Best Burgers in Cancún: Hotel Zone or Downtown

The best burgers in Cancún depend on which Cancún you are in. The Zona Hotelera, the strip of beach resorts on the barrier island, is full of resort grills and beach bars aimed at visitors. Downtown, known locally as El Centro, around Avenida Tulum, Parque de las Palapas and Mercado 28, is where residents eat, and where burgers sit next to Yucatecan street food.

Cancún is young. The Mexican government planned and built it as a resort from the 1970s, so the city has no old burger tradition of its own. Its food culture comes from the Yucatán Peninsula around it: cochinita pibil tacos, and marquesitas, crisp rolled crêpes filled with Edam cheese. The best time to see how locals eat is after dark at Parque de las Palapas, when the street-food carts set up from early evening.

Burgers in Cancún: key facts

• Two areas, two scenes: the Zona Hotelera for resort and beachfront burgers, El Centro for local restaurants and street food.
• Downtown landmarks: Avenida Tulum, Parque de las Palapas and Mercado 28.
• Regional flavours: cochinita pibil and habanero salsa, the Yucatán staples that set local taste.
• When locals eat: in the evening, when Parque de las Palapas fills with families and food carts.
• Currency: Mexican peso (MXN). Many Hotel Zone businesses also take US dollars.
• What our guides check: whether a resort restaurant serves walk-in guests who are not staying at the hotel.

Every guide we publish on Cancún is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. For more cities, open our burger restaurant guides.