The Best Vegan Playa del Carmen Restaurants You’ll Love

This vegan Playa del Carmen guide will make you hungry! The two of us traveled to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and I had the goal of visiting as many vegan restaurants in Playa del Carmen as possible. I wanted to create the most informative vegan guide for Playa del Carmen. I know, tough job, right?

Playa del Carmen has so many vegan restaurants. The vegan scene there is truly blossoming. While some of the restaurants have closed since our visit (La Senda, Clorofila, and Marvin’s Burgers, notably), numerous vegetarian and vegan spots have opened up. They seem to double year over year, making PDC one of the top vegan destinations I’ve visited for its size.

While I’m sure that the healthy lifestyle choices are a big draw for visitors, there’s a local vegan scene in Playa del Carmen that’s growing, just as veganism is growing worldwide. We discovered that there are local vegan markets and vegan festivals in Playa del Carmen and Tulum. I’ll have to plan my next trip around one of these festivals!

I’m excited to share all of the delicious, colorful, and wholesome food we ate in this vegan Playa del Carmen guide. We found many traditional Mexican dishes prepared without the meat (but has all the yumminess). These are my favorite Playa del Carmen restaurants and some of the best food in Playa del Carmen. I highly recommend checking out all of these restaurants (don’t make me pick favorites!).

Vegan Restaurants in Playa del Carmen: Comet 984 – 50s Diner

Comet 984 is an all vegan 50s diner that’s beyond brilliant. It’s also a short walk from the Playa del Carmen restaurants on 5th avenue, but it’s worth the trip. First, you’ll notice that the decor of the restaurant is pure 1950s diner. There are old cartoons playing on a TV, the booths are super retro, and even the menus have a vintage vibe. It really took us right back in time!

Next, the food itself might not be the healthiest choice, but it’s a lot healthier than its meaty counterparts. You can order burgers, hot dogs, and milkshakes, all plant-based. After we placed our order, the staff members brought a complimentary plate of nachos and cheese to start, which was a nice touch. Our burgers and shakes were nothing short of amazing. If you’re looking for something on the decadent side, order the Snickers milkshake. You won’t be disappointed.

Vegan Playa del Carmen: Fresco Habito

Fresco Habito is beautiful and delicious Playa del Carmen food for breakfast or lunch. The restaurant itself is spacious, clean, natural, and inviting. I loved the splashes of bright decor, matched with cozy wood finishes, jars of dry beans, and plants growing around the restaurant. It’s such a nice space, and the food tastes equally as good!

We ordered two smoothies and two lunch bowls. The bowls were piled high with fresh vegetables and various beans, served on top of rice. They were so artfully arranged and looked almost too pretty to eat. However, of course we ended up eating them, and I’m pretty sure I licked the bowl clean. I could eat food like this every single day and be the happiest person ever.

Best Vegan Playa del Carmen: The Pitted Date

The Pitted Date is some of the best food in Playa del Carmen, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or an omnivore looking for healthier choices. It’s between another vegetarian spot and a yoga studio, so I felt totally in my element. It’s a vegan cafe, bakery, and they even make their own almond and coconut milk from scratch.

You’ll find breakfast (between 8am and 2pm), and lunch (from 12pm to 4pm), so we were able to order a little something from both menus. We couldn’t resist trying the “banana sushi” and it was banana wrapped in almond butter with agave and hemp hearts. YUM! Justin and I also got a duo of paninis, as well as super refreshing flavored chia seed water. 

There’s a huge selection of vegan and raw desserts inside the restaurant, so you’ll have to save some room for dessert. Our banana sushi was a dessert in itself, although I’d love to try some of their baked goods next time.

Please note that since we visited, they have relocated, so some of the outdoor patio views won’t be the same when you dine there. Can’t wait to return to check out the new spot! Also, the Pitted Date has a second location in Tulum if you’re going there as well.

Arcana: Vegan Breakfast and Lunch

Arcana is a lovely cafe in Playa del Carmen serving breakfast, lunch, and coffee. The food has Middle Eastern inspirations, and it’s the place to visit if you love smoothie bowls, hummus, and tofu/rice bowls for lunch.

You’ll find an assortment of caffeinated beverages, juices, smoothies, and plant-based milks. For breakfast, choose a smoothie bowl, overnight oats, or gluten-free waffles. For lunch, there are various flatbreads, vegan shawarma, and chickpea bowls.

The owners strive to keep the cafe as a place to meet over food or drink (it isn’t a place to bring your laptop and work). Look for the pink archway before the Caribbean Sea and you’ve stumbled upon Arcana.

Corazon Centento

Starting as an all vegan delivery service, Corazon Centento opened as a restaurant in November 2021. They serve traditional Mexican eats turned plant-based, as well as an assortment of popular American dishes. Try the tacos or the nachos for some Mexican eats.

