The Best Restaurants in Sayulita

It can be daunting visiting Sayulita for one week and trying to decide where to spend your time and pesos with the overwhelming number of options in the pueblo. I’ve lived in Sayulita for four years-ish so I feel qualified to help you weed through the rapidly growing beach town. I’ve narrowed it down to the best restaurants in Sayulita.

These are my personal recommendations for the best restaurants and bars in Sayulita. I try to update this list as much as I can because new things are always popping up. If you’ve tried something great that’s missing from this list, let me know about it!

Best Mexican Cuisine in Sayulita: Mary’s

Best Burger in Sayulita: Baby’s Burgers

The best burger in Sayulita used to be a heavily debated question, because to be honest with you there really wasn’t one that was that great. As an American, cheeseburgers are in my top three favorite foods, and as a Californian that means In-n-Out. I lived with a hole in my heart where my weekly In-n-Out smash burger once lived. It wasn’t until Baby’s Burgers came along that I could fill the void. Now, there’s no debate, Baby’s Burgers is the best burger in Sayulita, if not the best burger I’ve ever had.

Baby’s Burgers was born from the same void that I felt: no great American-style burgers in Sayulita, there were some options that were okay, but they certainly couldn’t satisfy the craving for In-n-Out. So, Colin and Estefania decided, hey our burgers are pretty damn good, maybe other people will like them too? Thus the idea for their very own burger cart in Sayulita. The concept for Baby’s Burgers was simple- a basic smash burger with good meat, lots of cheese, and a soft buttery bun that you could grab for a quick munch on your way home from the beach.

Colin and Estefania operate the business entirely on their own, currently, and have grown so much popularity that the burgers often sell out within two hours. Baby’s Burgers is open Thursday-Sunday 7pm-11pm, but it’s unlikely you will get a burger after 10pm. The people of Sayulita have spoken and I wouldn’t be surprised if Baby’s Burgers has a storefront in the near future, cheers to small ideas becoming big realities.

Best Brunch Spot in Sayulita: Miscelanea Cafe

There’s a ton of delicious places to get breakfast in Sayulita but Miscelanea is my personal favorite. I love the atmosphere, the menu packs a lot of variety for such a tiny kitchen, and if you’re a coffee lover the specialty drinks will make this place worth a visit. This is a nice place to work but with the current overload of people working remotely in Sayulita please be respectful with how much time you spend here and always order a full meal if you are working. If you are looking for a place to work, check out this co-work space!

Best Coffee in Sayulita: Yah- Yah Cafe

I rarely drink coffee so I actually found the answer to the burning question, “where is the best coffee in Sayulita?” through a vote via Sayulita Social. The audience spoke and overwhelmingly Yah-Yah Cafe was the winner. Yah-Yah is known as a friendly spot located in Sayulita’s south side neighborhood, Niños Heroes.  The local favorite recently opened another location in the pueblo because of such high demand! The new location is on Av. Revolucion just before Libertad hill.

*Tip: Yah-Yah Cafe is not a co-working space, please respect local cafes and allow them to rotate their tables by finding a co-working space.

Located: Niños Heroes 3. More info here.

Miranda’s Pizza

Best Pasta in Sayulita: Marcolino

Marcolino is the go-to restaurant for fresh pasta in Sayulita. Marcolino’s handmade pasta isn’t where it ends, they also have awesome pizza and great salads. Marcolino is a long-standing favorite in Sayulita, while many other pasta restaurants have came and gone this family-owned spot has stood the test of time. My recommendations: any of the Gnocchi dishes, Pera Ravioli, slow-roasted Bolognese and I love the pizza. Most places in Mexico are thin crust; Marcolino’s  pizza is on the thicker side. The best way to go: 2 people= split a salad, pasta, and a pizza.

*Tip: Sign-up for this meal on a night you can go straight for a food coma afterward. Big plates of pasta and a night out at Yambak don’t mesh well.

Best Lunch in Sayulita: El Itacate

I have so many great things to say about Itacate, everything on the menu is delicious! Easily one of the best restaurants in Sayulita. The staff are so friendly and outgoing,  every plate is made with love. Their specialty is the Itacate, a burrito made from cheese instead of a tortilla, yes, really. It’s amazing, a cheese lover must-try! Their steak and carnitas tacos are also fantastic.

*Tip: portion sizes are huge so order accordingly.

Located: Central Sayulita, Calle Jose Mariscal 42. More info.

