30 Best Restaurants in Sayulita, Mexico (2024)

During my second trip to Sayulita recently, I spent over 2 weeks in town, discovering many of the best Sayulita restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops.

Once a chilled, surfers village, Sayulita has boomed in popularity in the last few years. If the construction is anything to go by, tourism won’t be slowing down anytime soon. Some say that Sayulita has lost its charm and I can’t deny there’s some truth in that.

But I still like Sayulita, especially the further-out beaches and the nearby towns on the Riviera Nayarit. The upside of tourism means more local businesses and restaurants. There’s fantastic food in Sayulita from Mexican classics to international fare.

Read next: things to do in Sayulita, Mexico

Ask anyone where to eat in Sayulita and they’ll probably say Mary’s! This local institution has been serving phenomenal fish tacos for years.

Having compared the prices of many fish tacos in town, I can tell you this is one of the most affordable places to eat in Sayulita – and THE best. Even street food stands charge 30 pesos per fish taco, so the fact that Mary’s charge just 40 pesos is a bargain.

Tacos Tal Ivan is where to go when you want a quick, cheap bite any time of the day or night. It’s a no-frills place but the tacos are delicious. The best dishes are the chorizo and al pastor (a typical Mexico City street food dish made from pork cooked on a trompo, kebab-style).

On the main street beside other popular Sayulita restaurants like Mary’s and Kahlo’s, this is a great place to eat tasty Mexican food with the star dish named after the restaurant… chile relleno!

For those who don’t know, a chile relleno is a large chili pepper, stuffed with ingredients such as cheese, veggies, or meat, and usually lightly battered and served in a rich sauce. Where better to try one than a restaurant dedicated to them?

I’ve had this dish many times and this was the best. Slathered in a dark, tomatoey sauce, it wasn’t the prettiest dish (pictured above right) but it was 10/10 on the taste front. You can opt for a meat, seafood, or veggie filling. Since we were beside the sea, I went with shrimp.

If you’d prefer something different, there are plenty of options at Cafe Casa del Chile Relleno like burritos, ceviche, and fish dishes including shrimp, red snapper, and lobster. Another highly-rated dish is the tortilla soup made with rich tomato broth, fried tortilla chips, cheese, and avocado.

They serve all your classic cocktails but we preferred the ones at Kahlo’s, a few doors down, so if you’re looking for quality food AND drinks, keep reading…

Barracuda (best seafood restaurant in Sayulita)

Barracuda is the most popular place to eat in Sayulita for seafood lovers, located right in the center of town, and subsequently, the only downside is that it gets crazy busy. Especially during peak periods, it’s likely you’ll have to wait for a table.

But the wait is worth it because the seafood is unrivaled. The serrano tuna tostada is the star dish, but there’s also ceviche, oysters, octopus, and tacos with fish, shrimp, and crab. For a real treat to share, order the molcajete (served in a traditional Mexican pot made from volcanic stone) sizzling with steak, octopus, shrimp, and salsa.

It’s an atmospheric place to eat, sometimes with live music. As can be expected for one of the best restaurants in Sayulita, prices are a little on the high end.

Tacos Diose (casual eat)

If there’s a line at Mary’s, walk a couple of minutes to Tacos Diose. This is a modest restaurant with outdoor (but shaded) seating and delicious seafood tacos for 40 pesos a piece. It lacks the ambiance and cocktails of Mary’s but if you want a quick and tasty eat, it’s a winner.

My favorite thing about Diose is the serve-yourself bar with beans, pink onion, pico de gallo, and a great range of salsas.

I opted for one each of the fish, shrimp, and marlin tacos. They were all delicious but the shrimp was my favorite. You can opt for them fried or a la planca (grilled).

Burrito Revolution

Burrito Revolution is another fantastic Sayulita restaurant for a quick bite. It’s on the main street with just a couple of tables outside. Grab a seat or get your burrito to-go.

They have something for all meals, beginning with delicious breakfast burritos from 120 pesos filled with ingredients like scrambled eggs and bacon. For lunch and dinner, there are meat, vegetarian, and seafood burritos. I loved the shrimp one (150 pesos) with cheese, salad, and whichever of the salsas you choose to slather it with!

Although burritos are obviously the star dish, there are a few other things on the menu if you’re just in the mood for snacking like tacos and nachos.

International restaurants in Sayulita

The upside of Sayulita being more ‘discovered’ these days is the many amazing restaurants and businesses, including the following places serving cuisine from around the world…

Kahlo’s Restaurant

If this blog post was in order of the absolute best restaurants in Sayulita, then Kahlo Restaurant & Bar would be top of my list! My friend and I visited twice in three days which is high praise since I was doing research for this blog and wanted to try as many new places as possible.

