The Best Healthy Restaurants in Sayulita Mexico
Healthy, high quality food is one of my top priorities. One of the reasons Sayulita Mexico drew me was the number of healthy options they had.
With this said, when I’m on vacation or outside my home I let go more. I choose places and choices that I’ll enjoy and hopefully won’t make me feel ill, but after that I know not everything will be perfect. I’ll ask some questions if I want to make sure what I’m ordering doesn’t have a certain something in it or ask if they can make a meal without butter, etc., but I don’t ask every little thing. I control what I can inside my home and let go more outside of my home.
Enjoying a healthy lifestyle to me includes enjoying life and it’s experiences. Whatever I really want, I have. I told my husband prior to going that I was going to be real brave this trip. He said that sounds scary. Ha. He knows I feel my best, energetic self when I eat how I do. Since I’ve eaten a certain way for so long, I feel off when I eat differently. However, it’s worth it to me sometimes. I also take things like digestive enzymes, oil of oregano at certain places where I’m leery about food quality (especially when raw salad greens), and magnesium for gentle cleansing at night to help me along. Thankfully I felt great the whole trip. Although what each of us prefers to eat varies, I’ll share what I ordered at each restaurant and café below.
Whatever you eat or don’t, I found most of the places super accommodating. I’m always sure to be extra friendly when asking for changes. I did however include one non-accommodating restaurant in this list since it was a nice dinner place and still may work for some.
There are many more places in Sayulita, but we chose to repeat breakfast, lunches, and dinners at many of the same places since we really enjoyed them. I think you’ll find you’ll want to do the same. If you have any questions after reading this list, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to help if I can. There is a video at the end as well.
The Best Healthy Restaurants in Sayulita Mexico
Best Places For Juices and Smoothies
- Orangy – Go for your immune boosting shots, juices, or smoothie to start the day. We got the Gin Gin shot and Anti-Flu Juice to split some mornings on the way to breakfast. We also grabbed a smoothie mid-day to cool off and reenergize sometimes.
- Our orders: Gin Gin Shot, Anti-Flu Juice, Sunburst Smoothie, Matcha Mamma – a thick smoothie you eat with a spoon – all were great
- Pesos Only ~ Open Until 5
- Anchor Cafe – When you feel like a smoothie bowl or chia pudding with a frozen fruit smoothie topping, go to Anchor Cafe. You won’t be sorry.
- Our order: Chia Pudding (made with coconut milk) with a frozen fruit smoothie on top – best $7ish dollars you’ll spend – various kinds – all so good
- Pesos Only
BEST HEALTHY BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH RESTAURANTS IN SAYULITA, MEXICO
- Northswell Sabor Natural – Plant-Based Café with lots of vegan options – Most (or possibly all?) is Gluten-Free – Refined Sugar Free Options – Good strong Organic Coffee – There is Upstairs Seating – Closed Sunday’s – Super Friendly Owner
- Our Orders: Americano – our favorite Americano in Sayulita
- Vegan Omelet with Mushrooms – chickpeas in place of eggs. My husband really enjoyed this and ordered it on two different occasions, but I preferred the pancakes and guava acai bowl.
- Banana Oat Pancakes
- Acai Bowl Guava – I asked for no agave. Really good.
- Guava Torte – If there are homemade bakery goods in the case by the register, you might just want one. We loved the guava torte when it was available.
- We ate here 3 times. It was more of a locals place and we loved that about it. It’s right at the beginning of town so a little out of the way, but still easy enough to walk to. The prices are amazing so you can easily get a few things to try.
- Accepts CC
- Miscelanea – This café is going to please almost everyone. It has a diverse menu with quality ingredients. You’re probably going to want to eat here at least a few times- we did. Known for their Coffee – Unique Cold Brews, Craft brews, Chemex, French Press, it’s all there.
- Our orders: coco brew or coco negro Cold Brew- I forget which one we got. While good, it could have used more coffee to milk for us. We both prefer strong coffee though.
- Americano – Really good.
- Sourdough Avocado Toast (Gluten Free Bread is also an option here) – Not your typical avocado toast. It was lightly toasted sourdough, then olive oil, then mixed greens, then sliced avocado on top. I really enjoyed it and ordered it twice.
- Goat Cheese Veggie Sourdough Toast – My husband loved this one and ordered it twice.
- Plantain Pancakes (okay – small portion), Lentil Burger (okay), and Acai Bowl (not that great compared to others)
- Accepts CC over 200 pesos ($10)
- Anchor Cafe – Has the best chia pudding with a frozen fruit topping. We went here 3 times.
- Our orders: Chia Pudding (made with coconut milk) with a frozen fruit smoothie on top – best $7ish dollars you’ll spend
- Smoothie Bowl – various kinds – so good
- Sourdough Avocado Toast – not toasted and very simple, but great sourdough and perfect with a bit of sea salt on top
- Jackfruit Tacos – small, but we enjoyed – more wet though if you know jackfruit tacos
- americano and cold brew – okay here – the above two places have much better
- Pesos only.
