El Chile Gordo — Restaurant in Yucatán

El Chile Gordo is a must visit in El Cuyo. It is an intimate restaurant, beautifully decorated, with an warm earthen open kitchen, and serving up gourmet style Mexican cuisine.

If it was in London it would have queue running outside and even in a tiny town like El Cuyo it was turning people away every night we went so it is worth booking in high season (yes, we went again and again).

The dishes include Chile Relleno, which are effectively stuffed chiles with a variety of fillings. Rajas which are strips of chiles which different meats accompanying it (pork the nights we were there). And, my favourite dish, Mole de cacao which is a savoury chile chocolate sauce covering enchiladas with a variety of fillings.

We were vegetarian/vegan and each night they found a way to change their dishes to accommodate us. This is truly fresh cooking.

Don’t worry if you aren’t into spice as the chiles have their seeds cut out, this is an English/Mexican partnership so they do understand that not all tourists want their mouth to be burning. That said, if you are like us and like a kick they have an excellent picante sauce that you can add.

Each meal comes with a flavoured water (they aren’t licensed so you can’t get alcohol), and tortilla chips with a delicious dip.

We can’t recommend this...

Returning to El Chile Gordo in El Cuyo after two years was an absolute joy. My first visit was for my birthday with my son, and this time I brought a dear friend from Mexico City. I’m thrilled to say that the experience was just as special, magical, and delicious as I remembered.

Consistency is hard to find these days, but Cathy and Oscar have truly mastered it. Every detail was as thoughtful and lovely as it was two years ago, from the warm ambiance to the impeccable service. Each dish was perfectly prepared, bursting with flavor, and I only wish I had fasted for an additional day because I started to lose space! Even after savoring every bite, I somehow found room for the amazing finale dessert.

Cathy and Oscar clearly love what they do, and it shows in every aspect of the dining experience. They’ve made guest experience their top priority, and it’s felt in every thoughtful detail. I can’t recommend El Chile Gordo enough—this restaurant is a true gem, and I’m already looking forward to...

Fantastic experience!

We had the privilege to partake in their tasting menu - simply delicious, and an amazing experience!

Oscar and Cathy are simply delightful, and their love of food was evident. The experience is at a communal table for 8, although when we were there it was just our party of 4 - so it was an extra special private event! The dining room is in their home, which is adjacent to the open kitchen, which adds to the experience.

The food was an eight course culinary journey through Mexico, each course presented with its personal connection to the chef. For drinks, we started with a delicious mexcal margarita, and finished with cafe de olla, and a taste of an anise-flavored mexican digestif. They also have a full drink menu, including wine, so we added mexican wines to our tastings. The menu changes depending on what is fresh and available locally.

Definitely...