One Day, I Went to this Restaurant in Mexico: Alux Cave Restaurant
Alux Restaurant in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
I was sitting in the bar at our resort on the Mexican Riviera when I overheard our bartender telling the couple sitting at the bar next to me what restaurant they had to visit when they went to Playa del Carmen later that week. Tom and I were heading to Playa del Carmen for the evening in a couple days so I inserted myself into the conversation. A recommendation from a local? Perfect.
“Excuse me, what restaurant are you talking about?” I asked.
The restaurant, which the bartender wrote down on a paper coaster, was called Alux. This was no normal restaurant, the bartender told us as he mixed together a cucumber Bellini for me. This restaurant was located in a real underground cave.
A cave restaurant in Playa del Carmen? How could we not check it out?
Upon arriving in Playa del Carmen a couple days later after taking the shuttle service from our resort to the city, we popped into a hotel next to the beach to ask where Alux was located.
“Ah, Alux. Very good, very good,” the concierge said as he pointed it out to us on the map. Tom and I grinned at each other, glad that another local was being a big proponent of Alux. He said it was about a 30 minute walk so we decided to hop into a cab.
The cab drove through some industrial looking roads and stopped in front of an unimpressive looking building. It had a pretty sign proclaiming that yes, this was indeed Alux, but it certainly didn’t look like a cave. We were several blocks from the beach and in the middle of a busy city. We stared at the entrance in surprise for a few seconds.
“Alux,” the driver reiterated.
“Thanks,” we said in unison and crawled out of the cab after deciding on a time for the cab to pick us back up.
We walked through the doors into a garden oasis. Green shrubs and colorful flowers filled the patio and framed the host who met us with a large smile. After letting him know we were there for dinner, he gestured us toward an opening in a rock wall to our right, beyond which a staircase descended down into the ground.
The patio of Alux - the non-cave part of the restaurant.
The staircase leading down into the cave.
“This is so cool,” Tom said in awe as we walked down.
We reached the bottom and…we were in a bona-fide cave. The host led us past a long bar and to our table, which was located next to the wall of the cave.
Part of the main dining room of Alux.
We were sitting quite close to this cenote throughout dinner.
Eating in the cave was super fun. It was like we were luxury explorers. The food was also delicious.
The soup at Alux restaurant was amazing. This one came with tortillas, salsa, and limes in the bowl. Then the server poured the broth over it at the table. It was delicious!
Alux had very inventive dishes. I had a chicken dish with goat cheese and spices. Also tried a few bites of Tom's dish - a beef and shrimp dish with some sweet and savory sauces. Both were cooked well and very tasty.
Super full after our dinner. Can't eat another bite!
In addition to a great food menu, Alux also had an impressive wine list. We had a really great bottle of Tempranillo. After eating, we were given a tour through the cave by one of the servers.
Getting a tour of Alux. The cave is massive and has several more rooms than just the main dining room.
A plant growing in the middle of the cave. Our guide said no one at the restaurant can figure out how it's growing with no sunlight.
In addition to offering dining as well as drinks in a separate lounge area of the cave, portions of the Alux cave restaurant can be rented for weddings and receptions, too. Good thing I didn’t know about that before our wedding earlier this summer. I may have said adios to the beach and gone in a completely different direction for it.
One of the rooms in Alux you can rent for parties and receptions.
I'm a travel marketer and travel writer. My husband, Tom, is getting his MBA and never stops studying. We have two cats. We have a mortgage. We have a passion for traveling. We have limited vacation time and funds.
Our friends and family wonder how we travel so much.
Here's how I balance it all and maximize travel time and getting the most out of a destination when time is short.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks amazing. I love restaurants that are a bit alternative. This is why it’s a good idea to get recommendations of fellow travellers
Arianwen recently posted..El Totumo mud volcano: muddy hell or tourist heaven?
Definitely! That’s also often why I don’t like having too many things planned before getting somewhere. You meet people who can have great input and completely change your plans!
I love Playa del Carmen but I didn’t know about this place, it’s definitely on my list for next time.
Ayngelina recently posted..What to eat in Mazatlan
Hi Ayngelina! Definitely visit. It’s such a cool place.
I’ve been to playa four times and this was the first I heard of alux. You would never know there anything like it there. Food was good not great but the presentation and atmosphere spectacular?
Hi Carlene! Yes, the atmosphere was incredible – one of the coolest and unique I’ve ever eaten in. I really enjoyed the food. I’m sure you can find better elsewhere in Playa, but it definitely satisfies.