The La Cruz fish market
Fresh-off-the-boat seafood at Mercado del Mar, a short walk from Casa Bella Cruz.
La Cruz has been a fishing village since the 1930s, and the fish market is where you still feel it most. Every morning local fishermen head out at dawn in their pangas, and by the time you’ve finished your coffee their catch is on ice at Mercado del Mar, a row of family-run seafood stalls at Marina Riviera Nayarit, a short stroll from the casa.
What you’ll find
It depends on what came in that morning, and that’s the whole point. Expect tuna, mahi-mahi (dorado), red snapper (huachinango), sierra and shrimp in every size, with lobster and other shellfish on good days. Not sure what to pick? Ask what’s best today. The fishermen know.
How to shop it
- Go in the morning. The market is open every day from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, and the best selection goes early.
- Prices are by the kilo. Bring pesos.
- Ask them to clean it. The vendors will gut, scale and fillet your fish, so it’s ready for the grill.
- Bring a cooler bag if you’re stocking up for a few days.
Grill it at the casa
Then walk your catch home. Casa Bella Cruz has an outdoor grill and a big table by the pool, and every suite has a full kitchen. A squeeze of lime, a little salt and garlic, warm tortillas from town, and dinner is sorted. You’ll know exactly where it came from.
Or catch it yourself
Fishing charters leave right from Marina Riviera Nayarit. Spend the morning out on the bay, then bring your catch back to the grill. Tell us what you’d like and we’ll help you book the right boat.
Make a morning of it
Start with coffee next door at Café Shule’l (more in our guide to the best coffee in La Cruz), stroll the marina promenade, then pick up lunch at the market. On Sundays from November to April, the La Cruz Sunday Market sets up at the marina too.