Food

What to eat

This is northern Sinaloa, so the food leans toward the river and the coast beyond it. Freshwater fish from the local waters shows up on menus, often as fillets, ceviche or the regional favorite pescado zarandeado, a whole fish butterflied and grilled over wood. Sinaloa is also serious beef and taco country, so grilled meats, carne asada and good tacos are everywhere. Shrimp and other seafood travel up from the coast and are worth ordering when fresh.

Where to eat

• The plaza restaurants — The comfortable, sit-down option, several of them attached to the courtyard hotels. Good for a relaxed dinner your last night before the train, with fish, seafood and Mexican standards. Expect to pay more for the setting; a main course runs an approximate 180 to 350 pesos.

• The market and street stands — A few streets off the square, this is where the town actually eats. Tacos, tortas, ceviche tostadas and cheap comida on the go, often the best value and flavor in town. A taco or tostada is an approximate 25 to 60 pesos, and a filling market lunch can land under 120 pesos.

An honest tip

Order the fish. Pescado zarandeado or a fresh ceviche is the dish that tells you where you are, and it is often better at a plain riverside or market spot than at the fanciest place on the plaza. Prices above are rough guides; the site confirms exact figures separately.