Not only is the food amazing (get the burrata pesto salad, I beg of you!), but the drinks are the same high quality you’d expect from a fancy cocktail bar. Although they can make all the classics like margaritas, the focus is on the house concoctions you won’t find elsewhere.

I loved the red margarita with raicilla (a local agave spirit), hibiscus, and lime juice. As well as other raicilla-based cocktails, there are tequila, mezcal, and gin ones. The mocktails, named after the seasons, are also delicious. I loved the autumn one.

It’s unlike me to ever go crazy for a salad but the burrata special with roasted eggplant, cherry tomatoes, pistachios, and balsamic pesto sauce was divine. It’s a little spenny at 300 pesos but well worth it, served with fresh focaccia bread.

My friend and I shared this and one other dish (mezcal shrimp which came to the table on fire!) which was the perfect amount of food. There are other Mexican and Western-themed mains and appetizers like tacos, aguachiles, and pizzas. We didn’t try these but, if the focaccia’s anything to go by, I’m guessing the pizza bases are quality.

La Fogonera (best burger restaurant in Sayulita)

For quality burgers, look no further than La Fogonera. There are endless options like crispy chicken, skirt steak, the Sayulita special with chicken tenders, bacon, and cheese, and even a DELISH veggie burger with jamaica (hibiscus) flowers. Burgers start from 90 pesos, a real bargain!

Quesadillas, tacos, loaded potato wedges, and fried Jalapenos with cheese and bacon are also on the menu. It’s Mexico meets the US and absolutely nothing is healthy… But it’s a delicious feast should you want to indulge!

Trattoria Toscana

For quality Italian food in Sayulita, look no further than Trattoria Toscana. We dined in the branch in San Pancho, a small town nearby on the Riviera Nayarit, but the reviews for their sister restaurant in Sayulita are just as good.

Both the pizza and pasta dishes are phenomenal. We opted for the Italia pizza with burrata, pesto, fresh basil, and cherry tomatoes. There are so many other creative combos ranging from 200-300 pesos.

They have several types of pasta and gnocchi (we went for spinach and ricotta ravioli) which you can pair with a sauce of your choosing: either pesto, tomato, butter & parmesan, or bolognese. Then, there are chef-special pastas with luxe ingredients like tequila sauce and fresh seafood.

We had a great waiter who asked what we wanted to eat first to ensure our drinks would go with it. We ended up with a fantastic dry, fruity white wine. The desserts are also the bomb; we loved the tiramisu and the chocolate volcano with vanilla ice cream.

We paid 1,700 pesos for two mains, two desserts, and a bottle of wine. Not cheap but definitely worth it for some of the best food in Sayulita!

La Rustica (another contender for best pizza restaurant in Sayulita)

Although I thought nowhere could compete with Trattoria Toscana, that was before I knew about La Rustica. Their specialty is wood-fired pizza with around 15 types to choose from. Keep it classic with La Princesa (pesto, olives, sundried tomato, and goat’s cheese), or try an unusual option like pizza al pastor!

There are also pasta dishes, luxe starters including burrata, and excellent cocktails and wines. It ticks every box!

This is a beautiful, atmospheric restaurant with fantastic reviews. My friend and I won’t be giving it 5 stars since we think they forgot our order as we waited over 1 hour for fairly simple dishes, but I’d be prepared to go again since they offered us a free cocktail for the wait.

Set in a beautiful garden with hanging lanterns and trees decorated with fairy lights, it’s so pretty and atmospheric… Perfect for a date night or any type of special occasion (including the simple fact that you’re on holiday!). It makes a change from most of the popular restaurants in Sayulita’s center that are compact and not especially atmospheric.

The menu at Chaman Creative Kitchen is divided into land, sea, and veggie with dishes like garlic shrimp, steaks, and hibiscus flower tacos, plus starters including guac, bruschettas, and cheese boards. The dishes may be classics but there are fancy touches like truffle oil and blue cheese.

Prices are on the high end but everything was super tasty, especially the Shamanic-themed house cocktails. Try the Sayulita cocktail with raicilla (a traditional agave-based spirit from Jalisco), mango, and chili.

Hamsa Falafel

Serving some of the best food in Sayulita that’s both healthy and affordable, Hamsa offer something that can’t be found elsewhere in town: homemade falafel!

