Arguably one of the easiest restaurants to find Paleo food at aside from Mediterranean restaurants are Mexican restaurants. So much of Mexican food is made from whole ingredients and grilled that it’s a veritable cornucopia of goodness with a few big exceptions: tortillas, chips, rice, and beans.

For some, those four are the main reason they go to Mexican restaurants. I get it. They used to be part of the reason I went to them, too. However, as I’ve changed my diet, I have had to change my preferences, and I now find Mexican restaurants are among my favorites for things like beef or chicken fajitas, seafood, pork asada, beef stews, and other plates. At one of our local favorite Mexican restaurants, Alicia’s, they have a plate called the Puntas Chimino which has beef, ham, bacon, green pepper, and onions and is served with an avocado relish that we eat with grilled onions on the side that tastes amazing, is filling, and is 100% Paleo.

We have found many Mexican restaurants locally that have no problem substituting rice and beans for grilled vegetables, though you will get some funny looks when you refuse the chips and salsa. I typically show them a picture of myself before Paleo and I tell them that I quit eating chips and lost all the weight and then they get it. It’s funny: without exception, they make it their mission to keep grains/chips/tortillas away from me! When they see another server starting to bring me chips, they jump in and intercept them and explain that I can’t have them.

If you’re in a pinch and need to find some food to eat and there are no Mediterranean options available, Mexican restaurants are just as good. Just make sure to tell them to hold the tortillas, rice, beans, and chips.