Aside from the all-you-can-eat buffets and fast food outlets, there aren't many inexpensive restaurants in the Hotel Zone. Prices range from moderately expensive to very expensive. If you are on a budget and want to eat cheaply look for those downtown restaurants where the locals go to eat. Don't be fooled by the inexpensive prices ? some of the best meals are found here.

If you head Downtown you can find the two kinds of breakfasts enjoyed by Mexicans. "Desayuno" is an early breakfast usually with a sweet roll, oatmeal, coffee or milk. A late breakfast or early lunch is called "Almuerzo" (sometimes desayuno as well) and usually consists of eggs dishes: "huevos a la mexicana" (scrambled eggs with chopped tomato, onion and chile) and "huevos rancheros" (fried eggs on a tortilla covered with tomato sauce) are the most popular. Pancakes, fruit salads and yogurt are also favorites. In smaller restaurants coffee is often instant Nescafe (you are given the jar and pick the strength) while larger restaurants have fresh brewed. Orange juice is always freshly squeezed.

Many of the restaurants in the Hotel Zone are closed until dinnertime. Those open for lunch offer menus that include sandwiches, salads, soups or pasta. Often the lunch menu is the same as the dinner menu. Lunch downtown is more traditional. Known as “Comida”, this is the biggest meal of the day for Mexicans. Shops and business still keeping traditional hours close between 1 pm and 4 pm in order to enjoy a leisurely lunch and local restaurants get very busy at this time. There is usually some kind of daily special called “comida corrida” which varies from place to place. It’s usually the cheapest thing on the menu with more food on your plate than you can eat.Don’t be shy about trying some of the local delights.
The Yucatan is famous for its cuisine. For the more cautious there are still find plenty of American style restaurants serving hamburgers, pizza and pastas.