The 9 Best Food Tours in Cancun

Looking for the best food tours in Cancun? If so, this is the post for you.

We’ve gathered the best Cancun food tours into one little list for your convenience. This way it’s easier for you to decide where you’ll find the best food experience in the city. 

In this post, I’ll cover the best taco and street food tours plus, I’ve thrown in a few extra food-related experiences.

Ever sailed on a Spanish Galeon at sunset while eating lobster? Well, there’s an opportunity here!

So without further ado, here find below my recommendations for Cancun food tours.

Top food tours in Cancun 

1. 3-in-1 Street Food tour with Transportation

5⭐ 399 Reviews

Carnitas tacos serving
Mexican carnitas tacos – BOOK YOUR TOUR HERE

This 3-in-1 Street Food Tour gives you a fun way to try local dishes while learning about Mexican culture and life. I took this tour and I had a blast although I couldn’t eat anymore for the rest of the day as I was so full! But that’s a good problem to have, right? :

In just 3.5 hours, you’ll have an opportunity to stop at five local venues:

  • Mercado 23: local market
  • La Borge’s: try Barbacoa beer
  • El Polilla: have the best carnitas tacos in town
  • Loncheria El Pocito: enjoy traditional yucatecan food
  • Paleteria and Neveria La Michoacana: for traditional ice cream and popsicles

It includes local guides that are professional, patient, and knowledgeable. But this tour does involve some walking, so you’ll need to be mobile.

Altogether, it’s a great way to see a different side of Cancun while exploring Mexican culture with your taste buds.

What’s included

  • Lunch
  • Bottled water
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Soda/Pop

What’s NOT included

  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Gratuities
  • Transport from Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen (extra cost involved)

2. 5-Stop Cancun Taco Tour

5⭐ 254 Reviews

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the taco scene of Cancun with a 4.5-hour guided tour!

Sample a variety of delicious tacos from local favorites and indulge your inner foodie. Experience the 4 best taco joints Cancun has to offer, and try 5 different tacos, each one more delicious than the last.

Cochinita Pibil El Pocito - Photo taken during one of the best food tours in Cancun
Cochinita Pibil El Pocito – Photo taken during one of the best food tours in Cancun

To top it all off, your taco dinner gets matched with the perfect local beer — and your night ends with a sweetly delicious churro!

Match with a knowledgeable and fun local guide, you’ll learn about Mexican culture, experience live mariachi music, and even play some traditional Mexican games.

Avoid average tacos and experience Cancun the right way. If you’re a foodie at heart, this is the tour for you.

Best of all, you’ll get a chance to savor delicious tacos made to perfection, so get ready for an experience you won’t soon forget!

What’s included

  • Skip the line and don’t wait to be served
  • Roundtrip air-conditioned transportation from any hotel in Cancun
  • Friendly English-speaking local guide
  • Vegetarian menu available under request
  • Dinner

What’s NOT included

  • Extra food and drinks (available to purchase)
  • Transportation from Playa del Carmen and Riviera Maya (extra cost)
  • Tip for guide (optional)

3. The Ultimate Cancun Taco & Street Mexican Food Tour

4.5⭐ 24 Reviews

Mexican street food
Book your taco tour in Cancun NOW – photo from Canva

This four-hour tour gives you the opportunity to discover delicious street food and eat authentic Mexican tacos.

Not only do you get to try 3 different taco styles, but you also get 2 additional sample dishes.

You’ll have the opportunity to visit:

  • El Rincon de Los Antojos: awarded by Guy Fieri
  • Los Tabasco’s-Avenida del Sol: small taco restaurant
  • Pescaditos las Tores: tasty baja style taco
  • Los de Jalisco: experience a spicy meat taco that’s unique and traditional
  • Parque de las Palapas: picturesque dessert stand

Overall, it’s a fun and delicious tour that lets you experience some traditional Mexican dishes with a knowledgeable guide.

If you’re a foodie, this is a must-do for you!

What’s included

  • Guided street Mexican food tour with 5 tastings
  • Soft drinks during tastings

What’s NOT included

  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off (upgrade)
  • Food and beverages not listed as inclusions
  • Gratuities

4. Guided Mexican Food Tour & Spirits Tasting with Transportation

4.5⭐ 60 Reviews

Food is a great way to experience the vibrant culture of Mexico. If you’re looking for the best way to delight your inner foodie and experience the real Cancun vibe, then this guided Mexican food tour is for you.

The small group limit makes it so you have a more personalized experience, and the knowledgeable guide ensures you’ll know what you’re eating.