The menu is very simple comprising falafel in a pita (120 pesos) or on a plate (140 pesos) with sides of salad and pickles. The falafel was made freshly in front of us and tasted incredible. If I lived in Sayulita, I could see myself coming every week.

They serve a particularly delish brand of kombucha I’d not tried before with chunks of real fruit inside.

Say hi to the cute cafe dog for me!

Public House (best pub food in Sayulita)

Forget about fine dining: Public House is where to come for pub grub and quality drinks. This British-style pub is known for its craft beers and cocktails, as well as juicy burgers and fries.

If you need more proof that Sayulita is a veggie-friendly destination, you’ll find it here. They do Beyond Meat burgers (which, if you’ve not tried them yet, are so realistic), as well as cauliflower wings and eggplant chips.

Achara Thai

For truly phenomenal Thai food, Achara Thai delivers every time. The pad Thai, green curry, and tom yum soup are equally flavorsome and authentic. Yes, prices are high (main dishes from 300 pesos) but you won’t find finer Asian food for miles around.

They also serve some of the best cocktails in Sayulita with fresh herbs like basil and a unique blend of Mexican and Thai flavors.

Everything is made from scratch in-house by the owner who spent years working in the New York food scene before leaving for sunny Sayulita.

Brunch restaurants in Sayulita

Now we’re really onto my area of expertise: brunch and coffee! Sayulita isn’t a destination where you need to rush around to see and do everything. It’s a leisurely beach town where you can start your day slowly and enjoy every sip of your morning coffee.

Here’s where to eat in Sayulita for brunch and coffee snobs…

Miscelánea

This is one of my favorite breakfast restaurants in Puerto Vallarta so I was happy when I discovered they had a Sayulita branch. Fresh, tasty, creative brunch dishes are their specialty. As you can tell from the photos, I have been MANY times.

I think the chilaquiles are the star dish but I’ve also enjoyed the shakshuka, the spinach and cheese omelet, and the veggie toast with pesto. Some of the dishes are a little on the healthy side but that was exactly what I needed during my recent trip.

The range of hot drinks is impressive with coffee, herbal teas, and your standard boujee wellness lattes like turmeric, matcha, and charcoal. But you can’t beat the list of cold brew drinks like the Oaxaca brew with chocolate, mint, and cinnamon. They also do health shots for 40 pesos which I appreciated when I was coming down with a cold.

Prices are reasonable with dishes starting from 100 pesos. They serve breakfast dishes ’til 1pm and lunch dishes til 3pm.

After Miscelánea, I’d describe this as the second-best brunch restaurant in Sayulita. Anchor Cafe ticks all the boxes with a cute and stylish interior, a creative menu, and delish food with fresh, tasty ingredients.

The brekkie menu comprises everything from smoothie bowls to bagels and ciabatta with luxe ingredients like smoked salmon, plus avocado toast and unusual dishes like banana bread French toast (ideal if you have a sweet tooth and can’t choose between those two dishes!).

Lunch starts from 12pm and you can expect healthy bowls, soups, grilled cheese sandwiches, and jackfruit tacos. There IS meat on the menu but the veggie dishes make up the majority.

As you might expect from any self-respecting brunch cafe, there are excellent drinks from smoothies (I recommend the sunset with banana, pineapple, ginger, turmeric, and coconut milk), cold brew drinks, creative cold teas, plus all your classic coffees.

If the original cafe by the main square is too busy, there’s a new branch, Anchor Cafe Northside, just a short walk away.

ChocoBanana

This is another of the best restaurants in Sayulita for a hearty brunch. They have a HUGE menu featuring every brunch and brekkie dish imaginable from English breakfasts to pancakes, eggs, hotcakes, and burritos. There’s lots of meat but just as many veggie options.

Not only is ChocoBanana a zero-waste restaurant but everything is homemade, and much of the profits go to Ser Su Voz, an organization that protects against illegal bird poaching.

It’s not the best place for coffee (in my coffee snob opinion) but everything else is top-notch!

Bonito Cafe

Slightly hidden away in the north of town, Bonito Cafe is part of a complex with a hotel and yoga studio. It’s an aesthetically pleasing place serving quality coffee, smoothies, and ‘bites’ such as chilaquiles, acai bowls, and French toast. It’s not the longest menu but it has all your staples.

The food is great but the service is slow so it’s best avoided if you’re in a rush.

Note – this cafe is toward the north end of Sayulita beach which is much nicer and quieter than the main section and also a short walk through the forest to Playa Malpaso, a real hidden gem. Brunch at Bonito before scrambling over the rocks to Malpaso would be a great day out!