If you’re looking for a vegan Playa del Carmen restaurant that serves something besides smoothie bowls and tacos, you’ve come to the right place. Corazon Centento has a vast menu of comfort fare, like burgers, hot dogs, cauliflower wings, tofu scramble, and vegan chocolate cake.

Plantivoros

Plantivoros opened in 2020 after our visit to Playa del Carmen, so we haven’t had a chance to try this one out. From the sounds of things, it’s one of the top places to eat vegan food in PDC. Their tagline is “eat beans, not beings”, which I adore.

There’s a huge variety of authentic plant-based Mexican dishes on the menu: tacos, tortas, sopas, gordita, tamales, guacamole, enchiladas, and more. This restaurant isn’t right in the main tourist area, but it’s well worth the trip by the sounds of things. They also have a brunch menu on Sundays.

Vegan Food in Playa del Carmen: Peace & Bowl

Peace & Bowl offers healthy choices using lots of fresh ingredients, especially fruit. You’ll find smoothies, smoothie bowls, acai bowls, salads, and hummus. After spending hours in the hot sunshine, sometimes all you need is something light and refreshing. Peace & Bowl is surely a way to get your share of vitamins in their tasty concoctions.

Falafel Nessya

Falafel Nessya is a small falafel shop that went fully vegan in April 2021. They sell falafel in pita bread, falafel burgers, and falafel plates. You can also order hummus and fries. Everything is prepared fresh and it’s one of the best places for Mediterranean eats in PDC.

Hummus Falafel

You really can’t go wrong entering a restaurant with a name like Hummus Falafel. It’s a 100% vegan restaurant in Playa del Carmen serving, you guessed it, hummus and falafel. However, there’s more to this restaurant beyond those two choices. You can order guacamole, tacos, salads, dessert, and a variety of hot and cold beverages.

Vegan Playa del Carmen: Tacos ALV

Tacos ALV is an entirely vegan taco restaurant in Playa del Carmen. You can order more than simply tacos there. There’s also burritos, tortas, burgers, hotdogs, loaded fries, and more. There are a variety of vegan meats with fresh toppings. If you’re looking for tacos and comfort food in Playa del Carmen, you need to check out Tacos ALV.

Vegetarian Restaurant in Playa del Carmen: Aloha Raw Bar

There’s no shortage of fruit smoothie and smoothie bowl cafes in Playa del Carmen, and Aloha Raw Bar is another one to check out. The smoothies and smoothie bowls are made with coconut milk and fresh fruit, and they specialize in acai bowls. It appears as though their waffles are also vegan, but I would double check before ordering.

Veg-Friendly Restaurants in Playa del Carmen

Beyond the vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Playa del Carmen, there are a whole lot of veg-friendly ones, too. You’ll find at least one vegan offering on the menu at these restaurants:

• Alux Restaurante (vegan dishes marked on the menu)
• Aryan Indian Food (vegetarian menu with vegan options)
• Bio & Natural (vegetarian menu with vegan options)
• Bio-Organicos (cafe menu is fully vegetarian)
• Casa Sofia (vegan ravioli, burger, pasta, and pizza)
• Chela de Playa (vegan tacos and nachos, including vegan cheese and mayo)
• Choux Choux Cafe (vegan options like sandwiches, pancakes and burgers)
• Dulce Passion (lots of vegan choices, like quesadillas, molletes and enchiladas)
• Eat Bar (hummus, falafel plate)
• Fat Rabbit (vegan burger, poke bowl, acai bowl)
• Jonny Como Pizza (separate vegan menu)
• Kaxapa Factory (a few vegan selections)
• Les Amis (vegan tacos and baguettes)
• Lido Beach Club (vegan menu with lentil burger and falafel)
• Los Paradise (vegan tacos, burritos, and chilaquiles)
• PineApple (smoothies, cold soups and more)
• Taco City Cafe (vegan tacos available)
• The House of AïA at Palmaia Resort (all plant-based with option to add meat)

Where to Stay in Playa del Carmen

Justin and I stayed at the gorgeous Playa Palms Beach Hotel. It’s a very calm and quiet hotel with a pool and access to the beach. The hotel isn’t an all inclusive resort, but that wasn’t an issue. Every room has a balcony with a hammock and our stay included breakfast daily. On many occasions, we had the pool to ourselves and this hotel was always a peaceful retreat. 

I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading this Playa del Carmen food guide, and now you know where to find all of the vegan restaurants. We were totally blown away by the amount of vegan food in Playa del Carmen, and it’s one reason why we loved this beach town so much.

I recommend getting off the resort, staying at a local beachfront hotel in town, and dining at all of these restaurants. It’s fairly inexpensive, and the food is fresh, healthy, and delicious. It’s the best way to dine as a vegan in Playa del Carmen, as you won’t find this much innovative plant-based food at a typical resort. Looking for more vegan food in Mexico? Here’s our vegan guide for Puerto Vallarta.

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