Tacos in Quintana Roo

Quintana Roo, Mexico's youngest state, on the Caribbean side of the Yucatán Peninsula, shares cochinita pibil, panuchos and salbutes with its neighbors, while its tourist cities are dominated by Mexico City-style taco stands selling al pastor, carne asada and fried tacos.

Overview

Quintana Roo became a state on October 8, 1974, and Larousse's gastronomic dictionary notes that before then it formed a single political unit with Campeche and Yucatán. Its economy is driven by tourism, and the boom of resort cities has drawn migrants from across Mexico. The state has the country's largest area of jungle and the second-largest Maya population after Yucatán, along with smaller Jacaltec, Kanjobal and Mam communities. It ranks third nationally in catches of grouper, lobster and mojarra.

Maya and peninsular dishes

Larousse describes Maya subsistence farming centered on corn, beans, squash and chile, with vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry and pigs, as well as beekeeping and the harvesting of chicle from the chicozapote tree. Its list of Maya dishes includes venison in pipián, chilmole, tikin pat and cazón quesadillas, and it notes that Holbox Island is known for conch and lobster preparations. Quintana Roo shares with Campeche and Yucatán the peninsular repertoire of cochinita pibil, panuchos, papadzules, salbutes, pollo pibil and sikil pak, all accompanied by habanero salsas. Dishes born in the state include cazón empanadas and conch prepared as steaks, with garlic, breaded or in ceviche, best eaten at seaside palapas in Cozumel.

Chetumal and Belize

The capital, Chetumal, received European ships for decades carrying cured meats, cheeses, butter and canned seafood. According to Larousse, these imports inspired dishes such as queso relleno made with Dutch cheese, now typical of the peninsula, while neighboring Belize contributed Caribbean habits such as rice and beans and cooking with coconut milk.

Taco stands in the resort cities

Larousse observes that the tourist centers have taco stands in the Mexico City style, offering carne asada, al pastor and fried tacos, and small restaurants serving Oaxacan and central Mexican regional food brought by migrants. The dictionary laments that in Cozumel and Cancún's hotel zone international cuisine is plentiful while Mexican cooking gets little attention. The 2026 Michelin Guide Mexico listed four Bib Gourmand restaurants in the state, in Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Puerto Morelos, though none was a taquería.

Signature tacos

• Tacos de cochinita pibil
• Tacos al pastor
• Tacos de carne asada
• Tacos de cazón

Reviews

See also

• Tacos de cochinita pibil
• Tacos al pastor
• Tacos de carne asada
• Tacos de cazón
• Tacos in Yucatán
• Tacos in Campeche

References

1. "Quintana Roo". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
2. "Mexico's Most Affordable Restaurants in 2026". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
3. "Guía Michelin 2026: reconocen a las taquerías de México". Vanguardia. Retrieved 2026-10-10.