A New Culinary Adventure Every Time
Discover three Mérida restaurants with menus that never stand still.
Are you the kind of diner who wants every meal out to be a culinary adventure? Or do you prefer to play it safe rather than risk ordering a dish you might not enjoy? Whichever camp you fall into, one thing is certain: now that Mérida’s dining scene has grown so vast that experiencing it all feels nearly impossible (and with plenty of places where the quality doesn’t exactly live up to the price tag), some restaurants stand out for their fresh, ever-evolving menus that never disappoint: places where quality is a given, without forcing you to order the same dishes through the end of time.
Here are a few of my personal favorites in the Yucatán capital.
Merci: the restaurant that revolutionized all-day brunch in Mérida
With locations in Paseo 60 and Plaza San Ángelo, Merci may not have invented brunch in Mérida, but it undoubtedly changed Yucatecos’ understanding of the concept when it opened its doors back in 2014. From the beginning, Merci’s culinary vision has reflected the backgrounds of its founders: a French man and a Mexican-American woman. As a result, every dish on the menu draws from all three cultures, whether through its origins, techniques, or ingredients. What better example of this than their Croissant de Pepita, now a Mérida classic that never fails to impress, whether you're tasting it for the first time or the thousandth.
Earning diners’ trust in Yucatán’s highly competitive restaurant scene doesn’t happen overnight, but quality has spoken for itself for over a decade. That confidence now allows chef Regina Escalante to offer specials—one entrée, one pastry, one dessert, and one seasonal fruit jam—that change monthly and sometimes even every two weeks.
These specials complement the restaurant’s regular menu, which is far from static. It undergoes subtle updates almost every month and more significant revisions roughly every six months, ensuring a fresh selection that reflects the season and the cravings of both Merci’s patrons and staff.
Likewise, when you visit Merci, you’re free to eat whatever you want, whenever you want. If you feel like starting your day with the Beef Bourguignon (which I wholeheartedly recommend), nobody will stop you. If, on the other hand, you're craving a Croque Madame—or even their French Toast—at 3 pm, there’s no need to ask whether it’s still available. Here, brunch truly lasts all day.
For an even more elevated experience, Merci San Ángelo welcomes guests in the evenings with a dinner menu featuring some lunch favorites alongside more innovative, upscale dishes, all backed by the same quality the restaurant has become known for.
In July, visitors to either Merci location can enjoy the restaurant’s Beef Wellington—a filet wrapped in Serrano ham, mushrooms, and house-made puff pastry—, its potato, cheese, bacon, and egg Flatbread, and their Cheesecake topped with seasonal fruit jam.
Paseo 60: Calle 60 x 35 #346 Centro, Mérida
Tue. - Sun. 8 am - 5 pm
Plaza San Angelo: Avenida 23 x 14 y 16 #201 Montes de Amé, Mérida
Tue. - Sun. 8 am - 10 pm
IG: mercimid
FB: Merci
Holoch: Mestizo cuisine and a menu full of stories
Holoch is a restaurant built around stories. The space itself takes guests on a journey through the life cycle of corn—as a matter of fact, its name refers to the husks that wrap an ear of corn, known as joloch in Maya.
You might assume we're talking about a traditional Yucatecan restaurant, but Holoch is, at its heart, a mestizo kitchen. Its chef, Obed Reyes, is proudly Yucatecan, yet deeply curious and open to incorporating influences from other culinary traditions.
One of the most distinctive aspects of Holoch is that no two visits are necessarily alike. While part of the menu remains relatively stable—with sections such as Corn, Seafood, From the Comal, and From the Oven—the restaurant also features a Chef’s Selection that changes seasonally.
Now that the Yucatán summer is in full swing, the Chef’s menu includes dishes designed to refresh the palate, such as Aguachile Negro (black aguachile) with shrimp, mango, and jícama, and Chicharra de Barbacha, a birria-style barbecue dish cooked in an Asian-inspired tamarind ponzu sauce that balances sweetness with kick of spice and is topped with crispy castacán, Yucatán’s beloved pork belly.
These dishes—and four others—will only be available during the summer season, so you might want to plan your visit sooner rather than later.
Now, if you are a true culinary adventurer at heart, the Menú de Historias (Stories Menu) may be an even better choice for you. This experience ranges from six to twelve courses, during which Chef Reyes prepares dishes specially created for the occasion from Holoch’s smoke-bar counter, sharing stories and anecdotes that enrich each course and transform dinner into a truly unique, unrepeatable experience.
The Menú de Historias is available by reservation for groups of two or more and starts at $1,650 pesos per person, including signature beverages.
Holoch
Calle 64 #472 x 55 y 57, Centro
IG holoch.mx
FB holoch
Mon. - Thu. 5 pm - 12 am
Fri. and Sat. 2 pm - 12 am
Izel: A journey into Veracruz and fermentation in Mérida’s centro
Izel is one of those hidden gems tucked away in Mérida’s historic center. Personally, I love it because, in addition to its mission of rediscovering the culinary territory of Veracruz, it consistently offers dishes that are genuinely unique in an experience that never fails to surprise.
Part of what makes Izel so special is its approach to ingredients. Veracruz’s extraordinary geographic diversity produces ingredients that can be difficult to source or even keep in Yucatán’s challenging climate. As a result, chef Pablo Luque has become an expert in sustainable fermentation techniques, allowing him to preserve ingredients longer, enhance their nutritional value, and develop distinctive flavor profiles that are not strictly tied to seasonality.
Izel’s menu reinterprets the culinary traditions of Veracruz. In that Gulf Coast state, breakfast often consists of what Mexicans call antojitos—comfort foods such as picaditas, enmoladas, and tortitas. At Izel, these dishes are given a thoughtful twist, balancing proteins, vegetables, and lighter sauces while still honoring corn, the foundational ingredient of much of Mesoamerican cuisine.
Highlights include the Recién Nacida, inspired by a famous dish from the Papaloapan River basin: Chinameca-style marinated meat and fried plantain served atop a tortilla layered with beans and a delicate red sauce. You can also choose among the restaurant’s Enatada, Encacahuatada, or Enmolada, each showcasing one of Veracruz’s most traditional sauce styles. If you lean more toward bread than tortillas, the Brioche Oriental is another excellent option, filled with creamy scrambled eggs and bacon and finished with a touch of house-made sriracha.
What you absolutely should not miss, however, is the Torreja de Plátano Macho—a take on French toast topped with caramelized plantain and a citrus foam that is as refreshing as it is delicious.
To accompany your meal, in addition to American coffee, espresso, cappuccino, and lattes, Izel offers inventive cold beverages such as the Lavender Tonic, Orange Brew, and Horchata Brew. Better yet, try one of the restaurant’s fermented drinks, including kombucha, tepache, and other surprises that are well worth discovering.
The menu is subject to small adjustments throughout the coming months and is expected to undergo a complete seasonal refresh around December.
Izel
Calle 64 x 49 y 53, Centro, Mérida
IG: izel.rest
FB: Izel Restaurante
Every day, 8 am - 2 pm
First published in Yucatán Today print and digital magazine no. 463, in July 2026.
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