Mérida, Shortlisted

Hi all,

I hope you’re having a lovely month so far. This month we’re heading to Mérida, the truly magical capital of Mexico’s Yucatán state and one of my favorite food + design-focused weekend getaways from CDMX. There’s the best coffee/s in the city to start your days with, the market stop you need to make for cochinita pibil, favorite spots for cocktails and ice cream and stays and so much more.

As I am sending this on the heels of a month living in / working from Mexico City, I also popped into last year’s already robust CDMX list to give it a 2025 update. Access the most current Mexico City, Shortlisted here.

I’m so excited to share both (all!) these shortlists with you and can’t wait to hear what you think. Thank you, as ever, for trusting me and supporting Shortlisted. I have a beautiful rest of the month — see you in April!

xR

[eat | drink]

Ramiro Cocina | Perhaps my favorite recommendation in Mérida, I can think of no better place to spend an afternoon than on Ramiro Cocina’s shaded patio, drinking whatever agua fresca they have on offer that day (option to add mezcal!) and snacking on a welcome taco (!) while deciding what to order from the always-changing chalkboard menu. It’s a spot you’ll find me at multiple times during any visit to the city (daytime only)

Pancho Maiz | Very very excellent breakfast / lunch spot with a focus on the preservation of the region’s corn varietals. It’s another can’t-miss and everything you order will be great but be sure to try the pinole (a traditional drink made with corn and cacao)

Taquería La Lupita | Tucked in the Mercado de Santiago, this is one of the best best spots for cochinita pibil (the region’s most known dish of roasted suckling pig marinated in bitter-orange + achiote). Go early — they close by 1:30 and often sell out beforehand — and order the panuchos (a specialty from the Yucatán) and a torta with lechón al horno or pavo asado in additon to the requisite cochinita pibil