14 Best Restaurants in Chiapas and Tabasco, Mexico

There's something refreshing about this two-story corner café; maybe it's the doors flung open to catch the breeze, or the walls painted the colors of lemons and limes. Good choices include the pollo a la pasilla con nopales (boneless chicken breast cooked in a chili sauce and covered with bits of cactus) and the filete de res a la pimienta (beef simmered with peppers). Make sure to end your meal with a cup of organic coffee, the specialty of the house.

Through a pair of graceful arches you can gaze down on the main square from this second-story restaurant. There's a certain rustic charm imparted by the wrought-iron wall sconces and the rough-hewn tables and chairs. The menu begins with simple dishes like quesadillas and enchiladas and moves on to more substantial fare like pollo a la mexicana (chicken simmered with tomatoes and onions). They also serve a number of different pizzas, which are thick, greasy, and ridiculously cheesy.

El Fogón de Jovel, spread across a lovely colonial courtyard, strikes a balance: it caters to tourists but is still popular with locals. Order the parrillada chiapaneca for a sampling of regional specialties of Chiapas. They also serve a large selection of tamales, such as the tamal untado, which is stuffed with chicken and mole. In keeping with local ways, they serve a margarita made with posh (the local firewater).

The name "Titanic" may refer to the amount of food you'll get at this restaurant on the edge of the city. Sit down and just say "surtido," and you'll be brought a sampling of obscure local specialties, often including unusual parts of the pig. The food doesn't stop coming. You'll enjoy multiple courses in rapid succession, ranging from lengua (tongue) to the more pedestrian pollo en mole (chicken in mole). If you’re feeling less adventurous, you can also just order off the menu. The out-of-the-way location has kept the place supremely local (you'll want to go by car or taxi), and you'll probably be the first foreign visitor in weeks.

It's named for revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata, which explains why sombreros and rifles serve as decorations. The place is filled with locals, who appreciate the good-natured kitsch. The tortillas here are made fresh by hand throughout the day, so the taco platters are especially good (try one of the big combinations, or the regional specialties on the table tents). It's a good place to stop for lunch (there are cheap specials), or late in the evening (the dining room is open until 1 am). Take a seat under the huge wrought-iron chandelier or in the dark upstairs bar.

This small café, which is just across the street from the main plaza, has some outdoor seating under its archways and a pleasant interior with high ceilings and plenty of fresh air. You can enjoy a meal here as you watch the people go by—they are open from breakfast through dinner. The sopade tortilla (tortilla soup) and enchiladas are both tasty options. They sell regional fresh bread, muffins, and delicious coffee all day.

Though it's touristy—it's a popular lunch stop for tour groups—this place serves a variety of regional dishes. Everything is set up buffet-style, so you can afford to experiment. Try the tasajo (sun-dried beef served with pumpkin-seed sauce) and the chipilín con bolita, a soup made with balls of ground corn paste cooked in a creamy herb sauce and topped with cheese. The restaurant closes at 6.

This restaurant, with a balcony overlooking the central plaza, serves up hearty home-style cooking . Try the delicious caldo tlalpeño, a tasty broth with chicken, tortilla, avocado, and cheese, that comes with a plate of chili chipotle that you can use to spice up the soup. At dinner there's also a large plate—that's perfect for sharing—with grilled beef, fried chicken, fresh cheese, guacamole, and beans with tortilla chips.

This downtown spot has an outstanding variety of regional dishes, including pechuga jacuané (chicken breast stuffed with black beans and smothered with an herb sauce). Red-sashed waiters hoot and holler when someone orders pompo, a punch made with mineral water, pineapple juice, lemon juice—and lots of vodka. The big draw is live marimba music in the afternoon and evening. From 9 pm to 10 pm on weekends folk dancers take to the floor.

For fairly authentic chiapaneca cuisine in a lovely environment, try this restaurant on the corner of the main square. The best seats are in a cute garden in the back. The tasajo (a soup made of cured beef) is an interesting preparation. The food won't blow your mind, but it's pleasant.

Billed as Palenque's oldest restaurant, Maya opened for business some six decades ago. It sits so close to the main square that you can hear the birds that come home to roost each sunset. The tables in the dining room, swathed in magenta fabric, always seem to be crowded. The three-course set menus at lunch are a good deal. Dishes served à la carte include medallions of róbalo, a local fish that is equally tasty fried or breaded. The coffee drinks are among the best in town.

This thatch-roof restaurant in the La Cañada neighborhood on the south side of town is one of the prettiest in Palenque. Grab a table amid the fragrant gardens, and listen to musicians play softly (evenings) as you choose one of the regional dishes like pollo en mole chiapaneco (chicken in a local version of the dried-chili classic) and a soup of chipilín (a local herb). Skip the dry shrimp and go for the whole fried fish. Maya, the downtown restaurant, is owned by the same people, but has a different vibe.

This big, airy Zapatista-affiliated café is a great place to linger over a cup of coffee or enjoy the simple prix-fixe meal (there are plenty of vegetarian options) that includes juice, soup, a main plate, and rice. The restaurant is surrounded by small boutiques, including Nail Ch'en, where you can buy neat handmade blouses, and Mono de Papel, where you can find books and magazines (with some titles in English), including several titles on the Zapatista movement. You can also buy a requisite T-shirt with the image of Subcomandante Marcos.

A sign in front trumpets that the place is "Economico," and, indeed, you will get a bargain meal here. This place is always packed, and usually with locals—a sign that the food is great. One woman makes tortillas at the entrance to the restaurant, while another slices fruit at a different station. A cheap 70-peso comida corrida (set-price lunch menu) is available. A torta (sandwich) of tender cochinita pibil (a pork dish) is excellent, and for breakfast, try the showstopping chilaquiles con carne.