Restaurant of the Month

Hacienda Teya

A wide range and variety of delicious Yucatecan dishes, a hacienda setting, a traditionally attired wait staff and a small gift shop stocked with Yucatecan handcrafts awaits you at the Hacienda Teya (circa 1683). Yucatecan cuisine is something you want to eat for lunch... a late lunch by American or Canadian standards. Open from 12 noon and 6 PM daily, they are located 12.5 kilometers from Merida, just off the Merida to Cancun highway.

Known for serving exquisite traditional dishes, these include cochinita pibil (suckling pig roasted in banana leaves), pollo pibil (chicken roasted in banana leaves), lomitos de Valladolid (chunks of pork in a tomato sauce), relleno negro (turkey and pork meatballs flavored with toasted chilis and hence the black color of the sauce), queso relleno (a minced meat stuffed Edam cheese), sopa de lima, panuchos, salbutes, pan de cazon and more.

Traditional refreshments are served by the pitcher. These include fresh lemonade, Jamaica (hibiscus tea), and horchata (a Yucatecan rice and almond drink). We have found the food at Hacienda Teya to be superb. The hot dishes are served steaming hot and the cold ones are cold. The codzitos, salbutes and panuchos that are served as appetizers are freshly made. We have seen the steam coming off the tomato sauce on the codzitos (rolled up tortillas with chicken inside and tomato sauce on top.)

Traditional desserts include papaya with Edam cheese, flan, and fruits (from the trees in the orchards) in syrup.

The gift shop has a wide range of handcrafts done by local artisans. Crafts range from high class wooden rocking chairs and side tables to typical embroidered clothing to papier mache to small trinkets and doo-dads. The prices in this shop are more than fair. Check out the watercolors prints Watercolors of the Yucatan.

At the entrance to the restaurant take note of the photo gallery where you will see the Cardenas family (the owners) with such personalities as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Mexican and American stars and Mexican politicians. The fact that these personalities have visited Hacienda Teya shows this is a quality place.

Hacienda Teya is also known for the installations they have for weddings, banquets and other events. Stained glass windows, lush gardens, a chapel, elegant staircases and their delicious food are key ingredients when you are planning a special event. Reservations 988-08-00. Wheelchair facilities.

Last month's Restaurant of the Month.

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