Taste of the Yucatan: Merida Cooking Class and Market Visit
5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*
Taste of the Yucatan: Merida Cooking Class and Market Visit
By Adventures Mexico
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About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 15 per group
Duration: 5h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English, Spanish
More
- Local guide
- Beverages
- Food tasting
- Lunch
- Bus ride to the host house
- Uber ride to back to the meeting point
What's not included- Items of personal nature
- Tips to the guide
- Pick-up
- Start:
- Parque Manuel Cepeda Peraza, C. 60 X 59, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yuc., MexicoEntrance of Hotel Caribe. Inner corner of Hidalgo Park, Calle 59 entre Calle 60. Centro. 10 min. wait tolerance. Your Adventures Mexico guide will call the tour as no show after this lapse time.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 34253P3- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Children under 5 years are free of charge
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian and Vegan option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- A minimum of 2 Adults per booking is required
- Transportation is by public bus and Uber back to downtown
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 34253P3
From
$95.00
per adult
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Navigator6760640 contributionsExcellent food tourLuz was a super knowledgeable and very kind guide. She introduced us to various vendors at the market who prepared generous food portions of various fruits and vegetables, tacos, cochinta bibil and numerous other yucatan specialties. We also had delicious ceviche at a local restaurant for lunch and ended the tour with gelato for dessert. Without her guidance, we would not have tasted some of these delicious foods, which we will now definitely incorporate into our travel foods. We were very lucky to be the only 2 participants, allowing time for good conversation and many questions that Luz answered during our tour. Can highly recommend and would do it again.Written February 4, 2025
- karotts0 contributionsWalking tour of the food of MéridaThe tour was really well organised and provided an excellent array of local delights. Especially the empanadas. 😋 Our guide Diego was very knowledgeable and made the tour a combination of the history of the city and the foods of the area. All in all an excellent experience that I would highly recommend.Written February 4, 2025
- J5423XUtracyt0 contributionsEnjoy regional Mexican cooking!Took good advice and went on the street food tour on arrival. Learned a lot and had fun with our guide Luz. Definitely heightened our appreciation of regional ingredients and cuisine!Written February 1, 2025
- Iiwitis0 contributionsGreat food tour!We had a great food tour with Luz and would highly recommend. Luz met us on time and was very friendly. She did a great job taking us from location to location and explaining what the different food items were. We also were able to try the base items like spices, spice mixtures, fruits and vegetables that made up the recipes so we really learned a lot about the food as well. Luz also sent a follow up email naming the different things we tried. I would highly recommend!Written January 30, 2025
- deb7650 contributionsAmazing food and a great Guide!We loved this food tour!Luz was our guide. She was so pleasant and informative.Luz was almost as interested in us as we were in the wonderful food of Merida. We felt so welcomed by her and for all of the places that she took us. The food was delicious and we learned many fascinating facts about Merida's unique culture and cuisine. This information served us well for the rest of our trip and indeed we went back to a few of her destinations because they were so tasty. Everyone would be lucky to have Luz as their tour guide!Written January 30, 2025
- Deb R0 contributionsTerrific tour with very knowledgeable and thoughtful guideThe foodie tour totally surpassed our expectations. Our guide, Diego, not only planned some delicious food tastings but shared a great deal of knowledge about fruits, spices, and Mexican culture. We received a souvenir cookbook and he helped us take the bus back to our hotel. Highly recommended!!Written January 30, 2025
- Margie W0 contributionsUnforgettable and we will recommend this tour to friends and associates. Beautiful surroundings and people of Merida.Excellent tour. Wonderful discussions with a learned gentleman and teacher Diego. Fun time and great conversation and delicious Merida and Mayan food tasting and eating. Bravo !Written January 27, 2025
- A5763WIblancar0 contributionsGreat service and food.Fantastic experience! Luz is very knowledgeable and has a very friendly and patient personality. She knew very well her way around the great places to eat. We enjoyed the food so much and Merida is a great place to eat. We had lots of fun and we highly recommend this tour.Written January 19, 2025
- 514bradk0 contributionsGreat TourSuper tour and tour leader. We all enjoyed it. Thanks to Luz for looking after us. Would highly recommend. Thanks again!Written January 16, 2025
- Miriam M0 contributions5 out of 5The tour was really great. Great to visit the local food market and understand the different fruit and veg in Mexico and also to try some local food. Was delicious and we were so full after. Tour was so informative and really focused on local produce. Do this on day 1 in Merida so you know where and what to eat for the rest of your stay ☺️Written January 14, 2025
- Voyager1968040 contributionsGreat tour guide and tour!Our tour guide, Zulma Marin, was incredible! As we toured the food market, we sampled Taco de lechón, Taco de cochinita, Horchata (Rice milk), Jamaica, Chicharra y castacán, Ceviche of shrimps and fish, Tangerine juice, and wonderful gelato. Zulma was able to share how the various foods were prepared the Yucatan connection as we sampled those. Lots of information from Zulma and wonderful food.Written January 12, 2025
