Ricardo Ruiz was born in Mexico City, then moved to Cancun when he was 18. He started working at a nightclub called La Boom, then moved on to Coco Bongo in 1997, where he’s now public relations director of one of the busiest nightclubs in Cancun.

Start Your Day

$1.20 “The best way to start the day in Cancun would be breakfast at Ty-Coz. They make their own bread and you can have a foot-long baguette, which is called economica, or economic. It is made with tasty garlic butter, salami, ham and cheese. They also have croissants and other options.” (Blvd. Kukulcan Km 7.5 Plaza Quetzal; 998-883-3564)

A Delicious Decision: Fish Tacos or Ceviche for Lunch

$4.90 (or less) “One of my favourite places to eat is Los de Pescado, which means ‘the fish ones.’ It is one of the most successful local taco and ceviche places. There are few options on the menu, but all of them are fresh, original and clean. Try the fish tacos, the shrimp tacos and the ceviche tostada.” (Blvd. Kukulcan Km 7.5 Plaza Quetzal; 998-883-3933)

Something for Everyone

$8.30 “Try VIPS, a big restaurant food chain in Mexico. Whatever you like, you should find it in here. I like the Swiss enchiladas or the molletes, a kind of bread roll topped with ham or bacon. Any of these go for about $8.30, and include coffee.” (Blvd. Kukulcan Km 9.3 Convention Center; 998-883-0165

Midnight Snacking on the Beach

$4.90 (or less) “I like Las de Guanatos, a place right on the beach. You can hear good music while drinking a beer or another drink for less than $4.90. If you’re hungry, you
can order a torta ahogada (a sandwich submerged in a sauce) or carnita tacos (tacos with a meat filling).” (Blvd. Kukulcan Playa Tortugas; 998-206-1692)

Photo courtesy of Garrett Ziegler