Just north of Cancun in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is the tropical, rustic island of Holbox. With clear blue waters and white sand beaches, Holbox is a small-town island with sandy streets, no cars and a chill, laid-back vibe.
Whenever I travel to a new town, one of my favorite ways to get to know the town is by walking everywhere, preferably from one healthy vegan cafe to another 🤣.
Experiencing new healthy vegan foods on a menu inspires me, giving me ideas on dishes I may want to create at home or flavors I may want to experiment with when I return to my own kitchen.
You can tell when the chef and cafe owner have infused love into their culinary creations: they use the freshest, highest quality ingredients and make an extra effort to create a peaceful, beautiful ambiance to enjoy the experience. I love supporting these cafes by sharing my experiences here on my blog.
Holbox has a number of places I can recommend to healthy vegan travelers who visit this beautiful Caribbean island getaway.
If you are in Holbox looking for healthy, delish vegan or vegetarian eateries, here are my faves. Hope you enjoy them as well!
1. Painapol – My favorite healthy vegan / vegetarian eatery in Holbox. I could eat here every day lol. The flavors are delicious, the ingredients are fresh and seasonal and the ambiance is lovely with art murals on the walls and a rustic, bohemian chic vibe. Friendly service as well. This place gets busy so go early to arrive before the crowds.
2. Arte Sano Vegano – This healthy vegan cafe is another favorite. The cafe’s open kitchen is located at the entrance where the cooks welcome you with a smile as you walk toward the backyard garden. Everything on the menu looks amazing. The ingredients are fresh and the dishes are delicious. The Salad Bowl was filled with fresh, raw ingredients including purple cabbage, rice, chickpeas, lentils, pumpkin seeds, carrots, cucumbers and fresh hummus. The orange maracuya juice was refreshing. The Green Goddess Burger was made in-house from REAL lentils (no fake, faux “meat” or lab-made “plant-based” burgers here, yo!) – and topped with flavorful green peppers, poblano peppers, pumpkin, cucumber and avocado. Love this place!
3. Barba Negra – One of three eateries at Holbox Foodie Market. This one is my fave, thanks to their delish, innovative vegan tacos made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. The open-space, outdoor market has a festive vibe with live musicians on most nights. Everyone working here is really friendly. Great vibes!
4. Sushi Vegano @ Holbox Foodie Market – The vegan sushi was sooo fresh and delicious. 😋
5. Another Clandestino (Cafe) – The Argentine alfajores at this hip cafe were not exactly vegan lol but they were absolutely delicious and completely worth diverging from my usual healthy vegan obsession. The coffee latte with coconut milk was also divine.
6. Kuxtal Market Organic – Kuxtal is the main health food store in Holbox with a juice bar serving up all kinds of fresh tropical and green alkaline juices. If you’re looking for organic, gourmet, health foods, bulk foods or other holistic items, this is the best place in Holbox to find them.
7. Habits Veggie Food – This is a no frills, simple yet delish vegetarian cafe with a few vegan options. Perfect for a fresh juice or smoothie.
If your travels take you to Holbox, I hope you enjoy these healthy vegan cafes and eateries!
Until then, you may be interested in joining my upcoming 21- Day Healthy Vegan Plant-Based Challenge to learn how to make many of the delicious foods you see in these photos from scratch, right in your own kitchen. Join my community below to be notified as soon as the Challenge begins!