- Beaudes120 contributionsGreat WalkDiego was fabulous. We learned so much. All of the tastings were amazing. We tried so many things in the market and on the street.Written January 11, 2025
- colo1000 contributionsMerida food walking tourReally enjoyed our food tour of Merida with Luz. Her guidance in the market gave us insights and info about different foods that wouldn't be possible to learn wandering by ourselves. Getting to try the different foods and then finishing with some really unique ice cream/gelato flavours topped off a great tour.Written January 8, 2025
- maggiebT6645XZ0 contributionsDelish Street Food from the LocalsZulma from Adventures Mexico was a fantastic guide - she told us about the history of the region and the city of Merida. Without her, I would have been too intimidated to try the food in the market - which would have been a real shame as all of the food was DELICIOUS and felt like we really got the "insider", local's view of the markets. Also, this tour is well worth the cost, I couldn't finish everything we tried and was still full for the rest of the day! Thanks again Zulma for giving us such a great tour!Written January 4, 2025
- John M0 contributionsFantastic food tour in Merida with GisellWe had an incredible food tour in Merida through Adventures Mexico, guided by the wonderful Gisell. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the experience unforgettable. Gisell expertly navigated us through the bustling market, a place that would have been overwhelming without her local insight. Thanks to her guidance, we discovered and tasted an array of unique foods, vegetables, fruits, and regional specialties, all while learning about their cultural and historical significance. Her explanations added so much depth and appreciation to every bite. The tour concluded with a delicious ceviche lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a visit to a truly special ice cream parlor featuring unique local flavors—a perfect way to round off the day. We highly recommend this tour with Gisell for anyone visiting Merida. It’s an amazing way to experience the city’s vibrant food scene and culture!Written January 3, 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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pam
North Reading, MA5 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
Diego was very knowledgeable of the foods, spices and tastes that we were going to experience. The walk through the market was truly amazing.
The cooking experience was literally in a home with Berta , “mommi” and several other family members were present. We were 4 friends who attended together. There were three other couples. Eight is a good group size 6 would be perfect .Anything more than eight would be too many
It was very interactive we got to make empanadas , salsa, chicken pibil salbutes,coconut cream with fresh coconuts watching their cooking techniques and more importantly we got to eat the food and interact with people from other parts of the world
Diego was excellent at translating and answering all questions asked
Highly recommend this unique experience. Be advised the market is very tight and crowded and hot!! I wish there was more time to shop and explore the market but the food takes a couple of hours to cook. We started at 9 am and finished our full day at 3 pm.
No dinner was required after this large meal!
Very reasonably priced and Diego even covered the cost of Uber to take us back to our Air BNB
The cooking experience was literally in a home with Berta , “mommi” and several other family members were present. We were 4 friends who attended together. There were three other couples. Eight is a good group size 6 would be perfect .Anything more than eight would be too many
It was very interactive we got to make empanadas , salsa, chicken pibil salbutes,coconut cream with fresh coconuts watching their cooking techniques and more importantly we got to eat the food and interact with people from other parts of the world
Diego was excellent at translating and answering all questions asked
Highly recommend this unique experience. Be advised the market is very tight and crowded and hot!! I wish there was more time to shop and explore the market but the food takes a couple of hours to cook. We started at 9 am and finished our full day at 3 pm.
No dinner was required after this large meal!
Very reasonably priced and Diego even covered the cost of Uber to take us back to our Air BNB
Written November 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations! ✨
Adventures Mexico team is happy to know that you enjoyed this experience!😊.
We take your opinion very seriously and we reduce our groups to offer a more comfortable tour, we hope to meet you again! 😃
Best Regards 🙌
Written January 23, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mirjam Buck
3 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
My boyfriend, his cousin and I went on a guided food market and cooking tour with Laura. We had a wonderful time. She showed us around the market, with great tasting opportunities at renowned stalls and telling us a lot about the different fruits and vegetables available. She applies a lot of care and attention to the group, as well as the other people she interacts with, making the whole experience extremely enjoyable. The cooking class was great, we've learned how to make a traditional dish which we are now sharing with our family and friends in return. Overall I give the experience five stars and recommend it highly. Thank you for everything!
Written April 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations! ✨
Adventures Mexico team is happy to know that you enjoyed this experience it's good to know that you felt like in home!😊.
