Carnitas Don Enrique

Carnitas Don Enrique is a taste of everyday Cancún, a neighbourhood taquería on Avenida Tikal in the downtown district that has been serving local residents since 1974. It remains firmly a place for people who live and work in the city rather than a tourist stop. The Infatuation includes it in its guide to the best restaurants in Cancún, tagging it as a classic, a good-value choice and a comfortable place to eat on your own.

The speciality is carnitas, sold by the cut. You can choose shoulder, pork rind, ribs, shank or hog maw, or ask for a surtida, a mixed selection that lets you try several cuts at once. Everything comes either as tacos or in a torta, so it works equally well for a quick snack or a proper lunch.

The salsas are part of the experience. There is a tomato salsa with chile de árbol, a jalapeño and avocado salsa and a dish of pickled green habaneros, and the advice from The Infatuation's reviewer is simply to combine them.

The setting is a covered patio with the easy feel of a local taquería. Groups of friends share plates of shredded pork with a litre bottle of soft drink, and office workers from nearby drop in on their own and chat with the taquero at the counter. The reviewer describes lively conversation around the tables.

Don Enrique suits budget travellers, solo diners and anyone curious to eat where Cancún residents eat. Opening hours are not listed in the reviews or online sources, so call ahead before making a special trip.

The taquería is at the corner of Avenida Tikal and Aries in the downtown area. It combines easily with other downtown stops such as Mercado 28 or the Parque de las Palapas, so you can build a half-day around the city centre and its food. Mercado 28, on Avenida Xel-Há, has more than 200 shops and restaurants, from craft stalls to seafood counters and ice-cream shops, while the Parque de las Palapas in Supermanzana 22 is where local families gather among snack and craft sellers. Together with Don Enrique, they show the side of Cancún that grew up on the mainland after the city was founded in 1970, well away from the beaches.