- ORANGY – Go for your immune boosting shots, juices, or smoothie to start the day with. We got the Gin Gin shot and Anti-Flu Juice to split some mornings on the way to breakfast. We also would grab a smoothie mid-day here sometimes.
- Our Orders: Gin Gin Shot, Anti-Flu Juice, Sunburst Smoothie, Matcha Mamma – a thick one you eat with a spoon – all were great here
Best Healthier Tacos In Sayulita Mexico
- Friday Farmer’s Market – Juan’s Vegan Jackfruit Tacos were my favorite tacos of the trip. If you are visiting over a Friday, this is a must stop. Pesos Only
- El Itacate – Hibiscus tacos (Jamaica). You get two tortillas on one taco and you can easily make one taco into two. You get a bunch of sauces and toppings brought out to put on the tacos and ordering guacamole is always a great idea. Pesos Only
- Mary’s – They are known for their grilled fish and grilled shrimp tacos. I took a bite of a grilled fish taco (I asked for no dairy – butter/cheese) and it didn’t thrill me honestly, but my husband enjoyed it. If you eat shrimp with all the fixings, order their grilled shrimp tacos Sayulita or Mary style with some chipotle sauce. We ate here twice and those seemed to be the popular go-to’s for tacos. With this said I really enjoyed their Vegetales Cazuelita bowl here (asked for no butter/cheese). They also have a veggie burrito as well. Pesos Only
- Naty’s Cocina – A popular local casual spot for more classic style Mexican tacos. I ordered the mushroom and green bean tacos with rice and beans. I think my husband tried the beef and poblano pepper ones here and preferred the poblano peppers (cheese in this). We were a bit leery of the place but decided to order. They were actually really good with the onions and toppings on them. Pesos Only
BEST HEALTHY DINNER RESTAURANTS IN SAYULITA, MEXICO
- El Itacate –Vegetarian, Vegan, and GF options available – Tacos comes with cute wooden bowls of different salsas, beans, and toppings. Definitely try an hibiscus taco and the Guac and Chips. If you eat steak, the steak tacos are supposed to be good here as well as their fundido queso dip – not calling fundido healthy, just saying it’s supposed to be good if you’re eyeing it here.
- Each taco comes with thicker double shells and a large amount, so you might be fine starting with two tacos. We actually ordered 3 Jamaica Tacos total for two of us and I took one of them and split it into two tacos. It was plenty with the Guac and chips and toppings – loved the grilled onions it came with too. It will only show Jamaica quesadilla on the chalkboard menu, but just ask for Jamaica tacos. Jamaica = Hibiscus – Tastes a bit like carnitas.
- If you are looking at the other veggie options Hongos = mushroom and Tinga = carrot.
- guacamole & chips – guac was good here
- Known for good Mezcal drinks – My husband got one and enjoyed it.
- Agua Fresca = what they call fresh juice made with real fruit … supposedly. I ordered the hibiscus water here my first night and although they said there was no sugar in the juice, there was definitely some. I’m sensitive to it and after a few sips stopped drinking it. I didn’t order an Agua Fresca anywhere else out of caution, but maybe some places are different?
- Pesos only.
- Mary’s – Best known for fish tacos, but they also vegetarian/vegan options. There is usually a line, but it generally goes fast. Pesos only.
- My Pick: Vegetales Cazuelita – a big bowl of grilled veggies, mushrooms, beans, and rice with guacamole and chips. If you don’t eat dairy, just be sure to say no butter or cheese or your bowls and fish will be loaded with butter. As for tacos, they are known for their grilled fish and grilled shrimp tacos. If you enjoy shrimp, get their grilled shrimp tacos as I thought they looked the best. After reading many reviews and hearing orders/seeing their food, try their grilled shrimp Sayulita taco or the Mary’s shrimp taco with some chipotle sauce. Mary’s is one of the most inexpensive lunches or dinners.
- La Rustica – Our favorite spot for a nicer dinner. We ate here 3 times. Italian wood fired oven pizzas, pastas, salads and they have lots of different dietary options if you ask. They have vegan cheese, no cheese (we did this for one and just asked for extra garlic on top), zucchini or rice noodles for the pasta.
- Our Orders: Pizzas are great. Veggieland pizza without cheese and added garlic, Mushroom pizza with vegan cheese (I prefer clean ingredient homemade vegan cheeses, but not the who knows what packaged vegan cheese offered at many restaurants. It tastes fake to me. My husband likes it though, so I asked for it on one, but I preferred our one without.) You could also dip a cheeseless veggie pizza in the mushroom truffle pasta sauce if you order that too.
