Today’s $5 Feast – is from one of my favourite places in the world. Mexico. I always knew that I loved Mexican food, but it wasn’t until I went there that I realised that I also love the country. So this month I have been chatting with the amazing Brittany who has just returned from Mexico and is raving about the delicious and amazing food there as much as I am. After reading her review of Antojitos La Chiapaneca – I think I may have to hunt down some taco al pastor for dinner.
Introducing Brittany with a $5 feast from Tulum, Mexico
Brittany loves photography, traveling independently, exploring off the beaten path and discovering hidden gems both locally in Manitoba and abroad, eating and cooking healthy plant-based and gluten-free foods and meals, browsing local markets, learning about different cultures and ethnic foods, and having unique and authentic urban and outdoor adventures and meaningful experiences.
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Tulum, Mexico has an abundance of small eateries and street food vendors where you can find cheap and authentic meals for under $5, but Antojitos La Chiapaneca is by far my favourite one of them all!
Antojitos La Chiapaneca is a small and locally owned restaurant located along Tulum’s main avenue, near the ADO bus terminal, serving incredibly inexpensive and delicious tasting authentic Mexican “antojitos” (small snacks). They only open at 6 pm for dinner and stay open until late into the evening/night. I ate there a few times during my travels and it was packed with people every time – mostly local families – which is always a good sign! It is a very simple and casual eatery with only a handful of tables, so it’s best to arrive as early in the evening as possible to secure a spot. The colour theme of the restaurant was a vibrant red and everything from the wooden tables, chairs, walls to the storefront were painted in the same bold colour!
I ordered the restaurant’s famous tacos al pastor (which they are well-known for) along with a variety of other snacks including panuchos, sopes, tacos vegetarianos and an agua de Jamaica to drink (sweetened and chilled hibiscus tea). Everything tasted so delicious, authentic and fresh! The service was a bit slow, but that is the norm in local Mexican restaurants, and was understandable considering how busy the place always was. However, the food was definitely worth the wait.
After ordering, you can head over to the restaurant’s large salsa bar area where you will find a variety of salsas (most of them are spicy, especially the green one that looks like guacamole. It is not guacamole!) and toppings like lime wedges, radishes, onions and more in large bowls to garnish your tacos. The menu is simple and consists of only a handful of options for food and beverages (FYI: alcohol is not served here), which are all priced super cheap! They serve the cheapest tacos that I could find in Tulum (and throughout the Yucatan Peninsula) at only a mere 7 pesos for one taco! Because the restaurant was busy, the atmosphere was noisy with people chatting, food cooking, and loud speakers on the old-fashioned television in the corner that was either playing Spanish music videos or old action movies. The atmosphere definitely felt authentically Mexican!
If you are searching for an inexpensive dinner or late-night snack of traditional Mexican food in Tulum, Mexico, then look no further than Antojitos La Chiapaneca. It is the perfect place to find all of the above!
Do you have a great travel meal for under $5 feast to share? Email me at thelitebackpacker@gmail.com
