The best plant-based food in San Cristobal
I spent 3 weeks in Chiapas, 10 days in San Cris eating my way through the city and looking for the best vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants. Chiapas is far from Mexico’s foodie destination, there are many other regions across the country that have much more interesting and exciting food culture. Much of Chiapas is still jungle, and many towns are far away from urban centers which makes it difficult to access diverse ingredients. However, what Chiapas lacks in gastronomy it overdoses in natural wonders.
San Cristobal has gone through some serious international gentrification over the years, and restaurants from cuisines all over the world have popped up across the city. There is a thriving plant based culture, and most restaurants will offer at least a few meatless options. Here is a list of all the restaurants that I visited during my stay.
WHERE TO BREAKFAST?
Frontera Artisan Food and Coffee
Frontera Artisana – This cafe is extra charming due to the outdoor courtyard where you can get some sun while you sip on your incredible organic coffee. The yard fills up with travelers, musicians, cute dogs looking for love, and overall good vibes. I got the Roasted Veggie Sandwich with whole wheat bread, asked them to add some Chiapas cheese and avocado.
Kukulpan
KUKULPAN – This was one of my favorite spots in the city. It sits on a high corner and has an outdoor seating area to hang out. The incredible thing here is their bread. Every day they make a new fresh batch of dozens of different pastries, sweet, savoury, vegan etc. For only 25 pesos, you can get a pretty awesome French pastry. Their breakfasts are also delicious. I ordered a Croque Madame, a veggie sandwich and an avocado cacao smoothie. Their menu is entirely vegetarian. Definitely, a must-visit!
La Casa del Pan
La Casa del Pan sits on the Main Street, Real de Guadalupe. This all organic and vegetarian restaurant serves delicious and quality food. I tried the Kale and Ricotta Omelette with chipotle sauce, which I definitely recommend. They also have a little shop that sells all kinds of natural products, food and bread.
Sarajevo
SARAJEVO – This restaurant cafe is one of the most aesthetically beautiful restaurants I’ve ever seen. The architect and interior designers that worked on this space are very talented. In 9 days, I visited Sarajevo 3 times. They have an excellent menu of the day for 95 pesos that include soup, main dish, juice and coffee. They also have beautiful breakfasts and desserts, big couches to sit on in front of the fire, and high-speed wifi. This is clearly a place that caters to international travellers and residents and not so much to the local people. For local standards, it is more on the expensive side. However, service, quality and experience is guaranteed. You can spend hours here just getting lost in your work and in the comfiness of the space.
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WHERE TO LUNCH/DINNER?
El Caldero
This is a house of soups, all kinds of hearty Mexican soups. I got sick for 24 hours and was desperate for a vegetable soup to cure my ills – El Caldero delivered. Every day, they offer different menu packages, such as a free dessert or a free entree, depending on the week’s day. This is a great place to cure your hangover with a delicious Pozole, or for vegans – the heartiest vegetable soup of your life.
Veganos la Taqueria
VEGANOS – This taqueria offers vegan tacos and burritos. Chorizo, pastor, and bistec, all plant-based. They are a perfect option for anyone trying to get some of the Mexican street food experience without the meat factor—a small but pretty popular place located right in the heart of the city. The guacamole was delicious and the chips were homemade!
Te Quiero Verde
This vegan joint has a pretty good menu of all kinds of healthy food. It was good, nothing to rave about, in my opinion, but does guaranteed a good vegan experience. It is very popular in the local vegan scene. They make great juices.
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Cocoliche
Another favorite spot. It is the place to go when you want to give your taste buds a break from Mexican cuisine. They have a mix of Italian pastas with Asian inspired dishes. I ordered the Green Veggie Curry, the spiciest dish on the menu. It was delicious but definitely SPICY (beware, I eat a lot of spice). They have a cozy fireplace and a really good house wine.
Trattoria Catanzaro
Great Italian food from the region of Catanzaro, served by an Italiano himself. This little 4 table restaurant has a very cozy ambiance. There are not many vegetarian options on the menu; skip it if you are plant-based. Otherwise, definitely recommended!
COFFEE
You are pretty much guaranteed amazing coffee anywhere you go in San Cristobal. It is really another level of coffee culture, quality, and taste. However, CAFEOLOGIA and CARAJILLO are two places that really stood out to me, and which I still remember as some of the best coffee I’ve ever had.
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WHERE TO HANG OUT?
La Espirituosa
La Espirituosa is a distillery, store, and local artisanal beer shop located next to Frontera Artisana. It is run by Sofi who is a badass local expert on Pox, the traditional Chiapas liquor which is made from corn. She hosts Pox tastings and offers cooking classes for anybody interested in learning about local cuisines. This is an awesome place to hang out and buy some souvenirs for people back home. The local beer “Alacran” in the image above is super tasty, with a hint of spicy – I loved it.
El Cau
This Galician Tapas bar sits on the main tourist street and is a great place to sit outside, people watch and get drunk. That is exactly what we did. It has great vibes and good drinks. We did no neat, but we tried the caramelized eggplant chips, which were super interesting and delicious. Highly recommended as a “healthy” beer snack.
Kinoki
Kinoki is a cultural center with a diner, a fantastic view of the city, and the best cappuccino I have had in years. There are films and documentaries about the Zapatistas every day of the week and act as an important cultural center for the vibrant, politically engaged San Cristobal community. I visited this spot a few times during my stay, whether for a beer or a coffee. It is a great place to get work with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.
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