Tulum Travel Guide: 13 Gluten-Free Friendly Restaurants

Our time in Tulum was full of delicious meals and to be honest, you almost can't go wrong with food there. But since I have celiac disease, we have tried many of the more gluten free friendly restaurants and figured we would share them with you.  Not all of these places have gluten free substitutions (i.e. gluten free pasta or gf bread), but they have food that doesn't contain gluten. But again, keep in mind that if you are eating in Tulum, you're almost always eating well!

You might also like:
- The 10 Most Instagrammable Spots In Tulum
- 11 Fabulous Beach Clubs In Tulum
- 8 Things You Must Do In Tulum

1. Juanita Diavola / This is a part of Coco Tulum which is where we stayed in Tulum in 2017, and it's one the best beach clubs there too. So since you are already there, go grab you some mango chia seed pudding. They have other gluten free options as well like your basics eggs, bacon, fruit, etc. We also ate dinner here one night and I had risotto which was delicious. This is a pizzeria but they have several options beside the risotto- fish + steak.


2. La Malquerida / This was the first place we ate after arriving to Tulum on this last trip, and it was within walking distance of our Airbnb. I had grilled fish with rice and it was the perfect first meal of the trip. You can't beat eating fresh fish when you are staying at the beach!

And bonus- get a photo in their cute swings.

3. Ki-bok / Forget eating gluten-free for a minute. You need to go there to have the greatest cocktail I've ever had in my life. They have a mint frozen cocktail that is made with gin but I asked them to sub it for vodka (I loathe gin). I ordered two because it was so good. My mom who doesn't drink anything but wine even drank two. We also recreated that recipe here.

I digress- this is a cute coffee shop during the day and up stairs they do have an outdoor after night thing. We ate dinner there one night and had breakfast twice (once this trip + once last trip). They have great coffee and your basic eggs/omelettes/sausage/bacon/fruit/avocado.

4. El Pez / We've eaten here at total of 6 times over 2 trips, so needless to say we love it. I have mostly eaten breakfast here but we did eat dinner here. I usually get either an omelet or scrabbled eggs with avocado and fresh fruit and either sausage or bacon. They also have other seasonal options that are really great. For dinner I usually get fresh fish and it has never disappointed. The service here is next level. I really can't recommend it enough. 

5. DelCielo / We ate breakfast here and it really has a cute atmosphere. I loved the decor! They have a lot of healthy options- fruit, juices, and smoothies. We shared a fruit plate and I had gluten free pancakes. Any place with gluten free pancakes is win in my book! They also have great coffee- so another win. 

6. Tunich / This is another cute spot on the beach side of town. They have lots of juices and smoothie options and great coffee too. I've been there on the last 2 trips. One time I had an omelette and another time an açaí bowl. Their menu does change and was a little different from our last trip. 

7. Raw Love / This is my favorite place to grab a snack in Tulum because they have several gluten free healthy dessert options. If you are vegan/vegetarian, they have options for you too! They serve juices, smoothies, golden milk, and coffee. I've had several different baked goods there over the years and they are always delicious! I have visited this place all 3 times I've been to Tulum. It's right on the beach and they have hammocks. It's a great place to chill. 

8. Hartwood / I've eaten here every time I've been to Tulum (3 trips so far), and it does not disappoint. The servers are helpful in letting you know what's gluten free and what isn't. I always get fish and a variety of side dishes like sweet potato, jicama salad, and yucca. All were delicious :) They also have a corn ice cream that's really good, even though that sounds weird. 

9. El Vegetariano / This restaurant was right across the street from our Airbnb. We ate here twice on our last trip. They have gluten free dessert options and I ate a quesadilla made with corn tortillas. The people who run this place are very nice and accommodating to gluten free needs. 

10. Nomade / We ate breakfast and late lunch here. This made our beach club must visit list and it will not disappoint. The decor was exceptional. They do a breakfast buffet and there were several gluten free options. I wish I would have taken better notes on what I actually ate here but I remember being satisfied and happy with my choices. 

11. The Real Coconut / Their entire menu is gluten/grain/dairy/refined sugar free. They have gluten free pancakes (insert praise hands), chia seed bowls, eggs, yogurt, avocado toast, bread, etc. I mean this is the gluten free motherload. We only ate here for breakfast but after looking at their lunch and dinner menu, I wish we could have fit that in as well. The restaurant is right on the beach so it has an excellent view + the decor is nice as well. It's a part of Sanara Hotel which looks beautiful. 

