“Tapas” – “an appetizer or snack in the Spanish cuisine, served hot or cold.” La Gloria de Don Pepe Tapas y Paellas, located in Tulum just around the corner from Don Cafeto, offers the opportunity to try numerous Spanish foods in a single visit. Miguel, who is from Barcelona, and his wife Daniela, a Mexico City native, opened their restaurant nine years ago when they found themselves living in Tulum while caring for family. Friends had told them they should “open a restaurant” for years, so that’s what they decided to do. The 
name of their tapas and paella restaurant is family-based as well– “Gloria” is Daniela’s mother’s name, and “Pepe” is Miguel’s father’s name.
The wide array of tapas sampled by our four-person group on a recent July evening included ensaladilla rusa (cold potato salad), albóndigas (meatballs), calamar frito a la Sevillana, pollo al ajillo (garlic chicken), patatas bravas, pincho moruno (cured pork), tortilla de patatas (Spanish potato omelet), and chistorra (grilled Spanish sausage). Hungry yet?
This assortment of tapas was more than enough to satisfy our hungry ensemble. My recommendation: no visit would be complete without Bomba de chocolate con helado. This delectable dessert pairs warm chocolate cake and chocolate sauce with maple nut ice cream. To die for!
La Gloria de Don Pepe is open Tuesday through Sunday from 2:00-11:00 pm. They are closed on Mondays and New Year’s Day. The restaurant is on Instagram at Gloria and Pepe and on Facebook at Los camareros La Gloria.
Leave a Reply