You’ll get a chance to experience 8 handpicked dishes from all over Mexico at 3 different restaurants before ending the evening at a local park.

Not only will there be delicious food, but you’ll get to enjoy mariachi music or play traditional Mexican games.

All-in-all this makes for the perfect evening for foodies and those food-curious alike.

What’s included

  • Round-trip air-conditioned transport from Cancun hotels
  • Skip-the-lines
  • Visit 3 restaurants and 1 local park
  • English guide
  • 8 hand-picked plates
  • 3 drinks (1 at each stop)
  • Dinner
  • Bottled water
  • Alcoholic beverages

What’s NOT included

  • Pick up from Playa del Carmen and Riviera Maya (extra cost)
  • Extra drinks during the tour
  • Extra dishes not specified in the tour description
  • Tips for the guide

5. Taco Tour Cancun

5⭐ 32 Reviews

Campechanos tacos
Campechanos tacos – BOOK YOUR TACO TOUR HERE – photo from Canva

Learn about Mexican food and drink culture on the Taco Tour Cancun. This intimate foodie tour has a maximum of 10 people to ensure it remains an intimate experience that lets you get to know your fellow travelers.

Lead by an expert guide, you’ll be led to the best places to sample delicious tacos from all over Mexico. Among the places you’ll end up, you’ll find:

  • Anona 35: famous Campechanos tacos
  • Mercado 28: local market, sample tequila, and mezcal
  • La Parrilla Cancun: taquitos de Pastor and flank steak accompanied by margaritas.
  • Cancun: Pastor taquitos, shaders, longaniza, beef tongue, tripe in the purest Mexican style
  • Pescaditos: Weathered fish and shrimp quesadillas
  • El Parque de las Palapas: la Marquesita (desert)

You’ll have an opportunity to taste tequila and mezcal and shop for local crafts and souvenirs. The night will end at Luum Paul, a nearby park.

From there, you’ll need to arrange your own transport back to your hotel.

What’s included

  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Soda/pop
  • Dinner

What’s NOT included

  • Gratuities
  • Private transportation
  • Pickup and drop off from the hotel

Other food-related tours in Cancun

6. Mexican Cooking Class

5⭐ 107 Reviews

Mexican chorizo sopes
Mexican chorizo sopes – photo from Canva

Food tours are great, but what about learning how to cook delicious meals so you can make them for yourself again?

Embark on this 4-hour journey through traditional Mexican cuisine and go home with the knowledge you can lean on again and again.

Starting at the local market, students will learn about the ingredients used to prepare each of the four courses – an appetizer, main dish, side dish, and dessert — that you’ll eventually make.

Once you’ve got your ingredients, learn how to use tools like stone mortar, griddle, and clay pots to create delicious, flavorful dishes.

Eventually, you’ll get to enjoy your creation in a festive feast. With practice and patience, you’ll make your own authentic Mexican cuisine in no time!

What’s included

  • Lunch
  • Coffee and/or tea
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Soda/pop
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Fees and taxes

What’s NOT included

  • Round-trip transportation from Riviera Maya (extra cost)

7. Amazing Romantic Dinner on a Galeon Around the Lagoon in Cancun with Sax Music

4.5⭐ 36 Reviews

For a romantic date that involves sailing the Nichupté Lagoon around sunset, this is the tour for you. It comes fitted with live music, an unforgettable view, and an overall amazing atmosphere.

Set sail in a classic galleon as the sky lights up and the sun goes down. You can choose from the simple or deluxe dinner option, and either way you’ll get delicious food.

This is the PERFECT outing to celebrate an anniversary, birthday, or other noteworthy experience.

This is a beautiful, worthwhile experience that you’ll want to share with someone you love.

What’s included

  • Dinner
  • Bottled water
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Soda/pop
  • Coffee and/or tea
  • Restroom on board
  • Columbus experience with live sax music

What’s NOT included

  • Gratuities
  • Federal port tax (13 USD per person)

8. Romantic Dinner on a Spanish Galeon in Cancun

4.5⭐ 11 Reviews

If you’re traveling to Cancun with a special someone, a romantic night out is highly recommended. What better way to indulge than with a decadent dinner like lobster or surf ‘n’ turf on the deck of a Spanish Galeon.

Filet mignon with lobster tail and wine
photo from Canva

You can choose an early sunset session or drift along later in the evening on weekends — but either way, you’ll experience magical scenery backed by good service, mood music, fine wine, and a delicious dinner!