12. La Estanica Jujena / You have to go here for the decor alone. They also have gluten free pancakes which if you haven't figured out, makes this place a win for me. They offer the usuals too- eggs/omlettes, bacon, etc, coffee, juices, fruit, etc. 

13. Habitas / We had the best meal on our entire trip this year here. We had a smorgasbord of food- moro rice (a curry rice dish), fish tacos, elote, and an arugula salad that were incredible. This also made it on our best beach clubs in Tulum list- go check out the blog post to see more photos and see why. So yeah, you should go here.

Here are a few things you can look for at any restaurant while in Tulum to play it safe:

Eggs/Omelettes / Every place that serves breakfast has some sort of egg option. And I've never had an egg dish that wasn't delicious.

Grilled Fish / You are on the coast so use this chance to eat as much fresh seafood as you can!

Flan / This is a naturally gluten-free dessert and it's so good. If you've ever had creme brule, it's similar to that.

Guacamole / We have tried guacamole at almost every place we've eaten at in Tulum. TATA Tulum has the best. They make it table side and it's insanely delicious. Just make sure you check about how the chips are made. The good thing is that most places don't have a lot of gluten-y options, so for the most part you won't run into cross contamination problems.

Elote / Mexican Street Corn is a delicious side that you have to try at least once while actually in Mexico. My favorite experience was when we bought some on the road to Valladolid.

Chilaquiles / Again, check how the tortillas are made, but you should be safe ordering chilaquiles. And they are everywhere in so many different versions. Savannah ate this at almost every breakfast.

Ice Cream / Ice Cream anywhere in Tulum is an easy dessert that you don't have to worry about. And bonus- this place made it onto our 10 Most Instragrammanble spots in Tulum list.

Fresh Fruit / The fruit in Tulum is as sweet as their desserts, so if you see someone selling it on the side of the road- do yourself a favor and get some. Make sure you get the yellow mangoes. They are truly nature's candy.

Coffee + Matcha + Acai Bowls / There are little places all over Tulum serving acai bowls, but Matcha Mama also serves Matcha. I'm pretty sure no one else in Tulum does this! Neither of us really like Matcha but I did get a great iced coffee here. Plus you can grab yourself a very popular IG photo while you're here!

This list is just the tip of the iceberg for gluten free friendly food in Tulum. Really the types of cuisine you will find in Tulum tend to be pretty gluten-free friendly, and most servers are gluten aware. So basically you can't go wrong eating in Tulum. And don't hesitate to ask for a gluten free menu and/or ask your server what gluten free options there are.

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Tulum, Mexico Travel Guide: 10 Most Instagrammable Spots

Let's be real for a second. If you are an influencer or simply an Instagram user who curates their feed, you likely view your world through an Instagram lens. It's kind of an eye rolling thing but it's a way of life now. Savannah and I often make a mental note and sometimes a real note if we see a place that would be a great place to take a picture. We prefer locations that are multi dimensional (i.e not a mural to stand in front of) and that have color and texture. The great thing about Tulum is that is all photogenic.

You may also be interested in:
- 11 Fabulous Beach Clubs In Tulum
- 8 Things You Must Do In Tulum
- Where To Eat In Tulum

**A friendly note about photo taking etiquette- you'll notice that a lot of the places we recommend are businesses of some sort. Please keep that in mind. I'm sure it goes without saying, but if you are going to take pictures in a restaurant or cafe- please buy something and be as respectful as possible. With that said, if you are visiting Tulum here are 10 of the places we found most IG worthy.

10. Nicte-Ha Cenote // If you read our last post about Tulum you will remember that we found out about this cenote from one of our servers. He told us there were flowers in the water so we nixed our plans for other popular cenotes to go here. It was peaceful and not crowded- we were literally the only people there the whole time we stayed. There were tons of beautiful fish and the water was crystal clear.

9. Tata Tulum // Beach side swings + pool with an ocean view + colorful animals floats = Instagrammable. Oh and they have a beach side hammock as well.

8. Estancia Jujeña // As I'm sure you know by now, we love all things boho. But we love that Estancia was a little different from the majorly boho Tulum vibes. This restaurant has more of a colorful shabby chic old world thing going for it. All the different colors, textures, and plants make it the perfect place to snap a picture. Also, they have beautiful colorful plates and cups that make a nice addition to your pictures.

