If you could try only one dish in Campeche, it would be pan de cazón. But it would be a shame to stop there. This Gulf city, which lived facing the sea for centuries, has turned the catch of its waters into a cuisine of its own — distinct, recognisable and deeply rooted, and quite different from the Yucatecan cooking it is so often confused with.
Here are the ten seafood dishes that best explain that identity, and why it pays to arrive hungry.
The essentials from the sea
1. Pan de cazón
The emblem. Layered corn tortillas with shredded cazón (a small shark), black beans and a tomato sauce with epazote, crowned with habanero. A dish of humble origin raised to a symbol of the city.
2. Coconut shrimp (camarones al coco)
Shrimp battered and fried with grated coconut, served with a sweet-and-sour sauce. Crisp, golden and Caribbean: one of the most indulgent items on a Campeche menu.
3. Octopus in its ink (pulpo en su tinta)
Campeche is octopus country. Stewed in its own ink with onion, garlic and spices, it is intense and silky. It is also enjoyed grilled or in a cocktail.
Octopus, another treasure of Campeche's seafood cooking.
4. Pámpano en escabeche
A fine Gulf fish, cooked in an escabeche of sour orange, onion and spices. Fresh and aromatic, ideal for the heat.
5. Cóctel campechano
The name says it all: a "campechana" mix of shrimp, octopus, oyster and conch in a tomato, citrus and chilli broth. The perfect craving by the sea.
The campechano cocktail: shrimp, octopus and conch in a citrus broth.
6. Cazón empanadas and stuffed chillies
Cazón returns, now inside a fried empanada or filling a sweet chilli. Two street-food bites that tell the story of the sea in snack form.
7. Whole fried fish
Grouper, amberjack or snapper from the day's catch, fried whole and served with rice, plantain and salsa. Seafaring simplicity at its best.
8. Stuffed crab (jaiba rellena)
The crab shell filled with its own meat stewed with tomato and spices, then gratinated. A classic of the local seafood houses.
9. Tikin xic
A Maya heritage shared with Yucatán: fish marinated in achiote and sour orange, wrapped in banana leaf and grilled. The red recado colours and perfumes the flesh.
10. Ceviche and sierra "salpicón"
Sierra or white fish cured in lime, with onion, coriander, tomato and chilli. The starter that opens any Campeche seafood meal.
A local chef can prepare the day's catch in your own heritage home, around the courtyard table.
Discover our private gastronomy →
Fresh ceviche, the starter that opens any seafood meal.
Where and how to enjoy them
The best seafood is eaten where it is caught: the fishermen's neighbourhoods such as San Román, the seafood houses of the centre and the main market. To understand why Campeche deserves a full culinary trip, read why it is one of the Peninsula's great culinary destinations. And when you want to take your time, our collection of heritage homes puts a kitchen — and a courtyard — at your disposal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the typical dish of Campeche?
Pan de cazón: a stack of layered corn tortillas with shredded cazón (a small shark), refried black beans and a tomato sauce with epazote and habanero chilli. It is the undisputed emblem of Campeche cooking.
What seafood is typical of Campeche?
Shrimp and octopus above all. Campeche is one of Mexico's great octopus-fishing states; Gulf octopus and shrimp appear in cocktails, stews and grilled on almost every local menu.
What is cazón?
It is a small, mild-fleshed shark, the base of several Campeche dishes: beyond pan de cazón, it is used in empanadas, stuffed chillies and tacos. Its delicate flavour and shredded texture make it very versatile.
Where can you eat seafood in Campeche?
In the fishermen's neighbourhoods such as San Román, at the main market, and in the seafood houses along the waterfront and in the historic centre. For something more intimate, a local chef can cook the day's catch in your own heritage home.
What desserts should you try afterwards?
Campeche has a rich sweet tradition: cocadas, candied fruits, dulce de ciricote and the festival breads. They round off a seafood meal perfectly.
