Piedras Negras's central plaza follows the standard Mexican template: a shaded square with benches, a bandstand, surrounding restaurants, and the faces of the city's daily life on display. Families gather in the evenings, vendors sell snacks, and the pace is unhurried. The plaza is a good place to get a sense of the city as it actually is, rather than as a border crossing transit point.
The streets around the plaza have the best concentration of restaurants and cafes in the city. Cabrito — roasted young goat — is the regional speciality of northern Coahuila and appears on most menus. Tortillas here are flour, not corn, as is typical in the northern states. The food is straightforwardly good, and prices are reasonable.