Typical food of Riviera Maya |Palladium Hotel Group

Discover the exotic flavors of the Riviera Maya

Mexican food is one of the richest and tastiest in the world. Its dishes have become popular throughout the planet. Proof of this is that in 2010 UNESCO declared it an Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Of course, the cuisine of Riviera Maya is also part of this delicious gastronomic scene, with a feature that makes it even more special: the heritage of traditional flavors and dishes inherited from the Mayan culture. Not only have many of the ingredients, such as corn, survived from pre-Hispanic times, but so also have ancestral techniques such as ovens, or pibs, dug into the earth.

We show you in this guide a selection of the essential recipes so you can immerse yourself in the flavors, colors and aroma of Riviera Maya.

Cochinita pibil: the star dish

This may be the most iconic dish of traditional Yucatecan cuisine and the one that has transcended the most, internationally. Its preparation has evolved to become a mestizo dish consisting of pork marinated with annatto paste, spices and lime. It’s traditionally prepared wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an underground oven (pib). It is usually served accompanied by tacos and pickled onion, with a little lime and the famous habanero chili sauce.

Poc Chuc

This is considered the star dish for lovers of good grilled meat. Actually, in Yucatec Mayan, poc means "to toast" and chuc means "coal." To make it, the pork chops are marinated in bitter orange, seasoned with salt and pepper, and then cooked on the grill. These are normally accompanied by rice, salad, beans, cilantro and a sauce made with the bitter orange itself.

Lime soup

As its name suggests, the main ingredient of this dish is lime. But they must specifically be Yucatecan limes, which experts claim bring a unique flavor to the world. The soup also has chicken, cilantro, garlic, avocado and a slice of lime. It’s usually served with strips of corn tortillas that you dunk in the broth.

Ceviche

The ceviche is made with shrimp, fish and octopus, nourished in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean to give us one of the most emblematic international dishes of Mexico. The product must be truly fresh and is marinated in lemon juice with added chives, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, avocado and habanero chili. The most popular version in the area is the Chetumal-style ceviche, which is prepared with snails.

Pozole

Pozole is an explosion of flavor in every spoonful. Like many of the dished of pre-Hispanic origin, the base of this recipe is grain maize, commonly known as cacahuazintle, cooked in a rich pork or chicken broth. Generally, it comes with a garnish of lettuce, finely chopped onion, spices, lemon juice, radish slices, avocado, fresh cheese and chili powder.

Most popular desserts on Riviera Maya

Although the list of Yucatecan sweets may be long, including delicacies such as almond marzipan, egg balls, alfeñiques, zapolitos or dried coconut candy, we have selected these treats that you mustn’t miss on your gastronomic journey.

Dulce de Papaya

The most popular dessert of the Yucatan Peninsula is a kind of sweet papaya in syrup. It is made by cooking the papaya and seasoning it with raw cane sugar, lemon and cinnamon.

Caballeros pobres

Considered one of the most representative desserts of Yucatecan gastronomy, it became popular with ordinary people because it was simple to prepare and was based on ingredients found in every home. It’d prepared with fried bread soaked in milk and vanilla. It’s then dipped in syrup, cinnamon and cloves, and decorated with raisins. A delicacy not to be missed!

Marquesitas

Marquesitasare popular throughout the state of Yucatán. These are delicious rolled wafers filled with Dutch cheese. Sometimes they’re filled with condensed milk, jam or chocolate.

Drinks and liqueurs on Riviera Maya

As well as a vast cultural and gastronomic legacy, the Mayan culture has left us with a series of drinks and liqueurs with a mysterious, ancestral touch born in the bowels of Mexico.

Tequila and mezcal

Although wrongly assumed to be the same liquor, tequila and mezcal are similar drinks, but prepared differently. Present at every Mexican party worth its salt, tequila is produced from a type of blue agave, which found only in the municipality of Tequila, in Jalisco state. On the other hand, mezcal is made following a ritual with more than 200 years of tradition that combines more than 50 agaves and it’s distilled in clay pots.

El Saká

El Saká is a sacred drink that was offered in ancient times to the gods who lived on the mountain to favor the sowing and harvest of that year. To prepare it, maize is boiled and halfway through cooking, a touch of sweetness is added with Melipona bee honey.

ElBalché

El Balché is a kind of mead based on the bark and roots of the balché tree. It is stirred with water and syrup and left to ferment. Mayan culture considered this nectar as a sacred drink that granted magical powers, which is why it was often incorporated into rituals and ceremonies as an offering to the gods.