We hope to meet you again! 😃
Written June 12, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kate C
12 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Coming from the US, our first international trip with the kids. This tour and visit was amazing! I've been to markets before, but it was do fun to have Marisol take us through the market, sampling a few things as we went and walking by all kinds of stalls. We went with two young girls, she was very accommodating and thoughtful to them. Cooking in Leonora's kitchen was fun, lots of techniques and new ingredients. It was a taste of what's local that I think will influence how we see Merida the rest of the trip. Even the bus ride was an adventure for the kids. Highly recommend - especially if you've seen the Acid episode of Salt Fat Acid Heat with Samin Nosrat.
Written June 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your comments and for trusting Adventures Mexico! It's wonderful to know that you and your family had a great time with us.
Hope to see you back soon!
Written July 4, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joe K
Escazu, Costa Rica4 contributions
Nov 2024 • Family
We had an amazing time doing the market tour and cooking class! Our guide, Laura, was very friendly and helpful. The Lucas de Galvez Market was very vibrant, and it was so nice to have a local guide to help us navigate through it to find the ingredients. The cooking class was also fun for our entire family. Bertha was very warm and inviting, and made us feel like family in her home. Our kids loved learning how to cook Yucatecan. This experience was definitely a highlight of our trip, and I would 100% recommend it to anyone who is considering it!
Written December 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations! ✨
Adventures Mexico team is happy to know that you enjoyed this experience it's good to know that you felt like in home!😊.
We hope to meet you again! 😃
Written December 10, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Shannon M
3 contributions
Jan 2025 • Couples
This was even better than expected!! We especially appreciated the market tour, the friendly easy atmosphere at the host's house, and the flexibility around our dietary restrictions (vegan/vegetarian). The market tour was a highlight - we got so much more out of visiting the market with a guide (Luz!) who could identify the different fruits and spices, explain how each is used, and offer us so many tasty samples (fresh avocado with sour orange, beans with ground pepita, different spices & sauces, sweet yuca). We never would have known some of these treats existed without Luz. Then we traveled to a different part of Merida to the host's house, which was a cool opportunity to be in a more residential area, for the actual cooking class. We made a multi course meal and all sat down to eat together which was a great touch. Every dish was so so good. Cannot recommend enough.
Written January 15, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations! ✨
Adventures Mexico team is happy to know that you enjoyed this experience it's good to know that you felt like in home!😊.
We hope to meet you again! 😃
Written January 20, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gabi K
2 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
The special thing about this cooking class is that you cook in a private household and the group is therefore definitely small.
This was our day: At 9 a.m. we met our guide Luz at the announced meeting point. There was a second couple with us. After a few minutes walk through the center of Mérida we arrive at the large market. To get us in the mood, we taste tacos Conchinita Pibil and the refreshing rice drink. Then we buy vegetables, fruit, spices and meat for the cooking class. We learn a lot of interesting things about the local vegetables and spices that are not available at home. A modern Mérida transport company bus takes us to the outskirts of Mérida to the house of Leo, a Mexican grandma who cooks for tourists in her pretty little house.
The cutting boards and knives are already prepared and after a short refreshment we can start chopping. Leo is very welcoming, explains in Spanish and Luz translates everything for us in English. For two hours we cook important dishes from Mexican cuisine, such as homemade tacos, pollo pibil, pickled onion, cremita de coco and a few spicy sauces. We were able to enjoy the delicious results of our cooking lessons in Leo's dining room!
This was our day: At 9 a.m. we met our guide Luz at the announced meeting point. There was a second couple with us. After a few minutes walk through the center of Mérida we arrive at the large market. To get us in the mood, we taste tacos Conchinita Pibil and the refreshing rice drink. Then we buy vegetables, fruit, spices and meat for the cooking class. We learn a lot of interesting things about the local vegetables and spices that are not available at home. A modern Mérida transport company bus takes us to the outskirts of Mérida to the house of Leo, a Mexican grandma who cooks for tourists in her pretty little house.
The cutting boards and knives are already prepared and after a short refreshment we can start chopping. Leo is very welcoming, explains in Spanish and Luz translates everything for us in English. For two hours we cook important dishes from Mexican cuisine, such as homemade tacos, pollo pibil, pickled onion, cremita de coco and a few spicy sauces. We were able to enjoy the delicious results of our cooking lessons in Leo's dining room!

Written March 31, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vielen Dank für Ihre Kommentare und Empfehlungen! ✨
Das Team von Adventures Mexico freut sich, dass Ihnen diese Erfahrung gefallen hat. Es ist gut zu wissen, dass Sie sich wie zu Hause gefühlt haben!😊.
Wir hoffen, Sie wiederzusehen! 😃
Written April 3, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
CLT29
San Francisco, CA213 contributions
Feb 2023
I highly recommend this experience as a way to explore the culture and interact with some local women. We had a great time going to the market with Iveth and learning about the various ingredients and history of the food...and then making the food with Rosario in her home. We were a group of ten women celebrating a special birthday. Rosario figured out a way for us to make cochinita pibil during the class because I really really wanted to make this (It traditionally takes a lot longer to make) and then surprised me with a special cake that we made in the class in addition to the mango cream dessert. The chaya empanadas and panuchos were excellent!
