In every corner of Yucatán, in all the right places, you’ll find outstanding food. But there are certain dishes that Yucatecans feel taste even better in specific towns, either because they were invented there or because they are that town's specialty. These are dishes that are well worth, if not a dedicated trip, at least a detour. Here are some of the most famous ones.
Poc chuc in Maní
Maní is a magical town full of history, culture, and charm... but if you ask any Yucateco, it's also a mandatory gastronomic stop in the south of the state. Heading to Uxmal or the Puuc Route? Let’s stop in Maní for poc chuc afterwards. On the Convent Route? Poc chuc in Maní. Going to Ticul to buy shoes? You guessed it: Maní. Poc chuc.
This isn't just a whim. Poc chuc isn't a complicated dish: it consists of very thin pork fillets, marinated (usually with sour orange), and roasted over charcoal (in Maya, póok means "to roast" and chúuk means "charcoal"). It is served with chiltomate (a roasted tomato salsa), pickled onion, vegetables, and frijol colado—a liquefied bean "soup" with a different consistency than refried beans. You can find it in virtually every typical food restaurant and even many street food stalls in Yucatán. However, the tenderness of the meat, the perfect flavor and consistency of the frijol colado, and, in general, the special touch of the poc chuc served in Maní make it the perfect excuse to visit this beautiful town.
Huevos motuleños in Motul
It's not hard to guess why people head to Motul to enjoy this dish: the answer is in its name. If poc chuc is found throughout Yucatán, huevos motuleños (Motul-style eggs) are found all over México, and even in many Mexican restaurants abroad. The dish isn't too complicated to make either: sunny-side-up eggs on a fried tortilla with refried beans, and covered with a tomato salsa with peas and cubed ham. The finishing touch is the fried plantains, which are essential.
Huevos motuleños originated in the cafeteria “La Sin Rival” by Don Jorge Siqueff in Motul. Although the family's restaurant is now in Mérida (Restaurante Siqueff on Calle 60 x 35), hundreds of people still gather at the Veinte de Noviembre market in this town every day. There, on the second floor, two restaurants (El Mirador and Doña Evelia) specialize in preparing this dish, so you can enjoy it in the municipality where it was born.
Huevos encamisados in Kaua
Kaua, one of the towns located between Chichén Itzá and Valladolid, has become famous for its "tías" (aunts): women who have opened restaurants (of different sizes and degrees of sophistication) to showcase their culinary skills. Poc chuc is one of the most requested dishes here (and you'll immediately notice how different it is from the one in Maní), but this area is known for being one of the few places where you can get authentic “huevos encamisados” (shirted eggs).
The apparent simplicity of huevos encamisados hides an unexpected level of difficulty. They can only be prepared with tortillas made by hand by an expert "torteadora," so that when it's placed on the comal (a flat griddle), the tortilla puffs up. At that moment, the cook opens the "hollejo" (the puffed layer of the tortilla) and empties an egg's contents inside, usually directly from the shell.
The tortilla, now with the egg inside, returns to the comal to finish cooking and is then served with tomato salsa, chaya, or the favorite combination of the family that prepared it. This laborious process makes huevos encamisados one of the most elusive dishes in traditional Yucatecan cuisine and a favorite among connoisseurs who stop to eat with one of Kaua's tías.
Sopes with Edam Cheese in Hunucmá
As a good Yucateca, I am a firm believer that adding Edam cheese (queso de bola) to any dish automatically makes it superior. Following this life philosophy, it was a pleasant surprise to discover that in Hunucmá they took this idea to the next level: sopes with Edam cheese.
The famous Lonchería El Maya has earned its place in the hearts (and stomachs) of locals and visitors for serving traditional sopes with a flavorful twist. Imagine this: a base of fried, golden, and crispy masa, topped with a layer of beans, meat (either breaded or roasted), a portion of romaine lettuce, melty white cheese, and, as a finishing touch… a generous shower of grated Edam cheese.
For my taste, the saltiness of the Edam cheese not only pairs perfectly but elevates all the flavors of the sope to another level. So if you get a craving one of these days, take advantage of the fact that Hunucmá is only 40 minutes from Mérida and go have breakfast or dinner to enjoy this delicacy that is already a local tradition.
Papadzules with longaniza in Izamal
On their own, papadzules are a delicious dish: hard-boiled egg tacos, bathed in a pumpkin seed salsa and a tomato salsa. It's nutritious and unique. However, in Izamal they found a way to add a new layer of deliciousness by topping them with longaniza from Valladolid.
The intense, deep, and smoky flavors of the longaniza transform the papadzules into a practically different dish; once you try them, it's hard not to miss the longaniza when you eat “plain” papadzules—which are actually not plain at all. That's why, even though there's an endless list of great food options in Izamal, on my visits, I can never miss out on some delicious papadzules with longaniza.
More foodie stops along Yucatán
- Buctzotz
Two-cheese empanadas- Temozón
Smoked meat tacos- Tizimín
Mutton kibis- Valladolid
Chachak waaj (baked tamal)
Escabeche
Lomitos
Roasted longaniza- Tixkokob
Egg panuchos
By Sharon Cetina and Alicia Navarrete
First published in Yucatán Today print and digital magazine no. 453, in September 2025.
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