7. Sugar Shack at Mateo's // Most of Tulum is muted colors which we do love, but Sugar Shack is a break from the norm with it's brightly colored exterior. These bright colors and ice cream comes make for a great set up for an IG picture.

6. Coco Tulum // This is where we stayed on our trip last year and we did not struggle to find IG worthy backgrounds here. They have an all white bar on the beach with swings which makes it a great place for a picture. They also have hammocks and jungle views that are picture worthy as well.

5. Anastasia Tulum // This is an Airbnb so you'll have to stay there in order to enjoy this Instagram delight. Our pictures from here always perform so well on our Instagram account and Airbnb reposted one from last year. That picture was one of the top 10 most liked pictures on Airbnb's entire account. Airbnb has also asked to repost another picture from this years trip. This place is IG gold. Never stayed in an Airbnb before? Click here for $40 off your first stay!

4. El Pez // This is one of our Tulum favorites. We visited twice this trip and 3 or 4 times on our last visit. The outdoor patio looks onto the ocean and it's decor is beachy + boho. They also have dishes worthy of an IG picture. Their inside is gorgeous as well.

3. Matcha Mama // This might be the most Instagrammed spot in Tulum, well at least this year. We actually couldn't take the picture we came to take because another woman was there having a full on photo shoot. I also feel like the workers expect it at this point.

2. Habitas Tulum // That first picture speaks for itself. The two palm trees with the hammock against the backdrop of the turquoise ocean- begging to be featured on Instagram. They have black hammocks everywhere which is different than the normal white hammocks you see the most in Tulum and I love the way they look against the sand. Also, the pool with the ocean view. All of these are perfect backdrops for Instagram.

1. Nomade Tulum // Every nook and cranny here is photo worthy. They have the nest (second picture) which is settled right in the jungle. Then there is the restaurant- swoon. Basically, I want to redecorate our entire home to look more like this. Who needs real chairs? We'll be sitting on poufs from now on! We have a huge picnic table outside and I told Savannah that we need to cut the legs short and just put poufs all around it. The other bonus of Nomade is that there were other people snapping pictures so we didn't feel like "those people."

Like we said before, all of Tulum is so beautiful and decorated to perfection, so this list could go on an on. We hope this helps you figure out where you want to go on your trip to Tulum!

xo, Savannah

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Tulum, Mexico Travel Guide: 11 Fabulous Beach Clubs

If you travel to Tulum and are staying in town, you'll want to know where all the beach clubs are so you can still experience the beachside vibe. You can always go to the public beach, but it doesn't offer the chill Tulum vibe mixed with impeccable boho decor. So we compiled a list of beach clubs you can access just by buying a few drinks or a delicious meal.

Other posts you might like:
- 8 Things You Must Do In Tulum
- Where To Eat In Tulum
- Where To Stay In Tulum

Before we get started, here are a few tips for visiting Tulum beach clubs:
1. Bring cash- pesos preferably. This is just a general good rule of thumb for Tulum in general.
2. You will need to spend a minimum amount on food and drinks- usually 300-500 pesos per person- so keep this in mind.
3. Some beach clubs/hotels offer towels and some don't. Find out before you go if you will need to bring your own.
4. Keep in mind that the best time to visit is on a weekday. They are busier on the weekends, and sometimes ask you to spend more per person or don't even allow you in.
5. Find out about seaweed wherever you are planning on going for the day. It can be worse in some areas than others. You may want to chose a place with a pool or visit a cenote on a heavy seaweed day.
6. Arrive early to get a good spot. People don't mess around with getting the prime real estate on the beaches.
Now onto the locations!

1. Coral by Ana y Jose / We actually stumbled upon Coral by chance. We had planned on visiting a favorite spot from our last trip, Chamicos which is in Solimon Bay. But the seaweed there was BAD. I mean baaaaaad. It smelled and you couldn't get in the water. We knew we wouldn't enjoy ourselves if we couldn't get in the water, so we left and came upon Coral. As with the other beach clubs they wanted you to spend a certain amount of money on food and drinks. There was seaweed here but not nearly as bad as some of the other places we had visited that day. They provide towels and they do have umbrellas for shade. This was probably the least stylish place we visited, but the food and service was good.

2. Ziggy's / This place comes highly recommended and is probably the most established beach club in the area. They have their system down. You need to bring your own towel here. We had good service and the food and drinks were pretty good. We had a Pina colada that was on the rocks instead of frozen, which I didn't love. I think that might be because they don't use straws like many other places in Tulum. So- that's a tip if you need to drink out of straw you may want to pack some reusable straws with you.

