Arca – Tulum
Amid Tulum’s explosive growth, Arca has remained the restaurant with the best offerings on the entire beachfront. From the mind of renowned chef José Luis Hinostroza, it presents creative and aesthetically pleasing cuisine, with bursts of flavor in a relaxed atmosphere amidst the Mayan jungle. Arca is the only restaurant to have been featured on the 50 Best list for both restaurants and bars. Its cocktails perfectly complement the food. The open kitchen utilizes a tremendous grill from which spectacular aromas waft. Tulum’s flagship restaurant.
MB100 recommends:
Dzikilpak
Roasted prawns with morita and plantain vinegar
Carnitas (roasted suckling pig)
Huniik – Mérida
This restaurant, the latest venture from celebrated chef Roberto Solís, focuses on bringing the flavors of Yucatán to a beautifully crafted tasting menu. In keeping with its surroundings, it features fresh cuisine with locally sourced ingredients and close collaboration with local producers. The 12-course tasting menu reinterprets Mayan traditions in a presentation that blurs the lines between kitchen and dining room: everything is on display; the kitchen team works with almost choreographed precision. The menu offers fresh and appropriate wine pairings. I recommend making a reservation: it doesn’t have many tables and is already a hotspot in the city.
MB100 recommends:
Tasting Menu with Wine Pairing
Ixi’im – Chocholá
Although its culinary approach clearly draws on the flavors and ingredients of Yucatán—using both modern and ancestral techniques—Ixi’im offers a contemporary vision of Mexican cuisine. With the support of chef Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil, chef Luis Ronzón flawlessly executes succulent dishes with a refined aesthetic; he even offers three seven-course tasting menu options. Ixi’im is an immense tequila library on full display for diners, enhancing the experience in the beautiful setting of the Chablé Hotel.
MB100 recommends:
Crab Salbut
Venison Rice (Pib-Style)
Burnt Honey Ice Cream with Lime Shaved Lime
K’u’uk – Mérida
Located in a beautiful mansion in the Itzminá neighborhood, Chef Pedro Evia’s K’u’uk has always been at the forefront of Mérida’s evolving cuisine. With unique flavors and presentations, it offers a 12-course tasting menu, as well as an à la carte option where dishes are presented in a family-style format for sharing. Its culinary approach revisits traditional Yucatecan flavors while also incorporating its Lebanese heritage. A well-stocked wine list complements the menu, featuring Mexican agave spirits and cocktails.
MB100 recommends:
Tabbouleh and star apple
Tikinxic octopus
Hairless pork in stew
Le Chique – Riviera Maya
This gastronomic destination, located within the Azul Beach Resort in the Riviera Maya, is a clear commitment to modern cuisine, a legacy of the techno-emotional movement in 1990s Catalonia. Chef Jonatan Gómez Luna offers a menu of more than 20 courses with dishes created at the intersection of playfulness and science. The idea is to be surprised by the innovative techniques and presentations, which are stunning deconstructions of familiar flavors with novel textures and forms. A visit to Le Chique is always an experience.
MB100 recommends:
Tasting Menu with Wine Pairing
Micaela Mar y Leña – Mérida
The stories of Nana Micaela are the origin of the unique cuisine at this restaurant by chef Vidal Elías Murillo and sommelier Alberto Nacif, whose emphasis is on coastal flavors prepared over a wood fire. It is a heartfelt tribute to the Mexican women who have poured their souls into the national gastronomy. Their dishes are generous, designed to be shared. The aroma and texture of their shrimp uchepos evoke the authentic Mexican family table. Don’t miss their cacao; it’s an outstanding dessert.
MB100 recommends:
Wood-Grilled Octopus
Grilled Shrimp
Creamy Rice
Source: mbmarcobeteta
