If on a budget stocking up at the "local" central market (not a super market) is your best bet for both buying food to take with you and eating inexpensively, even in your hotel room or on the beach. Every city has them and even a somewhat small town will have a central market.  Fruits for breakfast (Paypaya with lime) make sense for breakfast coupled with a roll of your choice from one other VERY numerous bakeries. That and coffee and off you go.  There are many other fruits as well. Stall (street) food and small restaurants are also very reasonable on the budget and they offer better value than the fast food chains and (personal opinion) taste better or at least are slightly more healthy.  Upscale restaurants also exist in malls, scattered around cities and of course resorts as well as hotels.  Food is generally good to excellent and usually fairly priced for what it is (not necessarily true in large hotels). Look for crowded places around meal time if you don't know where to eat.  Asking people may not get you much information or a blank stare as most people will not spend money for an upscale meal if looking for a recommendation. Do beware of mall prices for food.  Some of the "stands" selling simple but tasty items charge 5x what you would normally pay. Most malls have food courts. Okay but not much more than 2 stars (personal opinion) and yes there are 4-5 star restaurants but you have to hunt a bit to find them or know someone who can suggest. One last note..If you wish to cook yourself (a beach barbecue) fish (that have no smell) or chicken you can get these items in the central market where the "wet" market is.  Crabs as well, if live, can be boiled and so on. Bon Appetite!