Best Street Tacos in Sayulita: Tacos al Pastor Diaz

Street tacos are a touchy subject because everyone has their own taco stand they stay loyal to, this is mine. If you’ve never had a pastor taco before you have no idea what you’ve been missing your whole life. I could write an entire blog on my love for the pastor taco.

Pastor is marinated pork (every stand has their own special recipe) usually some combination of chilies, spices, and pineapple. This magical meat is then grilled on a shwarma streetside topped with onions, cilantro, pinã and the salsa of your choice.

Tip: pastor tacos are best eaten standing drunk in the street around 2am.

What to get: 2 classic tacos de pastor or I order what’s called a “gringa” which is a flour tortilla instead of corn with grilled cheese (basically a small quesadilla).

Tip 2: WASH YOUR HANDS. It’s easy to forget you’ve been walking around a tourist town all day touching things before you eat street tacos, then many people blame the street tacos for feeling sick.

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Best Beach Bars in Sayulita: Bar La Isla and Frente al Punto

If you’re looking for a place that’s right on the beach there’s so many options to choose from in Sayulita, but not all are created equal. For me this one was too close to call between La Isla and Frente al Punto. This is the place to get day drunk and sunburned with your friends then call it an early night, they close at 9ish. If you’re looking for something more family friendly choose Frente al Punto.

Located: Main Beach, just past the river heading north. More Info.

 

More of the Best Restaurants and Bars in Sayulita

Best Mezcal Cocktails in Sayulita: Cava

Cava is located right next to Le Zouave and the two go hand in hand for a dreamy mezcal filled Sayulita night out. This spot is a small hole in the wall from the outside but this is where you’ll find the best mezcal cocktails in Sayulita. If you’re interested in doing a Mezcal tasting I would do it here, the bartenders know what they’re talking about and they have a nice selection. 

Located: Central Sayulita,Ave Revolution 54.

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Best Restaurant for Everyone’s Taste: Tierra Viva

Tierra Viva restaurant in Sayulita has won over many local’s as a go-to choice. Why? Because the menu offers a little bit of everything and it’s consistently good. Personally a problem I find in Sayulita is I can have a great meal somewhere, then go back a month later to order the same exact thing and it’s totally different, (likely because the constant turn-over of kitchen staff.) Tierra Viva is an exception, many of the waiters & kitchen staff have been at Tierra Viva for years. The owner’s are lovely people and take pride in knowing the service is always terrific, the food high-quality and well executed.  Breakfast, lunch, or dinner you’ll find something mouth watering on the menu here. 

Located in Sayulita’s plaza Sueños brings together gorgeous design, skilled mixologists, knowledgable waitstaff, and an award-winning chef.

The couple that opened Sueños had a big vision for what used to be a small run-down corner of the plaza, it’s beautiful to see their dream come to life. The chef, Andrea Nardo, is a long-time friend of the owners from London. Andrea has over sixteen years of experience cooking all over the world. The cocktail menu was created by the restaurant’s Sommelier, Marco Pecci, and features a modern list of riffs like the Gin Sazerac or the La Rue Negroni.  Sueños is the quality and standard you’d hope to find in a big city, but here it is in the little beach town of Sayulita. If you’re planning to have a fine dining night while visiting Sayulita this is the place to do it. I will warn you that the price tag is a bit high at Suenos in comparison to the rest of Sayulita, be prepared to spend what you would spend in the US.

Recommendations: My favorite cocktail in Sayulita: The Green Velvet. Food Faves: Rack of Lamb, Mushroom Risotto, Bone Marrow, and the Burrata Fried Pizza.

More Info Here

Hamsa Falafel

Looking for something quick, healthy, and delicious? Hamsa is a small Mediterranean restaurant located in the Tamarindo neighborhood of Sayulita. The chef and owner of Hamsa hails from Israel; one of the many amazing things about Sayulita is that it’s home to residents from all over the world.  David wanted to share his talent for preparing recipes he’d been perfecting all his life, so partnered with his friend Gigi they decided to see what they could make happen. Now, Hamsa is a local favorite, with so many vegans and vegetarians in Sayulita the pueblo was in need for a spot just like this. Hamsa is an easy walk from the centro, there’s only a couple tables but the falafel sandwich makes for a perfect to-go lunch.

Located: Calle Pelicanos 22. More Info.

Las Sirenas Beach Bar

Located: North beach at Calle Islas Marias. More Info.

Thanks for reading about the best restaurants in Sayulita! Follow @madyinmexico to see more of my life in Sayulita and @sayulitsocial to see what events are happening during your vacation to Sayulita, Mexico.