Cabo Pulmo’s restaurants are notoriously understaffed, even during peak season. It can take up to 45 minutes or longer to be served, even at lunch. As with the other businesses in Cabo Pulmo, restaurants are clustered together along the coastal road, so the best thing to do is find a point of reference, like the Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, then ask around if you have questions about where a specific place is.

Adjacent to the Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, Nancy’s Restaurant and Bar (no tel., hours vary Thurs.–Tues., mains US$16–20) began as a trailer and two tables and has evolved into a full-scale restaurant with a rustic collection of tables beneath a palapa shelter. Fresh guacamole with homemade chips is a delightful way to begin the meal. Lobster enchiladas, crab cakes, and fresh catch (yours or Nancy’s) are accompanied by crisp side salads.

The Coral Reef Bar and Grill (no tel., hours vary Wed.–Mon., mains US$10–20) is a cozy restaurant with a TV and bar located above the blue building that serves as the Cabo Pulmo Resort dive center. Miguel Angel, a professional chef who came from San José del Cabo, serves up tasty seafood specialties.

Restaurant El Caballero (no tel., 7 A.M.–10 P.M. Fri.–Wed., mains US$6–14), on the opposite side of the road near Nancy’s, has a varied menu of Mexican fare. It also has a bar and small assortment of groceries, drinks, and snacks for sale.

La Palapa (lunch and dinner Mon.–Sat., lunch plates US$4–10, dinner mains US$8–18), on the beach in front of the Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, offers casual beachfront dining from a menu of fish tacos, carne asada, and other traditional fare. The great family-style, traditional Mexican seafood, always fresh and simple, is served by smiling Angeles—the sister of Juanito at Cabo Pulmo Eco Adventures.

In the Castro family complex, near Cabo Pulmo Water Sports, Alicia’s Restaurant (mains US$4–7) is a great new option for simple Mexican dishes served outside under a palapa roof. The chiles rellenos are a top pick here. Hours vary day to day and there is no phone, so it’s best to stop by on your way to or from the beach.

On the main road near Nancy’s, Tito’s (no tel., days and hours of operation vary) offers a popular Saturday buffet for dinner during the high season and a standard menu of Mexican dishes and beer on other days.

For groceries, several vendors make the rounds through town during the week. A bakery truck comes from La Paz on Wednesdays; Ysidro delivers fish, scallops, and shrimp on Tuesdays and brings similar seafood selections on Saturday mornings. The Miscellanea Market (9 A.M.–7 P.M. daily, limited summer hours), with colorful snails painted on the side of the building, is located next to Cabo Pulmo Divers and stocks basic supplies, including dairy, juice, produce, bread, toiletries, candy, and canned goods.

For a long stay, it’s best to load up on groceries at Soriana or one of the other supermarkets in San José del Cabo or at Supermercado Chapitos in Los Barriles. Mexican food brands generally cost less than their U.S. counterparts. It’s a good idea to buy ice, as the propane refrigerators in most Cabo Pulmo rentals cool very slowly, and a car full of groceries will take a long time to chill.