Yucatecan Cuisine

One of humanity’s most astonishing civilizations, dating from 9000 BC, originated in these

exotic regions of the Caribbean coastlands and the Puuc Zone of the northern part of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Turkey in Escabeche Sauce

At the beginning, the inhabitants subsisted by hunting and food gathering, which enabled them to develop a very special cuisine. In time, with the influence and contributions of the Conquistadors, they created and popularized exotic dishes that come to our palates without our imagining all the excitement and legends of their ingredients.

Mexican cuisine is highly regionalized because local conditions are so varied. There are many ethnic groups with their own customs, languages and traditional ingredients. Pre-Hispanic Mayan cooking used no fat or oil. Food was never fried, but eaten raw, grilled or stewed. Although there was a rich variety of vegetables, meat was scarce, consisting mainly of game and turkey.

The Spanish introduced pork, lamb, beef and wine, among other staples. The Yucatan Peninsula was so difficult to get to by road from Mexico City, however, that its main outside influences came by sea from France and Europe.

Although chiles are used, Yucatecan food tends to be considerably less spicy than other Mexican cooking. One of the principal flavorings is achiote, a subtle condiment made from the flowers of a Caribbean tree.

In the Yucatan, a paste made of achiote seeds, garlic, black pepper, oregano, cloves, cinnamon,  cumin, and vinegar, is smeared on anything from pork to whole fish, which are typically wrapped in banana leaves and slow cooked in outdoor ovens. Other favorite dressings are made with ground pumpkin seeds.

Restaurant Labná features a rich selection of 100% authentic Yucatecan dishes, prepared by 100% Yucatecans.

Among the Favorites: