I spent a week in Playa del Carmen and had all sorts of gluten free eats!

*Disclaimer: I am not celiac, I just have a gluten intolerance, so please take all of these recommendations with your own research depending on your condition*

Tacos

Tacos can be a great gluten free option, you just need to ask a few questions to ensure they are gluten free. I was usually comfortable by just asking if the tortillas were made of only corn and no wheat flour. Other sources of gluten to ask about are the friers and the the meat (could be marinated with something like soy sauce or a seasoning that has gluten).

EL FOGÓN 

One of our favorite taco places in PDC, even after trying so many throughout the week. The best thing to do was to get an order of meat and tortillas on the side to make your own tacos. The first time we ordered a bunch of individual tacos to try them all, and the al pastor and chorizo were the best! The frijoles charros were also incredible (not confirmed GF).

AY TACO

A cute little taco spot just outside the tourist area. We just got a couple al pastor tacos and they confirmed they use tortillas made of only corn.

EL CHULETÓN

Great local taco spot. The pastor tacos with cheese were out of this world. I confirmed that the tortillas were gluten free, but I didn’t check about the meats. The food was phenomenal and I felt good after!

LA COCHI LOKA 

Cochinita Pibil! This place was so freaking good. I got the tacos with avocado and cheese – add a little salsa and these are out of this world. My husband, who is not GF, tried the torta which was delicious as well. Cochinita pibil: This consists of a delectable pulled pork dish that is braised for hours in achiote and spices. Ask if bread or flour added but traditionally it is made gluten free.

Mexican Restaurants

LA PERLA PIXAN CUISINE & LA CARBONERIA

This is a traditional Mexican spot, but upscale! Definitely more like US prices, but not crazy expensive. The grilled octopus was delicious. We also enjoyed the duck mole and the flan. The waiter was pretty helpful with gluten free, but I definitely had to ask specific questions because they didn’t fully understand the concept of gluten free.

LA CUEVA DEL CHANGO

This was such a fun breakfast spot. The waiters were helpful with gluten free so I felt confident with the food! The chilaquiles were amazing, and huge. The fruit juices were also great, but the coffee was just ok. We weren’t the only ones excited about this place because there was about a 30 min wait.

MARISCOS LA CUEVA DEL PEZ MAYA 

We just stumbled upon this place and it was such a gem! It is a local, no-frills seafood place. The fish tostadas were amazing! The tacos were fried seafood so they weren’t GF – but the tostadas were.

Cafes

This is a super cute little cafe with hippie vibes. It’s a great breakfast spot and with good coffee! They had indoor/outdoor seating and free wifi. They knew what gluten free was and were able to help me out with coffee, juices, fruits, and eggs. My husband had an amazing looking toast and we even bought some kombucha to take home.

BIO-NATURAL PLAYA DEL CARMEN

This was perfect for GF folks! It’s a cute natural cafe with marked gluten free options on the menu! I had the chilaquiles and they were delicious! My husband enjoyed his omelet as well. The restaurant is attached to a little natural goods and grocery store as well.

OSTERIA DE ROMA

This is a cute little Italian place that had GF pasta! Really nice Italian food and knowledgeable about gluten free. Our apartment was right around the corner from this spot so we’d see different artists playing there every few nights and it was fun to enjoy the live music as well!