WANT TO TRY SOME TRADITIONAL YUCATECAN FOODS?

You’ve come to the right place, and the right guide because I live in the Yucatan, in Merida, Mexico! Considered the Cultural Capital of the Yucatan Peninsula, Merida is one of the best places to learn about, and eat, traditional Yucatan foods.

The Yucatan Peninsula, located in southeastern Mexico, is home to the country’s largest Mayan population.

Inhabitants of the land long before Mexico was, well, Mexico, the Mayan influence on Yucatan foods is part of what makes this regional cuisine so unique to the rest of Mexico.

Yucatan cuisine is different from what many know as Mexican food. For years, it took a backseat in Mexico’s culinary hierarchy — though this is changing.

Below, you’re going to learn about the dishes and ingredients that make up traditional Yucatecan cuisine.

From street food snacks to main dishes, desserts and even Yucatan drinks, these are the 4 must-try Yucatan dishes in Mexico, plus 10 yummy Yucatan drinks.

4 BEST YUCATAN FOOD DISHES

1. Cochinita Pibil | Most Popular Yucatan Food
cochinita pibli tacos at manajar blanco, one of the best restaurants in merida
You can try cochinita pibil pork inside tacos, panuchos and salbutes (we’ll get to those!), tortas (sandwiches), and more.
The king of Yucatan foods, cochinita pibil is essentially Mayan BBQ! This beloved dish is made with marinated cochinita (suckling pig), that’s wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted underground in an oven called a pib — hence the “pibil” in cochinita pibil.

On its own, cochinita isn’t spicy; the flavors come from the achiote and naranja agria marinade.

When served, you’ll get a side of habanero pepper salsa, which is very spicy, and pickled red onions. These are central condiments in Yucatan cuisine, and come alongside many dishes.

Pollo Pibil (Chicken Pibil)
Pollo pibil is made the same way as cochinita pibil — but using chicken instead of pork. While you won’t find it everywhere, some places do offer pollo pibil to accommodate those who don’t eat pork. Note: You’ll sometimes see this listed on menus as pollo ticul.

2. Papadzules | Traditional Mayan Food
enchiladas with egg and pumpkin seed saucelechon pork | best yucatan foods You may be wondering if there are any Yucatan vegetarian foods. In all honesty, there aren’t many, but for vegetarians traveling to Yucatan Mexico, you’ll definitely have to try the papadzules (pronounced pa-pawed-zool-es).

Papadzules are an ancient Mayan food, still eaten in their original form in Yucatan today. This dish is made with enchiladas (rolled tacos), that are filled with boiled, chopped egg and topped with two sauces, pepita salsa, or pumpkin seed sauce, and chiltomate, a mild tomato salsa.

While all the other dishes listed in this article are a bit heavy, with pork as the main ingredient, papadzules are light yet flavorful.

For some Yucatan visitors, papadzules may be an acquired taste; however, they are a locals’ favorite you can find throughout the Yucatan.

3. Poc Chuc | Yucatan Foods: Main Plates
grilled pork steak surrounded by colorful grilled veggies | best yucatan foods Poc chuc is a thin pork filet that’s only seasoned with naranja agria juice, then grilled. Though a seemingly simple dish, poc chuc let’s two of the central and most important Yucatan ingredients shine — pork and naranja agria (sour orange).

Poc chuc comes served with the typical condiments — habanero salsa and pickled red onion — but also some accompaniments.

These include frijol con puerco, a slow-cooked, rich Yucatan pork and beans stew, and chiltomate, a non-spicy, charcoal-roasted tomato salsa.

4. Queso Relleno
meat and cheese dish lechon pork | best yucatan foods
Queso relleno, meaning “stuffed cheese,” is a more modern dish — and actually, heavily influenced by the European and Dutch expats who moved to the Yucatan. This Yucatecan fusion dish is made with Edam cheese, a well known Dutch cheese.