Written February 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations!
Adventures Mexico team is happy to know that you enjoyed the tour 👨🍳. We were glad to be wtih you in a special day🎂 ❤
We hope to meet you again anytime soon!😃
Written May 15, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
fellyz
Singapore, Singapore10 contributions
May 2024 • Family
It was a very fun experience - visiting the local market, taking a public mini bus and interacting with and cooking in a local household! It was a cosy/ private group with only my family of 4, the guide and the host - so everyone got a chance to get busy and involved.
Our guide, Gisell Chay, was professional and friendly. She brought us around the market - introduced the local ingredients and we got to taste some local food as we shopped for the ingredients. She also helped with interpretation (in our interaction with the host) and supervised the food preparation process. Overall, she managed the programme very well and was good company!
Our host, Dorcas, was warm and welcoming! Despite the language barrier, we really enjoyed the time with her and appreciate her hospitality.
A recommended activity if you enjoy food, cooking and some cultural exchange!
Our guide, Gisell Chay, was professional and friendly. She brought us around the market - introduced the local ingredients and we got to taste some local food as we shopped for the ingredients. She also helped with interpretation (in our interaction with the host) and supervised the food preparation process. Overall, she managed the programme very well and was good company!
Our host, Dorcas, was warm and welcoming! Despite the language barrier, we really enjoyed the time with her and appreciate her hospitality.
A recommended activity if you enjoy food, cooking and some cultural exchange!
Written May 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations! ✨
Adventures Mexico team is happy to know that you enjoyed this experience it's good to know that you felt like in home!😊.
We hope to meet you again! 😃
Written June 12, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Zachary L
2 contributions
Feb 2023
We loved Pamela's informative tour around a local market where we got to see a different side of the city. It was so interesting seeing all the products being sold and the wide variety of spices and sauces from the Yucatan. Afterwards, Pamela brought us to her family home and introduced us to her family and their dog. We had a great time cooking and tasting different Yucatec recipes. Most of our group was vegan, and Pamela accommodated us by offering alternative recipes that had no animal ingredients.
Written February 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations!
Adventures Mexico team is happy to know that you enjoyed the tour 👨🍳. ❤
We hope to meet you again anytime soon!😃
Written May 15, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephanie L
Tampa, FL1 contribution
May 2024 • Friends
I’m not sure how to put into words how amazing this experience was, but I’ll try 😉! This experience was life changing. My sisters and I had the most fun, with laughter, photos, conversation, and such delicious food. Such grace, as well from the family with our lack of Spanish. Laura was amazing at what she did, from taking us to the market, to us riding the bus to the host family house to translating when our own translation was not comprehended. Laura laughed with us, took photos of us and with us and ate with us. We thoroughly had an amazing time and would absolutely recommend this experience time and time again!!
Written May 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations! ✨
Adventures Mexico team is happy to know that you enjoyed this experience it's good to know that you felt like in home!😊.
We hope to meet you again! 😃
Written June 12, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Curious547043
Singapore, Singapore
Hello ! 5 hours is a bit long for us... are you able to let us know in advance what types of dishes we will be cooking ? Thank you kindly, el
Written April 13, 2022
The five hours includes time at the mercado and then travel back to the kitchen for the cooking portion. We made four or five dishes -- a mole, guacamole, soup, and a couple other things I don't recall at the moment.
I thought it sounded like a long time before we went, but I enjoyed the leisurely pace, enjoying meeting vendors in the market and eating our lunch together.
Written April 14, 2022
Can you provide some information about the teacher(s)? What is the maximum number of participants?
Thank you…
Written February 26, 2022
The class is held in the home of a local cook. This is not a professional chef, teaching cooking technique, but more like an abuela inviting you into her kitchen to learn the dishes she's prepared her whole life. Attendees help with chopping, peeling and mixing, as she prepares the meal. The tour company provides a cookbook following the class so you have the methods and ingredients to prepare the dishes at home.
I don't recall the maximum number of students but it's a small group. In our case, it was three of us, the guide and the cook.
Written February 27, 2022
Would love to know what a typical menu would be for this. This is hands on where we prepare and cook? Are we required to wear a mask while prep/cook?
Written October 13, 2021
We are interested in this but my husband is allergic to onions. Will there be food without onions? Just curious. We love Mexicam food and Mexico
Written February 6, 2019
I’m sure if you asked, it would be omitted. The guacamole I made had onions but you could easily make a small amount without. I don’t recall any other menu item having onions
Written February 6, 2019
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