- Mushroom truffle pasta with rice noodles. More gluten would have probably been worth it me though as their regular noodles looked really good. Anything dripping in that sauce though would be delicious. Loved it.
- Bonita Roasted Beet Arugula Goat Cheese Salad – I asked for no balsamic and a garlic olive oil dressing on the side. I eat goat cheese and other high quality raw cheeses on rare occasion and they don’t affect me as much, so we kept the goat cheese on our salads. I leave most for my husband to enjoy. It was the perfect light salad. I even piled some on my veggie pizza with the olive oil garlic dressing.
- Drinks: I ordered their dry house red and chamomile tea different nights and my husband loved a spicy Mezcal drink.
- Takes CC over 800 pesos
- Kahlo’s – Nicer restaurant and really pretty inside at night (reminded me of Tulum a bit). There is not many options for vegetarians or vegans except the acai bowls for breakfast though. I eat fish so I thought I could easily order the catch of the day with the cauliflower pure and just ask for no butter along with one of their appetizers. While the waiter was our nicest waiter in all of Sayulita, the kitchen was not super accommodating. In the end they made me some fish and veggies without butter, but that was my only option there. Anytime I accidentally get food with butter, I don’t feel the best afterwards. Plus, I don’t enjoy the taste anymore. If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, I still highly recommend checking it out.
Healthy Snacks & Dessert
- Mexicolate – We were at this cute little spot many days for something. It was a dream for a chocolate lover like me. Vegan Brownie (no refined sugar and so good), Coconut Banana Bread (vegan, GF, has coconut sugar), or a Frappe (an icy thick coffee-like dessert you eat with a spoon – ice, coconut milk, capomo, roasted cacao beans, dates, and honey). Open late. I believe Pesos only.
- Wakika – We did not go here, but supposedly you can get a popsicle with all fresh fruit.
- Anchor Cafe – Chia Fruit Smoothie Pesos only.
- Orangy – Various Smoothies and open until 5pm. Pesos only.
Bar/Cocktail/Happy Hour Options
- Atico – Funky popular place with swings to sit on at the bar and great music. Mark would get a mezcal drink here and I would walk and get a Frappe Smoothie from the nearby Mexicolate to bring over (they don’t care about outside food/beverages at most places – Sayulita is a super relaxed place).
- Cava – Cool little Mezcal Bar with lots of other options – They have a happy hour 2 for 1 Palomas or Margaritas. We got the mezcal with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. They squeeze the fruit right in front of you and don’t skimp on it.
- Lucid – Local surfer hangout with cheap drinks. Happy hour drinks 4-8pm 60-80 pesos for mojitos, tangerine margaritas and micheladas at the time I’m writing this. My husband got a Michelada which he loved and I got a smoothie – loved that they had smoothie options as well. I got an orange coconut dreamcicle smoothie for 60 pesos.
Grocery Stores
Terrenal Sayulita Organic Store – I saw that they had clean sunscreen here as well if you run out. A longer hike to get here (you may want to Uber), but possibly worth it if you are staying a long time and making meals in.
Local Farmer’s Market
Every Friday from November through May 10am-2pm there is a Farmer’s Market across the bridge on Calle Revolucion to the left of El Itacate. They have amazing prepared food like jackfruit tacos (best I’ve ever had and probably will ever have), sourdough, homemade hummus, cold-pressed juices, organic produce, and some handmade local goods. If you are there on a Friday, this is a must stop. We went right away at 10am before it got too busy.
Healthy Restaurants In San Pancho, Mexico
If you have the time or split your vacation between the two, San Pancho is around a 10 minute Uber ride away. San Pancho is what Sayulita was like 10-15 years ago apparently. Much quieter, cleaner, and has a beautiful long beach. The waves are still super strong, so it’s more just a dip your body in a bit type of beach. I would not swim in it. Anyways, we spent an afternoon in San Pancho and really enjoyed it. The next time we return, we would probably do 4 days in Sayulita and end with 2 or 3 days in San Pancho.
- Yasmina’s – vegetarian, vegan, and GF
- Cilantro
- Bistro Organico
- There are actually a decent amount of healthy looking options for a tiny town; I hope to go back and stay a few days here. If I do, I’ll update this list.
Some Items I Packed For Travel
- Travel packs of water wipes for hands and bathroom – bathrooms are really rough here, so you will want them
- Hand Santizer
- Digestive Enzymes – these worked wonders for me on vacation for the heavier dinner meals
- Oil of Oregano – took this every so often when I had raw salad greens at some of the places. Do not use oil of oregano for the first time on vacation though – or any supplement for that matter. If you have a weaker digestive system or a higher amount of candida, you can feel super sick with oil of oregano as it kills stuff off.
- Magnesium – I take two before bed every night to help with gentle cleansing. I rotate brands and types, but these were what I packed this trip as there is a bit of beneficial ginger and turmeric root powder in the mix as well.
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