All-Inclusive Dining at the Royalton Riviera Cancun

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We’ve talked a lot about family travel but there’s been a hole in our coverage when it comes to all-inclusive destinations. They’ve never been big on my radar mainly due to food quality. I’ve often felt that all-inclusive resorts believe people are visiting for the beach or a quick getaway so food isn’t a priority. The Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa and Sunwing Vacations invited me to discover how wrong I was.

The resort is fairly new, having just opened in December 2014, and is located about 15-minutes from the Cancun airport. Unlike many resort locations in Mexico, the Royalton Riviera Cancun is the first to have been built in its area though I’m sure more resort development will follow. This isolation can be a lovely treat when you’re enjoying the sandy beach with your family but it does mean your dining choices are limited to what is on-site unless you make a road trip into town.

You certainly won’t want for dining variety when staying at the resort with its nine different restaurants based on cuisine from around the world. Enjoy Italian and Japanese one day and Greek and Caribbean the next. Variety is great but quality is key. I had a chance to visit a few of the restaurants on my recent visit.

Grazie Italian Trattoria | Italian Cuisine (open for lunch and dinner)

This open-air restaurant is located right between the activity pool and the kid’s splash park, which provided a dash of entertainment over lunch. I tried a personal size Neapolitan-style pizza and I was impressed. The crust was thin and crispy throughout (not overdone on the edges and underdone in the middle like so many places).

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Grazie Restaurant Food (1)

You can enjoy a lovely cocktail like a G&T (a new found favourite), glass of wine or maybe a sparkling water is something you favour. In my opinion no Italian meal is complete without an order of tiramisu and Grazie Italian Trottoria’s version was moist and delightful.

OPA! Mediterranean Cuisine | Mediterranean Cuisine (open for dinner)

Entering this Greek inspired restaurant was like a stepping into a Mediterranean café. The “wine cave” private dining alcove with an arch of wine bottles was an impressive sight. Our private dining room at the back of the restaurant was a glassed in room but the intricate scallop designed overlay gave a nice sense of privacy without feeling claustrophobic. I was really smitten by the chandeliers whose shadow gave the impression of clouds overhead.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Opa Restaurant (1)

The dishes, a selection put together by the chef from the menu, was impressive in presentation and taste. The Royalton Riviera Cancun takes pride in its wine selection and the sommelier made some wonderful selections for our meal. Before my first bite I couldn’t help but admire the time that went into each dishes presentation, like the petite balls of fruit in the melon salad accompanied by a mint dressing you added from your own dropper. The lamb was so tender, cooked to my specifications. Don’t let the portion sizes discourage you. It’s easy for an all-inclusive menu to encourage you to overindulge but the portion sizes for each course during our dinner was enough to give us a lovely taste without overdoing it. I even discovered a new after dinner drink, La Crema de Mexico. Thankfully I was able to score a bottle at duty free when coming home.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Opa Restaurant Food (2)

The nicest delight was the dessert the restaurant’s pastry chef created just for us. It was a delight for the senses:

Zen | Japanese Cuisine (open for dinner)

The colourful Japanese parasols mark the entrance to Zen. This two story restaurant houses a sushi bar as well as a number of Teppanyaki tables, like the one we enjoyed. Our chef was not only skilled with food he was a wonderful entertainer. With a few food allergies at our table it was great that he asked and modified our meal accordingly.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Zen Restaurant entrance

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Zen Restaurant (1)

We sampled some of the freshest sushi I’ve had in a long time, tender and not chewy. My kids would have eaten scores of these lovely rolled up delights. On the table we enjoyed fresh vegetables, chicken, steak, even lobster, all cooked to a perfect tenderness. A trio of sauces was provided but each dish could easily have stood on their own.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Zen Dinner (1)

Of course a Japanese dinner calls for sake, either warmed or chilled, and also included with your meal. I only wish they had Japanese inspired desserts to round out our meal but a trip to Scoops Gelato Ice Cream Parlour could easily fulfill your sweet tooth.

Agave | Mexican Cuisine (open for dinner)

No visit to Mexico is complete without eating a nice Mexican dish. The barrel like seats at the tables were so comfortable after a busy day exploring Mayan heritage. Rumour has it the open kitchen located in the back of the restaurant may be the site for cooking classes made available to guests. It’s just a rumour but how fabulous?

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Agave Restaurant2

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Agave Restaurant (1)

We were greeted with handcrafted traditional margaritas, something guests can order with their meal. No artificial fruitiness or slushy mixture here. Again the chef had prepared us a sampling of some of his favourite menu items, like a light goat cheese salad and a warm corn soup. No surprise, the surf and turf option was cooked to perfection. My knife just slid through the beef.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Agave dinner (1)

Dessert gave us a sampling of what was available from cheesecake to Crème Brule and although delicious I was hoping for something more specific to Mexican culture.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Agave dessert

Gourmet Marché | International Buffet

Sometimes vacationing with the family means the kids want to hit the pool and have no interest in waiting for someone to bring them their meal. The Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa has one buffet-style restaurant onsite that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Don’t let the small entrance behind the Martini Bar on the pool level deceive you, this space is quiet large, both the serving and seating area.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Buffet Restaurant (1)

I liked that this restaurant opened at 6:30 a.m. since most of our tour activities had us leaving the resort at 7:30 a.m. This meant I could grab a bite before heading out. My favourite breakfast feature was the made to order omlette bar and the smoothie section. The fresh squeezed juices hit the spot. It was great to see a few local dishes available as well as some standard items.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Buffet (1)

There was an even a children’s station with the tables a little lower and the food items a slightly smaller size. At first glance I didn’t realize the section was for the kids since the presentation of items was at the same quality as items made available for adults. Based on the number of adults visiting the area, others didn’t realize either (or didn’t care). Some of the breakfast items were so cute who could blame those 12 and older eaters for strolling by the tables.

