

12 Recommended restaurants for vegetarians in Mazatlan




Historically, it has not been entirely easy to be a vegetarian anywhere in Mexico, and Mazatlan is no exception to this generalization.

Obviously, if you are a Pescetarian you're home free: you've got some of the best seafood on the planet -- bien provecho!

If, however, you keep to stricter vegetarian practice, things are a bit more challenging because meat -- and meat-derived ingredients like pork or beef-based lard -- are used in most traditional Mexican meals and foods.

Cuisine in Mexico -- and in Mazatlan -- is evolving rapidly, and there is lots of good news for vegetarians in Mazatlan.

• Without presuming to get into the complicated details of the many eating practices that fall under the general term "vegetarianism", many popular Mexican foods and meals can, at least in theory, be prepared without meat.

• Some simple examples of traditional Mexican foods that can be vegetarian dining choices in Mazatlan -- whether at street food carts or in restaurants -- are burritos (bean); quesadillas (cheese); papas locas (without the meat part of the filling); and torta sandwiches (again, without the meat part of the filling).

• Mazatlan street food can actually be used to assemble healthy, filling and inexpensive meals that meet most vegetarians' standards. Check out our street food page and imagine yourself eating vegetarian burritos, gorditas, quesadillas, papas locas, tortas and tamales!

• Fruit stands and juice carts offer a beautiful variety of completely meat-free frutarian dining options -- and pretty much any flavor of vegetarian can allow themselves to have a slammin' Mazatlan Churro for dessert!

• Juice Bars serve upscale versions of the fresh juices available from street carts and one, Pura Vida, has a number of more substantial vegetarian dining options.

• Vegetarian pizza cravings can be easily and rapidly satisfied in Mazatlan! Beyond the obvious often familiar pizza franchise choices, sophisticated gourmet pizzerias like La Mona Pizzeria Cantina (located in the Centro Historico and at Marina Mazatlan, with very frequently recommended salads) know how to deliver powerful vegetarian pizza flavor!

• Sushi bars are very common throughout Mazatlan, and are often good places for vegetarians to dine. Mexican sushi is different from what you are used to from home -- for some inexplicable reason cream cheese is a common ingredient in Mexican sushi -- but if you ask for vegetarian / no-cream-cheese versions of the rolls you're likely to be happy with your meal.

Are there vegetarian restaurants
in Mazatlán?




That said, many Mazatlan restaurants offer vegetarian dishes, and the awareness of vegetarian dining and food preparation is substantial, so most of our better restaurants are able to prepare delicious vegetarian variations on many of their signature recipes.

These 12 top rated restaurants serve delicious vegetarian dishes and are sensitive to vegetarian food preparation of their regular menu items.

Angelina's Kitchen (Centro Historico)


The creation of Chef Angelina Escutia -- a graduate of the Culinary Institute de Monterrey -- the restaurant is dedicated to serving Latin American cuisine complemented by Italian, Spanish and Mediterranean influences, and offers vegetarian dishes and vegetarian-prepared menu items.


Baja Style (Golden Zone / Zona Dorada)


Baja Style in Mazatlan serves up delicious Mexican meals that delight and satisfy drawn from a substantial menu that offers everything from tacos, quesadillas and stuffed burritos -- not necessarily easy to find in Mazatlan! -- many of which can be prepared without meat.


Casa Arabe (Centro Historico)


Casa Arabe serves Jordanian-style middle eastern meals in the Centro Historico, many of which are vegetarian or can be prepared for vegetarians.


Casa Canobbio (Plaza Machado / Centro Historico)


Housed in the historic Canobbio Mansion, this restaurant is authentically -- and elegantly -- Italian in every respect, and offers a menu that largely features gourmet pasta, pizza and sophisticated salads, many of which are either vegetarian or can be prepared as vegetarian meals.


La Bohemia (Plaza Machado / Centro Historico)


With Tapas, pizza and delicious salads, how can a vegetarian go wrong at this super-hip Centro Historico bar and gallery? Munch good food, drink fine spirits, listen to great jazz...it's pretty far from granola.


Hector's Bistro (Centro Historico)


Owner-Chef Hector Peniche -- a native of Mazatlan who trained extensively in Europe -- and his English chef-wife Victoria have created a delightful and varied menu at Hector's Bistro (formerly Molika Bakery) that is spectacularly delicious and very vegetarian-friendly! This café has Vegan menu options.


Muralla China (Golden Zone and Centro)


Muralla China has locations in both the Golden Zone and Centro and serves primarily Cantonese Chinese food with numerous vegetarian dining possibilities.


Pura Vida (Golden Zone - Zona Dorada)


Pura Vida is more than just fruit and juice. Their menu offers a wide variety of nutritious organic foods, including energy bars, muffins, omelets and whole-wheat pancakes for breakfast, sandwiches, salads, soups, Mexican specialties for lunch and a range of vegetarian dishes offered, such as soy burgers.


Rico's Café (Golden Zone / El Cid / Cerritos)






Surf's Up Cafe (North end of Cerritos)





Surf's Up Chef / Owner Leann Wright is sensitive to different life styles and specific dietary needs. While Leann stresses that Surf's Up can not guarantee a nut free environment, it offers Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free menu options.


Water's Edge Bistro (Centro Historico)





Chef Alastair Porteous offers a number of vegetarian menu items including vegetarian Ravioli and Roasted Vegetable Tagliatelle made with hand-made pasta, vegetarian Gyoza, and awesome salads made with locally-grown organic produce.


Zab Thai (Golden Zone / Zona Dorada)






What if these restaurants aren't strictly vegetarian enough for me?




Mazatlan offers many grocery shopping options ranging from small local "Abarrotes" to full-blown supermarkets.

Mazatlan also has a burgeoning organic food scene. During the winter tourist season the delightful Mercado Organico showcases organic Sinaloa produce and more on Saturdays in Plaza Zaragoza, and our community supports several popular organic food shops including Mercado Verde on Avenida La Marina and the Naturalia organic bakery in the Centro Historico.

Consider reviewing our listings of places to buy groceries and -- for those not fluent in Spanish -- downloading the .pdf of our list of nearly 200 words that are useful for grocery shopping, virtually all of which don't have anything to do with meat at all!