Alquimista (cheapest brunch restaurant in Sayulita!)

Alquimista is a real hidden gem, a few minutes walk from the main drag. It’s right beside the turnoff for Viajero hostel where I’ve now stayed twice so I became a regular thanks to the affordable, tasty food.

With brunch dishes for 90 pesos like the breakfast burrito and Mexican torta (both with scrambled eggs, beans, avocado, cheese, and salsa), it’s notably cheaper than the other top Sayulita restaurants without compromising on quality. You won’t find quite the variety of fancy options as Anchor Cafe or Miscelánea but they have everything you need.

I also love their smoothies: build your own with 3 ingredients (including superfoods like ginger and turmeric) for 70 pesos.

Vegetarian restaurants in Sayulita, Mexico

There are lots of places with decent veggie and vegan options like Miscelánea and Anchor Cafe, but here are a few fully veg places to eat.

For a casual, healthy brunch, this is a great spot with 5 stars on Google. Northswell Sabor Natural is a vegetarian cafe with nourishing food and gluten-free desserts (using only natural sweeteners) like Ferrero Rocher cashew cheesecake!

For breakfast and lunch, enjoy dishes including acai bowls, omelets, burritos (mushroom or soy ‘chorizo’), and chilaquiles. The menu is divided into a vegan section and one including eggs and cheese. Highly rated dishes include the banana oat pancakes with berries.

It’s a family-run place where they make their own salsa, and you can even buy it to take home.

The other thing to note about this place? They’re open very early (like 6am early), possibly to serve people taking early journies from the bus station across the road. This was a godsend when we had a 7am bus back home to Mexico City and meant we could get our coffee fix before!

Finally, they rent surfboards and organize lessons for much less than other places in Sayulita. The only thing they don’t do well is Wi-Fi.

Aside from tuna in the poke bowls, this is essentially a vegetarian restaurant in Sayulita with major Bali vibes. They specialize in acai bowls, topped toasts, and poke bowls with 10+ creative combos of each. There are over 20 smoothies on the menu plus almost as many juices and health shots.

My friend and I tried the Bali bowl (banana, acai, blueberry, almonds, pistachio, coconut, and honey) and the hummus toast with pink beetroot and avocado. Everything was tasty but we had one complaint that the bread was barely toasted.

Beach club restaurants in Sayulita

Coffee & miscellaneous in Sayulita

I have a couple more suggestions before we finish this Sayulita food guide. Coffee, sweet treats, and juices are coming up…

In the center of Sayulita near the colorful flag street, Wakika Ice Cream Shop is where to grab a delicious paleta (the Mexican word for an ice pop) to cool down.

If you visit one of the fancier Sayulita restaurants and want to save money on dessert, you’ll be pleased to know the paletas are just 30 pesos, made with chunks of fresh fruit. Delicious!

Beside El Itacate (the famous cheese burrito place mentioned earlier), this little cafe is a fantastic place for quality coffee.

As well as coffee, Mugre Animal also serve waffles, juices, bagels, and other casual eats including the LGBT bagel (I was expecting this to be rainbow color but actually it stands for lechuga (lettuce) guac, tocino (bacon), and tomato).

Strangely, I can’t find them on Google Maps but if you head to El Itacate, you can’t go too wrong.

Orangy Smoothies

With a well-deserved 4.9 stars on Google, Orangy Smoothies is a tiny place known for its healthy juices, bowls, and smoothies. There are countless juice and smoothie combinations to choose from alongside beautifully presented bowls topped with fruit decorations that resemble works of art!

Wine Shop Sayulita

Wine lovers visiting Sayulita shouldn’t sleep on this little gem. I visited Sayulita wine shop when it was quiet so I had a good chat with the owner about his store and the wines he sells from Mexico’s own Valle de Guadalupe wine region as well as Chile and Argentina.

Find the wine shop just a 2-minute walk from Sayulita Plaza. It’s open ’til 9pm.

YamBak Brewery

Health and hygiene in Sayulita restaurants

As you can tell from the list above, I have been to MANY Sayulita restaurants and never experienced any problems with poor sanitation or hygiene. Sayulita is very touristic these days, and we live in a world where businesses’ reputations can be ruined by bad reviews, so there’s no reason to think anywhere will have less than sufficient hygiene practices.

Saying that, it’s possible to get sick anywhere your body’s not used to the food. I can only recommend going easy at first, always washing (or sanitizing) your hands before eating, especially if it’s street food, and even taking probiotic tablets before your trip to build up gut immunity. I swear by these!

Can you drink tap water in Sayulita?