Family Travel Royalton Riviera Cancun All Inclusive Buffet Kids (1)

Along with these restaurants there’s also Hunter’s Steak House (open for dinner), Armadillo’s for Tex-Mex cuisine (open for dinner), The Beach Club Grill for Caribbean food (open for lunch and dinner) and SCORE Sports Bar and Lounge for pub food (open for lunch, dinner, and late night snacks).

I visited the Royalton Riviera Cancun with somewhat low expectations when it came to food and the a la cart restaurants I visited impressed me in both presentation and taste. Although the restaurants listed above seemed very understated from the outside entrances, the interiors have a way of transporting you to a new destination.

The children’s menus were somewhat basic but they did seem to vary based on restaurant, offering items somewhat themed to the restaurant’s menu focus. We’ve never been big fans of children’s menus but I know they have a place. The benefit with the Royalton Riviera Cancun’s all inclusive menus means that kids with heartier appetites or adventurous taste buds can order for the main menu.

I visited this resort on my own but I think my whole family, kids included, would have enjoyed not only the variety of food choices offered but also the quality. Just because you’re traveling with your kids doesn’t mean you should settle on your food choices. Vacations are an opportunity to venture into new territory and the Royalton Riviera Cancun’s all inclusive food options offer the perfect adventure.

My stay at the Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa was provided for the purpose of this review though the opinions expressed are purely my own.

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18 thoughts on “All-Inclusive Dining at the Royalton Riviera Cancun”

  1. Hello! So happy to have found this review as this hotel is on the ‘potential’ list for our next trip. At the restaurants were there kids friendly options? So…if you go to the sushi restaurant, is there only sushi or are there items on the menu kids can order, typical kid food. Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Spot on, brilliant, and accurate review. Here right now with our two boys and this place is a true 5 star resort. Better than the Ritz Carlton Cancun! The food is simply outstanding. This is cancun’s finest upper echelon family resort. The only negative I have encountered here are some of the condescending and self entitled snowbirds patronizing the hardworking employees here.

    Reply
  3. Hi! I’m going to be staying at the Royalton Riviera and i was wondering if the restaurants beside the buffet are part of the all inclusive or if you have to pay for those when you eat there?

    Thanks!
    Anna

    Reply
    • Hi Anna, I am completely jealous of your impending trip. Yes all the restaurants are included in your all-inclusive cost. The specialty restaurants are only open for some meals (dinners, maybe some lunches) and are smaller so you could have to wait for a seat. You cannot make reservations unless you are a Diamond Club guest. It just means timing your meals or waiting a bit. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Hi! Thank you for sharing… We will be staying at Royalton in October, and I wanted to know if all the restaurants are kids friendly? We will be traveling with our 7-month old baby girl… Thanks! 🙂

    Reply
    • How exciting Veronica! We loved visiting. I know the resort does have high chairs so it should be easy enough to get one in each restaurant. There is an adult only restaurant but I believe that’s reserved for Hideaway guests only. Your daughter will love the splash pool, perfect for even the smallest travellers. Did you see our pool review video: https://youtu.be/njs0RKiZrL4

      Have a great time. Would love to hear what you thought after your trip.

      Reply
  5. Thank you for posting that. There are 10 of us traveling in June. We are staying in the swim out junior room, very excited. Do you know if the bars have those yummy Japanese peanuts you find at other resorts? They are so good and go great with beer. Lol

    Reply
  6. In the picture of the kids buffet area, are those peanut butter jars on the wall? Did his happen to notice peanuts or peanut butter, almonds or treenuts on your travels? My son has food allergies and we are going Dec 5th. They’ve said they will accommodate, but I’m trying to plan ahead. I’ve asked them to send me menu pictures but haven’t got a response yet.
    Thanks for the great review!

    Reply
    • Hi Melissa,

      I had to go back to my original photo since I couldn’t tell from the image in the post. Yes that middle shelf has Skippy peanut butter jars. These were just decoration and not used. I didn’t have an allergy issue to address though I was told that the chefs on staff work with guests to provide recommendations and alternatives. Wish I could offer more information.

      Reply
  7. We are thinking about going here but by son has a peanut allergy. You spoke a little bit about one chef being accommodating but I was wondering about your overall experience with communicating allergies and how they were received

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Michael, I didn’t have an allergy issue to address when on my visit but I was told that this is something that can be accommodated. I wish I had more news for you. I know they are areas within the buffet that we’re marked for gluten but not sure of other allergies. It was in the restaurants that guests in our party were able to discuss food allergy issues but probably something to do with the resort before hand and when you first arrive depending on the severity of your son’s allergy.

      Reply
  8. Hi Carrie Anne – fab review!

    I’m returning to the Royalton in 3 weeks and you write up has made me really excited……and hungry : )

    Can’t wait to see the sun setting in the lobby with a cold vodka tonic in my hand. Bliss!

    Cheers & Best Wishes from the UK

    Cat X

    Reply

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