Patio - on the plaza, below the cathedral. One of the oldest homes in Catemaco, pleasant place to sit, short and good
menu, try the tacos de cochinita pipil prepared from the owner´s Yucatecan wife´s recipe.
Best Mexican Standard
La Casita - Most popular place for locals to eat - dependable quality. Within city, 3 blocks above plaza, Matamoros between
Ocampo and Bravo.
Best Dining with a glass of wine and some air conditioning
Hotel Playa Cristal (Malecon) or Hotel La Finca (highway south) - Both have a little more advanced menus, and real chairs
without beer company logos.
Best Seafood in Catemaco
Los Sauces (on the Malecon, northern end) - owner operated and proud of her food.
Best Breakfast - (I would die for a Denny´s or Sanborns replica in Catemaco)
Nanciyaga - the view and the cinnamon rolls are excellent, the rest just O.K. PS - if you only eat there, they deduct the 30 peso
admission from the check. For lunch try one of their memelas.
Most eclectic
Gorell´s - This is NOT the Gorrell`s on the Malecon! It is a little walk to Playa Espagoya (road behind bus station & Hotel
Koniapan, or walk along the shore when the Laguna is not filled to the brim. Check out the turtle shell art.
Casa de Caballos - on corner behind the cathedral features duck burgers and terrific arracheras. Evening only.
Best 24 hour restaurant (only one)
Most Catemaco restaurants open late and close early. (Think 9 am & 9 pm)
Mingo´s - (2 blocks from plaza, off main street, leading out of town). A REAL dump! Nothing to brag about unless you are not
sober and eating at 5 am. Fair, cheap comida corrida during the day.
Stay away from the after hour hot dog vendors, unless you know how to howl.
Best Gulf Beach Restaurants
In Montepio/Dos de Abril - La Casita (owned by the same family as La Casita in Catemaco.) The view alone is worth a visit.
In RocaPartida/Costa de Oro - restaurant among the eco-bamboo huts of Arroyo de Lisa, stroll along the beach while they
cook, or grab a fish from the netters and have the restaurant cook it..
In La Barra - Serenita Olmeca, almost at the end of the road before hitting the water, (walk behind the place and watch them
massacre your fish).
Best San Andrés Tuxtla Restaurant
Montepio Restaurante (alley behind Hotel del Parque on plaza) or La Caperucita Terraza (1 1/2 blocks from city hall)
At night - any of the stalls just to the side of Hotel del Parque
Best Non - Mexican Food Restaurant
Wishful thinking ! Although there is an Italian restaurant on the Malecon which is as good as it gets.
Typical menu, at the current high end of prices: (see more menus here)
is actually smoked roasted pork, but don´t tell anyone!
Except during semana santa (easter week) or New Year´s Eve, most of the cavernous restaurants at the edge of the Laguna
seem empty. Tell that to the waiters. But hold on! Mexican vacationers travel in packs. An empty place fills quickly when some
families of 8 or more or a bus load show up.
For the low budget crowd or even gourmets, Catemaco has its share of cocinas economicas or loncherias. Try whatever the
comida del dia is (lunch special). It´s usually several courses, cheap, and composed of items usually not on main menus.
If you need a real hamburger, hold out for Cancun or somewhere north, unless you actually like ham in your hamburgers. But, if
you´re dying for some quality Mexican red meat - head for the San Andrés Montepio restaurant.
Fresh local fruit is available everywhere, and it is delicious. Try one of the street vendor´s version of a fruity delight with
yogurt. (if your stomach is adjusted to Mexico).
In the beach areas, ask them to SHOW you what fish is on hand. It varies by the hour, is usually pan fried and never enough.
Order 2 fish!
Recommendations:
All Around - Inexpensive
Melmar´s Patio - on the plaza, below the cathedral. One of the oldest homes in Catemaco, pleasant place to sit, short and good
menu, try the tacos de cochinita pipil prepared from the owner´s Yucatecan wife´s recipe.
Best Mexican Standard
La Casita - Most popular place for locals to eat - dependable quality. Within city, 3 blocks above plaza, Matamoros between
Ocampo and Bravo.
Best Dining with a glass of wine and some air conditioning
Hotel Playa Cristal (Malecon) or Hotel La Finca (highway south) - Both have a little more advanced menus, and real chairs
without beer company logos.
Best Seafood in Catemaco
Los Sauces (on the Malecon, northern end) - owner operated and proud of her food.
Best Breakfast - (I would die for a Denny´s or Sanborns replica in Catemaco)
Nanciyaga - the view and the cinnamon rolls are excellent, the rest just O.K. PS - if you only eat there, they deduct the 30 peso
admission from the check. For lunch try one of their memelas.
Most eclectic
Gorell´s - This is NOT the Gorrell`s on the Malecon! It is a little walk to Playa Espagoya (road behind bus station & Hotel
Koniapan, or walk along the shore when the Laguna is not filled to the brim. Check out the turtle shell art.
Casa de Caballos - on corner behind the cathedral features duck burgers and terrific arracheras. Evening only.
Best 24 hour restaurant (only one)
Most Catemaco restaurants open late and close early. (Think 9 am & 9 pm)
Mingo´s - (2 blocks from plaza, off main street, leading out of town). A REAL dump! Nothing to brag about unless you are not
sober and eating at 5 am. Fair, cheap comida corrida during the day.
Stay away from the after hour hot dog vendors, unless you know how to howl.
Best Gulf Beach Restaurants
In Montepio/Dos de Abril - La Casita (owned by the same family as La Casita in Catemaco.) The view alone is worth a visit.
In RocaPartida/Costa de Oro - restaurant among the eco-bamboo huts of Arroyo de Lisa, stroll along the beach while they
cook, or grab a fish from the netters and have the restaurant cook it..
In La Barra - Serenita Olmeca, almost at the end of the road before hitting the water, (walk behind the place and watch them
massacre your fish).
Best San Andrés Tuxtla Restaurant
Montepio Restaurante (alley behind Hotel del Parque on plaza) or La Caperucita Terraza (1 1/2 blocks from city hall)
At night - any of the stalls just to the side of Hotel del Parque
Best Non - Mexican Food Restaurant
Wishful thinking ! Although there is an Italian restaurant on the Malecon which is as good as it gets.
Typical menu, at the current high end of prices: (see more menus here)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Topotes - (minnows) - oven roasted and eaten whole,
sort of like fishy french fries.
Tegogolos - (freshwater snails) - native to Laguna
Catemaco, usually served with the same sauce as
Mexican shrimp cocktails. Alleged to be an aphrodisiac.
Catemaco Mojarras - well - that used to be.
Now they are usually introduced farm raised African
tilapia, a perch like fish served whole.
Mayacastes - giant mountain stream shrimp
farmed in some of the outback communities of Catemaco
sort of like fishy french fries.
Tegogolos - (freshwater snails) - native to Laguna
Catemaco, usually served with the same sauce as
Mexican shrimp cocktails. Alleged to be an aphrodisiac.
Catemaco Mojarras - well - that used to be.
Now they are usually introduced farm raised African
tilapia, a perch like fish served whole.
Mayacastes - giant mountain stream shrimp
farmed in some of the outback communities of Catemaco
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |