Fuentes Culinary Theater at El Dorado Royale, courtesy Karisma Resorts

Social media’s popularity and the increased number of individuals traveling all over the globe have created an expectation in culinary quality rather than mere quantity when vacationing.  As a result, all-inclusive resorts everywhere have upped their culinary game and now provide more than uninspiring, bland buffet food–on-site organic gardens, Michelin-starred chefs, specialty dining experiences, molecular gastronomy, and AAA Four and Five Diamond Awards to all-inclusive resort restaurants are nothing new anymore.

Cancun and the Riviera Maya haven’t been left out of this loop; there are several notable all-inclusive resorts in these locations where foodies would be very satisfied with their choice of stay.  While the enjoyment of food can be a very subjective experience, here are several all-inclusive resorts in the area which have won acclaim and/or awards for their exceptional cuisine.

• Grand Velas Riviera Maya:  This resort was the first all-inclusive to receive AAA’s Five Diamond Award for culinary excellence at Cocina de Autor.  Its restaurants are run by internationally-renowned chefs including a prior winner of Iron Chef.
• Royal Hideaway Playacar:  This resort offers a unique opportunity to communicate directly with the chef(s) while they are preparing a multiple course dining experience at Ventanas Chef’s Table.  Diners can also see the chefs preparing the food through glass panels as well as on a flat screen which features live close-ups of the preparations.
• El Dorado Royale by Karisma:  The parent company Karisma has long been a proponent of providing excellent dining for its guests, so much so that they have described all their resorts as providing a “gourmet exclusive experience”.  El Dorado Royale has an on-site 76,000 sq. foot organic greenhouse (the resort offers tours) which services their restaurants throughout the Riviera Maya.  It also offers the Fuentes-Culinary Theater, a live cooking show which features five courses and wine pairings with live chef commentary.  The resort has also been known to host various culinary series throughout the year with live cooking demonstrations and wine pairing classes.
• Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun (used to be called Azul Sensatori):  This resort received the much coveted AAA Five Diamond Award for culinary excellence at Le Chique.  The restaurant specializes in “molecular gastronomy” where chefs blend principles of physics and chemistry to change the taste and texture of food.
• Zöetry Paraiso de la Bonita:  Another resort with an on-site organic garden, gluten free and vegetarian menus in every restaurant, a wine vault with over 5,000 bottles, and the winner of the AAA Four Diamond Award for culinary excellence in La Canoa.
• Hotel Xcaret Mexico:  This resort has a Michelin-starred chef running its exclusive restaurant, HA′.
• “Honorable Mentions”:  Both Unico 20 87 and Hyatt Ziva Cancun have had fairly consistent positive food reviews; Hyatt Ziva Cancun even has its own in-house microbrewery which produces three craft beers.

Are you a foodie?  If so, what have you thought about your dining experiences at these or any all-inclusive resorts?