Specialty Restaurants in Catemaco
The food in Catemaco is good, but unfortunately the menus in dozens of local restaurants are almost
identical. To eat the "real" local stuff you have to make friends with a local.

Catemaco is dying for some proud Mexican restauranteur to come here and offer some culinary
delights in an upscale setting of the wonderful dishes available in most major or touristic towns in
Mexico.

Here are a few restaurants that are a little unusual or serve something special.
Montepio Restaurant
San Andres Tuxtla steak & seafood house. All the usual Mexican stuff
plus quality American style cuts. Not cheap. Middle of the Alley, behind
Hotel del Parque on the central plaza.
Recommended: Pepper Filet (Filete a la Pimienta)
Do not eat there during the day unless you like to be alone.
El Huapanguero
The closest thing to a Catemaco steak house. Wonderfully
stuffed platters of meats (parilladas), chicken and rabbits,
accompanied by handmade pellizcadas (wrinkled greasy tortillas).
Also hotel delivery if you are bed bound.
On the city side of the carretera near the southern exit.
Recommended: Parillada for 2 or more people.
Memelas La Encantada
Los Tuxtlas Memelas (super sized thick tortillas) are famous.
The most popular (and cheapest) are at a diner on the
outskirts of San Andrés Tuxtla.
Recommended: Memelas Barbacoa
il Fiorentino
This is only listed because it is the only non Mexican food restaurant in
Catemaco serving Mexican style pizzas and a selection of Italian
dishes. On the Malecon, north end.
Recommended: anything, anywhere else, because very often they
are not open.
El Xalapeño
Exquisitely roasted chickens. Possiibly the best chicken north or
south of anywhere. Enchipotlado, a la crema, enchiltepin, al mojo de
ajo, empanizado and even the standby pollo asado. 50 pesos for the
chicken, rice, salad and tortillas. Diagonal from the Catemaco Hospital
on the road to the beach.
Recommended: Onion chicken (pollo encebollada)