This is a must-do activity for couples in Cancun, and comes highly recommended if you’re trying to win points with your date!

What’s included

  • Dinner
  • Bottled water
  • Restroom on board
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Admission to Spanish Galeon

What’s NOT included

  • Gratuities
  • Federal port tax (15 USD per person)

9. Mexican Dinner and Spirits Tasting in Cancun

4.5⭐ 15 Reviews

If you’re looking for a way to explore Cancun’s local food scene, this small group experience is for you. Pair up with a friendly guide and a maximum of 10 other travelers to taste some of Mexico’s best dishes.

This tour gives you the opportunity to try everything from gourmet dishes to fresh and fun tacos. Savor regional specialties, eat local seafood, and taste some tequila, mezcal, and Mayan spirits.

Mezcal drinks on the table
Mezcal – photo from Canva

This food tour offers a lot of bang for your buck. It’s filled with scrumptious things to eat, a friendly, informative tour guide, and an unforgettable experience.

What’s included

  • Dinner
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Bottled water

What’s NOT included

  • tips
  • transportation

Cancun food tours FAQs

What kind of excursions are there in Cancun?

Cancun is a vibrant, coastal Mexican city with plenty of exciting excursions to experience. Whether you’re looking for an adrenaline-pumping adventure or a leisurely stroll through the city, there’s something for everyone.

Sample local cuisine, explore the culture and history, and get lost in nature — whatever you’re looking to do in Cancun, you can probably find it.

Is it better to book excursions online or at the resort?

Your best bet to find discounted excursions when you’re visiting Cancun is to book online beforehand. Not only can this help you better plan your trip, but you’re also more likely to come across discounts.

Of course, your resort will recommend that you book through them — but I say save the extra cash and go on one more adventure!

What’s Mexico’s number 1 food?

Mexico’s culinary scene is an incredibly diverse one with various unique dishes and flavors to enjoy. While it might be hard to pick out just one food as the country’s number one, tacos are definitely a top contender.

Delicious and customizable, there are countless taco variations found throughout Mexico that are sure to tantalize your taste buds.

Tacos can be filled with anything from pork al pastor to fish to grilled vegetables, making them a great option for anyone looking for a flavorful meal.

In addition, they have become so popular that they have taken on different forms such as gorditas, flautas, and quesadillas.

To really experience the best of Mexican cuisine at its finest, try taking a taco-focused food tour in Cancun!

Mexican vegan tacos filling
Mexican vegan tacos – photo from Canva

Is Cancun safe?

Yes, Cancun is relatively safe to travel to, and even more when you join a guided tour. Whether you travel alone or in a group make sure you follow some common sense rules as I mention in my detailed post (linked above).

Don’t flaunt your wealth, don’t walk alone on dark isolated roads or on the beach at night, and don’t drink tap water, among other tips.

When is the best time to travel to Cancun?

It’s always a good time to travel to Cancun, depending on what you are looking for. My favorite time is the end of April or May when it’s not rainy yet and the temperature is not that hot.

It’s also a great time to find the best deals and avoid crowds.

But if you want to swim with whale sharks, you will want to travel from June through August.

December, January, and February are the best month for optimal weather but the water can be cold.

What time is dinner eaten in Mexico?

In general, dinner is usually eaten anywhere between 7 and 9 pm throughout much of Mexico. However, you can still enjoy a meal at any time of the day.

Best food tours in Cancun: Final thoughts

Cancun beach resort
photo from Canva

There are plenty of delicious options when it comes to finding a good food tour in Cancun. Whether you want to wander the streets or learn how to cook your own food, there’s something out there that’ll make your vacation extra special.

If you are a solo traveler is also a way to mingle with other like-minded people.

Whether you want to eat the most delicious taco you’ve ever had, sit on the rooftop bar of an oceanside pub or watch the sunset over the ocean while you chow down on lobster, there’s a food experience out there for you.

Cancun has some truly unique food offerings, and they’re well worth it if you’re looking for something new to try. 

I hope you’ve found a Cancun food tour that you’re interested in trying out. The right tour truly can make the highlight of your time in Cancun and definitely a must in your Cancun Itinerary.

About the Author

Hey there! This is Isabella, the owner, and writer of this site. I have been living in Cancun for the past 12 years and although I have been roaming around Mexico, Cancun’s spectacular turquoise waters and pristine beach draw me back to this popular Mexican beach destination. That is why I decided to start this blog, to show you all the beauty you can find in Cancun and share helpful travel tips to help you plan a fabulous vacation in Cancun!