Vegan in Tulum
A visit to Tulum is all about reconnecting with life and with yourself. So it came as the absolute vegan cherry on the top, to find so much fantastic vegan food with lots of vegan restaurants and so many great vegan options, Tulum has given vegans some thought, it's the vegan dream!
Raw Love
I love everything about Raw Love! The vibe, the space, the food, it’s all spot on. Set amongst palm trees just a few steps from the water, Raw Love exudes cool. Hammocks, swings, palms, and tables are dotted in quirky little spots giving you your own space to while away your Raw Love time.
The menu is packed with superfood options, smoothie bowls, açai, healing shots, juice detox programmes, the list goes on. It’s a great spot to head to for breakfast and has delicious lunch options too.
Raw Love is within Ahau Tulum which has so much yoga on offer as well as healing, sweat lodge and workshops. And the all important Jungle Gym if you need anymore excuses to visit.
Charly’s Vegan Tacos
Another firm favourite of mine, the food at Charly’s Vegan Tacos was so delicious that I had to come back. Tucked away at the southern end of Tulum’s beach road, the food is prepared in a trendy food truck with mismatched furniture dotted around the jungle/beach setting. The whole area is lit up by lots of twinkling lights while colourful artisanal skulls add that unmistakable Mexican touch to this a laid-back setting.
The food specialises in authentic Mexican cuisine with a vegan twist, created using fresh local ingredients. Of course you can’t come here without trying the award winning tacos with Charly’s Signature Tacos, a set of three, having won “LA’s Best Vegan Taco 2017” and as soon as you taste them, it’s not hard to see why. If you’re not sold on the experts opinion, there are more to choose from that you can mix and match yourself along with other Mexican inspired dishes. And the Fried Plantain Banana at the end brings it all nicely together. Food can be paired with traditional Mexican aguas frescas or one of the many artisan beers on the menu.
Perhaps the best part of all is Charly himself who is on hand preparing food and waiting tables and it’s clearly his passion and joy that has made this spot absolutely unmissable for herbivores and carnivores alike.
Fruto Mistico
Tucked away off the main strip of Tulum town, Fruto mistico is a haven like no other, a paradise of green creatively put together on different levels. It's oozing the Tulum boho feel from the music, the furnishings and of course the food. The menu takes inspiration from authentic Mayan cuisine, adding a twist to Mexican dishes as we now know them.
The Real Coconut
With a front row seat overlooking the sea, The Real Coconut is the place to enjoy delicious food with the best of Tulum’s views. Appropriately placed inside Sanara (‘you will heal’ in Spanish) Hotel, food here is dairy, gluten, grain & refined sugar free. Everything is homemade from scratch with an emphasis on organic and locally sourced ingredients cooked only with extra virgin coconut oil or avocado oil. The aim is to promote digestive well-being through their menus.
The menu is packed with delicious favourites, great juice combinations and healing shots. The cafe is in a cosy beachfront spot, lots of wooden tables, bright white walls and a natural feel throughout. There’s a terrace outside to get that special front row sea view. It has a fresh feel which goes perfectly with the menu.
Co. Con Amor
Close to Tulum town, on the road down to the beach, hidden away through a little alley-way is Co. Con Amor. Walking in feels like you’ve well and truly left the busy beach road behind you and entered into a world of vegan bliss. The space is cool, very cool. With graffiti all over the walls, lounge sofas outside in the garden, music playing all day and even cooler clientele, many of whom bring their dogs. It has a joining Organic store at the back which is the place to stock up on natural, organic food or toiletries products that you might need in Tulum.
The menu serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a huge and exciting range to choose from, lots of juices and my favourite matcha. It’s a great hang-out spot for you and your tummy.
Casa Malca - Filosofia
The house of Pablo Escobar is not to be missed. Now turned into a luxury hotel set at the most southern end with a concealed entrance, it feels like you’re stepping straight into an episode of Narcos. I suggest arriving a little before the sun sets to explore the quirky furnishings in the common areas which scream Pablo.
The rustic bar & restaurant serves up fiery Mexican dishes and of course those deliciously shaken Margaritas. It’s perfect for any lover of Instagram (me!), full of reclaimed wood, shabby-chic furniture and a menu that’s heavy on avocado. You pick from one of the Mexican classics scribbled on the giant blackboard and then relax into a sofa with your margarita while you wait. Ingredients come from around the Yucatán and are perfect for the health conscious including some good delicious vegan options.
Visiting Macondo is like stepping into a world of Morocco in Mexico. Thick rugs drape the floor with cushion seats and low silver tray-topped tables giving a laid-back beach vibe. The room is dominated by a 20 meter table carved from one single large tree trunk.
Food is holistic and wholesome with some good vegan options created using fresh, local ingredients. Live music plays from 7.30 which completes the atmosphere. The restaurant is in keeping with the whole vibe of Nomade, laid-back Moroccon-cool with a trendy, hipster twist.
Easily the coolest setting of a restaurant/bar there has ever been, dinners at Kin Toh involve being up in an adult-friendly tree house complete with birds nests, hammocks and stunning views over the Mayan jungle.
They have a vegan section of their menu with starters, main courses and desserts to choose from with the food being more fine-dining than you normally find in Tulum.
Come for a sunset margarita in their incredible nest before heading inside for dinner. Once the sun goes down the whole restaurant gets lit up by candles which is such a special experience and definitely one not to be missed.
Beach Bar Be Tulum
Just a few steps from the water, the Beach Bar at Be Tulum have food and drinks that make a day at the beach a memorable one. The menu is really well labelled with loads of great vegan options. And there are some talented bar tenders on hand to shake up a cocktail storm.
Matcha Mama
A tiny whitewashed beach shack with hanging swings right along the beach road. The menu is packed with all kinds of Matcha and Açai delights and they even serve vegan ice cream.
Ice Cream Stand
Along the road joining Tulum Town with Tulum Beach an emergency stop had to take place when I suddenly spotted the words “ice-cream” and “vegan”! This cute little ice cream stand sells virtually every flavour of vegan ice cream imaginable. Place your order and watch as the ice-cream is created before your eyes.
