Savouring Yucatán: Top Five Restaurants You Must Visit
The Yucatán Peninsula is a culinary paradise, rich in flavours and history.
Here are five of the best restaurants we encountered on our Yucatecan adventure.
Yucatecan cuisine is known for its unique blend of Mayan, Spanish, and Caribbean influences.
These are typical regional dishes that you will very likely find everywhere:
Cochinita Pibil: Slow-roasted pork marinated in achiote paste and sour orange juice, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked underground.
Panuchos: Fried tortillas stuffed with refried black beans and topped with shredded chicken or turkey, avocado, pickled red onions, and a drizzle of habanero sauce.
Salbutes: Similar to panuchos but with puffed fried tortillas, topped with the same ingredients.
Relleno Negro: A hearty turkey or chicken stew made with charred chili peppers, giving it a rich, dark colour and smoky flavour.
Sopa de Lima: A refreshing chicken and lime soup garnished with crispy tortilla strips.
Papadzules: Tortillas filled with hard-boiled eggs, topped with pumpkin seed sauce and tomato sauce.
Marquesitas: Sweet and crispy rolled-up crepes filled with cheese and various other fillings like Nutella, jam, or caramel.
Let’s start with restaurant n.1 and it’s an absolute MUST.
Ix Cat Ik
Ix Cat Ik is a fantastic restaurant located in Valladolid, Yucatán, offering an authentic culinary experience of traditional Mayan cuisine.
Here are some highlights:
Cuisine: They serve traditional Mayan dishes made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Some popular items include Sopa de Lima (lime soup), T’zotobichay (tamale made with chaya and pumpkin-vegetarian), and Polok waaj (corn and bean dough topped with chaya and xcatic pepper-vegetarian). And so many other options. Plenty of vegan and vegetarian options too.
Experience: The restaurant offers a free tour of their Mayan village, where you can learn about Mayan culture and cooking techniques. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the local traditions.
The setting is lovely, a shaded garden surrounded by a stone wall, an authentic hut where the tortillas are roasted on a ground fire pit, the waiter grinds a sauce at your table for your complimentary starter, cocktails are very good and the whole experience was great.
The price is unbelievably reasonable: for one cocktail, one water, three mains we paid around 500 pesos/£20.
More info here: https://www.ixcatik.mx/
Restaurant n. 2
LA CHAYA MAYA
La Chaya Maya is a renowned restaurant located in the heart of Mérida, Yucatán.
Nowadays there are two “La Chaya Maya” restaurants, it is so popular.
We visited the one at the Parque Santa Lucia and it was a really good experience.
Yes, it is touristy but not a tourist trap. Food is genuinely good, service is perfect, plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.
Cuisine: They offer a wide range of traditional Yucatecan dishes, including Cochinita Pibil, Papadzules, Sopa de Lima, and Rellenos Negro. The menu also features creative variations of classic dishes. I took the vegetarian version of panuchos and tortillas and they were delicious. We had some yummy fried plantains and JJ had a super steak.
Ambiance: The restaurant is set in a charming old mansion within the historic Santa Lucía Park. The atmosphere is elegant yet rustic, with beautiful gardens and an open-air setting.
Restaurant n.3
Catrín
Yes, this is touristic too, and hyped, but it’s a cool, quirky place, the food was good and so were the prices. Vegan and vegetarian options.
Cuisine: They offer contemporary interpretations of iconic Mexican dishes, with a focus on bold flavours and innovative mixology. Some popular dishes include slow-cooked short ribs wrapped in banana leaves, esquite catrín (corn roasted in bone marrow), and pumpkin flower empanadas, which is what I had and they were really good.
Ambiance: The restaurant has a lively atmosphere with colourful decor and an open-air setting. It’s a great spot for socializing.
Restaurant n.4
2012 Espacios Mayas
This was my personal discovery and a very good one, round the corner from La Chaya Maya Casona, in Merida.
The décor is beautiful, with Mayan murals and decorations.
The menu contains several vegan and vegetarian options.
I chose the nopales which are cactus leaves, de-thorned and cooked and they were delicious.
Restaurant n.5
The Pickled Onion
It is a bit out of the way, The Pickled Onion is actually an eco-boutique B&B and restaurant located in Santa Elena, near Uxmal.
So if you are touring the ruins, stop here for lunch!
They serve a range of Mexican dishes made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. The restaurant is known for its delicious breakfasts, which include fresh fruits and homemade tortillas. I had the best tamale ever!
For more Mexico blog posts: https://blog.worldswithout.net/north-america/mexico/
