Tacos, chips, salsa, guacamole are all yummy staples and found everywhere, but the trick is to explore and find the variations of food that is the most authentic. This is one of our most favorite things to do. We were recommended to try Guisados, a local favorite. It was just off the main square in a local neighborhood and easy to find. The kitchen area was no bigger then a small closet and was right on the street. There were 6 tables total, most of them only seated 2 people. It’s a must to introduce yourself to those around you and learn where they are from and their story. We had 2 table neighbors, one couple from Peru and one from California. After introductions, you are now old friends.

The food was simple and amazing. Blue corn tortillas, hand made and pressed/cooked for your meal. There were 6 choices of meat, served with rice and several salsas. Our favorites turned out to be the smoked pork chop and the bbq shredded pork. The problem was, we didn’t know those were our favorites until after we’d eaten everything on our plate and were too full to go back for more. To top it off, they had homemade coconut ice cream. It reminded me of the kind we had from the old ice cream maker at gramma’s house when we were kids. It was soft and had a touch of the grainy ice particles that reminded you to eat quickly or it would melt. It was delicious.

What made it equally special, the owner of the restaurant is campaigning to save the reefs. This is a big deal as there are now plans to build another pier for more cruise ships. While that sounds like good business, they have to destroy more of the reef to accommodate the build. The reef is the biggest draw for tourists so it’s a catch 22 and a challenge to balance the two driving forces. While we were here, there were no less 5 ships in port each day. They normally house over 5,000 people but are currently only a third full.

Oddly enough, the cruise ships may put Cozumel’s underwater sports out of business.