Classic, I am on vacation food snap. So we have made it to the food portion, my favorite. Here I am only highlighting my favorites since there are some places I would not recommend and resort food is nothing compared to eating out in Mazatlan. Pacifico is brewed here so sit back and enjoy a cold one.

Since we stayed at Pueblo Bonito there isn’t a lot around within a two block waking distance. A place I recommend if you are staying in that area is Panchos, it is literally right across the street for the resort. There are a couple of places in Mazatlan that have the same name so to be specific this one if located on Av. Camaron Sabalo. I thought the food here was pretty good and the prices were comparable to anything in the US., so around $15 dollars per person. The real draw here is all the freebees, like the after meal kaluha drink or the salsa… yas the salsa. I am Mexican so I have had a LOT of salsa in my life. Skip ordering any appetizer because this always comes to the table and will fill you with deliciousness. The salsa is made table side with roasted vegetables and is so amazing.

Try getting out to explore, I write more about this in the “Do” section of this series but eat at Mercado Pino Suarez. Don’t be afraid to eat or try anything. I think one of the biggest mistakes is only eating food at your hotel or avoiding things because they are “unsafe”, realistically just avoid salads (I learned this the hard way). One of my favorite stops at the market are the ladies serving up pan dulce. They are sort of hidden away but if you comb through the entire market (don’t miss the nooks and crannies) then you will find them.

My holy grail on this trip was cheap ceviche. I love ceviche, it is the absolute best type of Mexican food ever, no debate needed. And since it is my favorite let me tell you about the interesting regional difference in the Sinaloa ceviche recipe, it includes cucumber and shredded carrot. If you are used to the Baja style of ceviche than this is a drastic flavor change. Also each tostada was 20 pesos, which is just over a dollar. The photo above was taken at the market stall called Mariscos El Tigre, it was obviously popular since there was a large crowd trying to place orders to the jolly chef.

Another market find, please ignore the sweaty mess savoring the refreshing drink aka me. I am holding a horchata in one hand and a pina agua fresca in the other. If you have never had agua fresca it literally means ‘fresh water’, it is pretty much a light fruit juice. The stand that dished out the agua fresca is right across the way from the ceviche spot. Try grabbing a drink before walking around the market since it can get stuffy in there. Expect to pay a dollar for this huge cup.

Roadside vendors or food vendors along the beach are my favorite. See those bags of orange styrofoam? Those are chicharones. I am not the biggest fan of them but my man gets them suped-up with lime, chili sauce, and salt.

Mango on a stick, how I love theeeeeeeeeeee. This simple snack holds so many memories and was possibly the thing I was most excited for on this trip. I love when my chin drips with mango juice from ripping the fruit off the stick. I seriously ran down the beach after the mango man to get my treat. I also recommend getting the works on this which includes chili and salt.

This is one of those spots that you can find on most travel websites and blogs but it’s there for a reason. Located in Plaza Machado, there is no reason to try another spot in the plaza. Prime people watching on a hot night and great food. This is not on the cheaper side of Mazatlan eats but very much worth it for your last night in town. I am still dreaming about the shrimp cakes (this is coming from a person who hates shrimp) and the seared tuna plate.

Not pictured but greatly enjoyed is Shrimp Bucket. This is a much more touristy option but is right along the beach. I have fond memories of this place during a monsoon when I was a child. Nothing disappointed and my boyfriend gave a huge thumbs up, probs because of the huge bucket of shrimp in front of him.

Ximena.