Quintana Roo

Sere de pescado is a traditional dish originating from Quintana Roo. The dish is usually made with a combination of grouper fillets, achiote, garlic, tomatoes, onions, plantains, coconut milk, hot peppers, and oil. The garlic and achiote paste are boiled in water and removed from the heat. The to... Read more

Cochinita pibil is a Mexican pork dish originating from Yucatan. Pork is marinated in a combination of annatto paste, bitter orange juice, and garlic. It is slowly baked and then shredded and served on tortillas, tacos, or on its own with shallots, pickled onions, salsa, and various roasted veget... Read more

Panucho is a Yucatan specialty consisting of a tortilla topped with refried beans, acting as the base of the dish. Other toppings are left for the cook or the customer to decide according to preferences. It can be anything from cabbage, tomatoes, avocados, and onions to shredded chicken, fish, an... Read more

A traditional dish from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, sopa de lima is a spicy, flavorful chicken and tomato soup, contrary to its name that would make one think limes are the main ingredient in the dish. However, the soup is flavored with unique, bittersweet Yucatan limes and spicy habaner... Read more

Papadzules is a Mexican dish with Mayan origins consisting of egg-filled tortillas drenched in a sauce made with pumpkin seeds and epazote. The dish is usually consumed for breakfast on the streets of Yucatan, although it is also found in numerous restaurants and cantinas in the region. ... Read more

Salbute is a deep-fried tortilla dish with Mayan influences, originating from the Yucatán peninsula. These tortillas are typically topped with chicken, turkey, lime juice, tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, and red onions. They are also a staple food in Belize. Salbutes are traditionally prepare... Read more

Poc chuc is a Mexican meat dish consisting of thin pork cutlets marinated in orange juice. The meat is then grilled and served with pickled onions and freshly prepared corn tortillas on the side. It can be found in most restaurants throughout the Yucatan region, since it is one of the region's si... Read more

Huevos motuleños is a popular Mexican dish categorized by many as a true representative of comfort food at its best. The dish, named after a Yucatan town, consists of crispy tostadas topped with eggs, plantains, roasted tomatoes, and beans, combining both Mayan and Caribbean flavors in one... Read more

Sikil pak is a thick Yucateco dip with Mayan origins. It is prepared with a combination of tomatoes, onions, pumpkin seeds, coriander, orange juice, and habanero chili pepper. Spicy, sweet, and sour, it is typically seasoned only with salt, then served with tortilla chips on the side. The name si... Read more

Chiltomate is a rich Yucatecan salsa consisting of tomatoes, habanero chili peppers, coriander, and onions. Tomatoes, habaneros, and onions should be roasted before being blended with coriander and salt. Once prepared, chiltomate should have a thick consistency with some chunks remaining in the s... Read more

X’nipek is a Mexican salsa that is similar to the popular pico de gallo. It originates from the Yucatan peninsula. It consists of finely chopped tomatoes, charred onions, charred habanero chiles, cilantro, and sour orange juice. The ingredients are simply combined in a bowl, season... Read more

Codzitos is a Yucatecan dish consisting of fried tortilla rolls. The name of the dish is derived from the Mayan word koots (codz), meaning to roll. In order to prepare it, stale tortillas are stuffed with shredded meat (usually pork or chicken) and cheese, then fried. O... Read more

Dzik de pescado or fish dzik is a Yucateco dish that is usually served as an appetizer. It is made with a combination of diced white fish, onions, radishes, habanero chilis, coriander, orange juice, lemon juice, and vinegar. All ingredients are mixed together and seasoned with salt and p... Read more

Pejelagarto is an unusual fish species inhabiting the freshwater lagoons, lakes, rivers, and marshes along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, particularly throughout Tabasco. Dubbed a "living fossil," the endemic fish has existed for a staggering 100 million years now, throughout which it ... Read more

Escabeche de cebolla is a traditional Yucateco pickle made by placing red onions in red wine vinegar with peppercorns, oregano, cumin, and garlic. Once prepared, the pickle should be refrigerated for at least four hours before serving. Escabeche de cebolla is beloved in Yucatán because the... Read more

Recado rojo is a spice blend featuring ingredients such as annatto seeds, garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, pepper, allspice, salt, and cloves. The blend is used for seasoning, rubbing, and marinating various types of meats, and it is especially useful for barbecued and grilled meat dishes. When ... Read more

THIS SPECIES IS AT RISK OF EXTINCTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE GATHERING. Also known as Caracol rosado, Lobatus gigas, or the Aztec name Teccizmama, Caribbean sea queen conch is one of the largest Caribbean mollusks. Their beautiful shells measure from 20 centimeters t... Read more

Recado negro, also known as black recado, is a traditional seasoning paste originating from the Yucatan Peninsula. The ingredients used in recado negro can vary depending on the region, but they typically include toasted chiles, achiote paste, black pepper, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, allsp... Read more

Cebollas encurtidas yucatecas is a traditional preparation of pickled onions originating from Yucatán. It's usually made with a combination of thinly sliced purple onions, allspice, peppercorns, oregano, sliced garlic, mild vinegar, salt, and sometimes habanero chili peppers instead of the... Read more

Chontalpa cacao is a cacao variety grown in the fertile lowlands of Tabasco’s Chontalpa region, an area with one of the oldest cacao legacies in the world, dating back over 3,000 years to the ancient Olmec civilization. The Chontalpa cacao pod varies depending on the cultivar—often a ... Read more

Produced in Yucatán in the municipalities of Mani, Yaxcaba, and Mama, Xunankab honey is amber in color and creamy in texture, while the flavor is intense with a pleasant acidity. The honey is often used to treat hearing, skin, eye, respiratory, and digestive system problems. The s... Read more

Reared for more than 500 years in the Yucatán peninsula, the Mexican hairless pig is characterized by its black color and large, pointed ears. It all began when the Spaniards introduced Celtic pigs, Asian pigs, and Iberian pigs, and the combination of those three breeds resulted in Yuc... Read more

Originating from the Americas, pumpkins have been traditionally grown in the Yucatán Peninsula for thousands of years, alongside beans and corn as part of a traditional Mayan intercropping system called milpa. Aside from the fruit, the seeds of pumpkins have also been focal to the... Read more

Pozol is a pre-Columbian Mexican beverage made with fermented corn dough. The drink is made from corn that is primarily cooked in lime (nixtamalization). It is then washed, ground, and kneaded into a dough that is often enriched with cocoa. The dough is... Read more

Balché is an ancient Mayan drink that was mainly used as a ceremonial drink. It is made with the bark of balché tree (Lonchocarpus violaceus) and melipona honey—a specific type of honey that hails from Yucatán and comes from stingless bees. The drink is prepare... Read more

Xtabentún is a honey and anise liqueur that hails from Yucatan. The drink is made from fermented honey of xtabentún plant—a perennial vine with white flowers that is native to the region. Fermented honey is then combined with rum and anisette to produce a swe... Read more

Kalani is a rum and coconut liqueur produced by a Yucatan-based company Casa D'Aristi. The drink is made with a combination of Mexican sugarcane rum and fresh coconut milk extracted from shredded coconuts. This smooth liqueur displays bright coconut flavor and aroma, along with vanilla, ... Read more