3. Chamico's / As you read before, Chamico's, located in Soliman Bay, was one of our favorite places on our trip in 2017, but it was covered in seaweed this year. We were really bummed about that because last year it was amazing. So before you make the drive (it's about 20 minutes from Tulum), try to find out what their seaweed situation is. What is great about Chamico's is that it's not very crowded and the food is cheap and delicious. It's definitely more of a local place- we first heard of it from one of our servers last year. They also have hammocks everywhere, which is always a plus. This is definitely a no frills place, so you'll need to bring a towel. They also don't have layout chairs or anything like that either. I feel like I'm not selling you on this place, but trust me it's wonderful if there isn't a seaweed issue. The water and the vibe is calm.

4. Coco Tulum / We stayed at Coco last year, so naturally we used their beach club most of our trip. We almost went back this trip but they don't take credit cards and a lot of the ATMs were down, so we had to go somewhere else. As much as we loved Coco, I was glad to have a reason to try another beach club. There are so many! But as a good rule of thumb in Tulum, always have cash on you. You will also need to bring your own towels. And get ready to take lots of pictures in the bar because it's very instagrammable. They also have shaded areas so you don't have to be directly in the sun if you don't want to be.

5. La Zebra / We went to La Zebra last year and really loved it. Their food and cocktails really stood out and they had great service. They also had great layout beds with canopies. I really wanted to go back this year but as I mentioned above, we really wanted to try new things since there are so many great places. We went on a weekday last year and it wasn't crowded at all. You will need to bring your own towels if you aren't a guest at the hotel.

6. Tata Tulum / Tata is a very intimate spot which I really appreciated. They just finished their pool this week so we JUST missed that! They provide towels and have layout chairs with palpas/umbrellas. They make their guacamole table side and it was the best we had on our entire trip! They also make great drinks, and they have fun floats for you use which were a nice touch.

7. Nomade / I cannot express to you how much you must visit Nomade simply for the decor alone. Their layout beds have a canopy and I basically need Savannah to build one for our backyard. I left there totally inspired. For breakfast they do a buffet but it's way more jazzy than a normal buffet. We also had some snacks and cocktails but I think the breakfast is what stood out the most. Did I mention the decor is to die for? Oh and they do provide towels.

8. Habitas / Habitas is a different experience than any of the places we went. It is more secluded (it's literally at the end of the beach) so it felt like we were transported into another world. We had a hard time picking out what our favorite beach club was. It was a toss up between Nomade and Habitas. Nomade's decor was a bit more fabulous than Habitas BUT the food at Habitas was the best we had anywhere on our entire trip. Like better than Hartwood. Habitas is certainly not lacking in the decor area but it just more minimal boho than maximal boho. Also they have a pool which is great if you want to do the beach thing but the ocean happens to have a lot of seaweed. And their pool looks over the beach so it's perfect. We never even used the pool because the ocean was so clear and beautiful the day we were there. The service here was excellent. They do provide towels and there are shaded lay out options.

A note about seaweed in Tulum since we've talked a lot about it in this post- Seaweed is a fact of life here and apparently it's becoming an increasing problem. However, this was my 3rd trip and seaweed hasn't ruined any of them. If you experience seaweed, it'll probably only be for a couple days. It definitely comes and goes but I wouldn't let the seaweed keep you from going to Tulum! It's too good to miss.

Other beach clubs we inquired about, but never went to:

9. Papaya Playa Project- this place looks amazing from pictures but you have to pay around 2000 pesos for 2 people and only get a bottle of champagne with that. They only let you in in increments of two, so for 3 people we were going to have to pay for 4 people, so that wasn't really what we were looking for. If you have seen PPP pictures and really want this vibe but don't want to pay as much- go to Nomade!

10. Alma Tulum- We inquired about the beach club here before we went to Tulum this time. You pay 350 pesos per person at the front desk and this goes toward your tab. They also have a pool.

11. Aura Tulum- On the phone we were told that you must spend 400 pesos per person to use the beach club.

If there is a hotel or beach club that you are really interested in going to, you can either call ahead for information or just go there and head to the front desk. They will answer all your questions and let you know if outside guests are allowed along with the cost. Most of the hotels are friendly and welcome anyone who is willing to use their services!

We hope this information will help you on your next trip to Tulum. If you liked this post, please pin an image to share the magic of Tulum!

xo, Savannah + Casey

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