Prices are per person for a main course at dinner.

With more than 1,200 restaurants in Cancún, finding the right one might be the hardest work you do while on vacation. Both the Hotel Zone and downtown have plenty of great places to eat. There are some pitfalls: restaurants that line noisy Avenida Tulum often have tables spilling onto sidewalks, with gas fumes and hordes of people detracting from the romantic outdoor-café ambience. In the Hotel Zone, restaurants often cater to what they assume is a tourist preference for bland, not-too-foreign-tasting food.

One key to eating well in Cancún is to find the local haunts, most of which are in the downtown area. Parque de las Palapas, just off Avenida Tulum, is where locals go for Yucatecan-style food prepared by experts. Farther into the city center, you can find the freshest seafood and other traditional Mexican fare at Mercado 28. There are dozens of small restaurants there that serve great food at reasonable prices.

Sumptuous breakfast or brunch buffets are the latest Cancún dining trend. They are especially pleasant at palapa restaurants on the beach. With prices ranging from $7 to $15, the brunches are a good value. Eat on the late side and you won't need to eat again until dinner.

Generally speaking, dress is casual here, but many restaurants will not allow bare feet, short shorts, or no shirts. At more upscale restaurants, wear pants or a skirt or dress instead of shorts for dinner. Unless otherwise stated, restaurants serve lunch and dinner daily.