Il Pescatore, One of the Best Restaurants in Playa!
It was our first time, but Ed Vidgen, who lives in Playa (our hero because he lives here) goes often to Il Pescatore Ristorante. It was fabulous! Although we eat at many places on 5th Ave., we love getting off the 5th for quainter, more charming restaurants and this is not at the top of my list.
From the minute we walked up to Il Pescatore, the vibes and visuals were pure Italian. Mama Ileana greeted us with typical Itaian, “so glad you are here” charm. There is inside and outdoor seating and at 8:30 the place was packed. Since we were hungry and not willing to wait for an outdoor table, Ileana found us one inside.
The menu included pastas, seafood, meat and chicken dishes, but Ileana also has nightly specials. I’m a sucker for the specials and had salmon ravioli with a pink vodka saucea, as did Ed. Terry had spaghetti bolognese, and my son, Matt Leli, had a filet. Everything was delicious, one of the best meals I’ve had in Playa!
Watch your food prepared in the open air kitchen of Il Pescatore
Whereas many restaurants offer you bread or chips, Il Pescatore brings freshly made bruschetta to all the tables. We also ordered the calamari fries for an appetizer. It is simple fried calamari, but the batter was unique and very tasty.
Watch your food prepared in the open air kitchen of Il Pescatore
We had coffee, latte, and cappuchino with, of course, Zambucca straight up with 3 vanilla beans for good luck. Most menu items were under $20, and the wine was reasonably priced.
Mama would come over occasionally and make sure we had everything we needed, and it was cute watching guest after guest hug Mama before they walked out the door. What a great evening.
Il Pescatore is located on 10th Ave at the corner of Calle 24, just a little northwest of 5th AVe. and Constituyentes. Email is elpescadorplaya@hotmail.com and phone number is 873-3795. Bon Appetit!
Read Trip Advisor Reviews – they rank it #15 of all restaurants in Playa. For Questions about Playa del Carmen or for the Best Places to stay in Playa, contact Laura or call 630-664-3904