The Lebanese Flavor of Yucatán: How Kibbe Became Yucatecan

The cuisine of Yucatán is renowned for its unique Mayan and Spanish roots, featuring dishes such as cochinita pibil, relleno negro, and panuchos. However, there is another culinary influence so deeply woven into the region’s fabric that it is now almost considered Yucatecan: the Lebanese.

It began with the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. This period of instability and conflict pushed people from the Middle East, especially from modern-day Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, to seek new lives abroad. A significant number chose Latin America, with countries like Mexico offering opportunities. This was the first major wave of Middle Eastern migration to Mexico.

These immigrants did not all settle in one place. Many entered through the port of Veracruz, while others arrived in the north. But a notable community found a home in the southeastern state of Yucatán. Mérida, a prosperous city owing to the henequen rope fiber industry, was attractive. Historians like Theresa Alfaro-Velcamp note that these immigrants were often classified as Turcos, or Turks, because they traveled with Ottoman passports, even though they were mostly Arab Christians.

The Lebanese community in Mérida started small, often working as traveling merchants. Over time, they established themselves in commerce and textiles. But their most lasting impact would come from their kitchens. They brought their culinary traditions, including the use of bulgur wheat, ground meat seasoned with spices, parsley, mint, and ingredients such as tahini.

The second half of the 20th century saw more periods of conflict in the Middle East, including the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). This sparked another, larger wave of migration to existing communities abroad. The already established Lebanese-Mexican families in Mérida served as a beacon for relatives and newcomers, dramatically increasing the local population. By the 1980s and 1990s, the Lebanese community in Mérida was one of the largest and most concentrated in Mexico.

With this growth came their food, which moved from family kitchens into the public square. The most iconic adoption is kibbe. In Lebanon, kibbe is often a football-shaped croquette of bulgur and minced meat, stuffed with spiced filling and fried or baked. In Mérida, it transformed into “kibbe yucateco.” Here, it is often, but not always, shaped like a deep-fried, disc-shaped patty. The basic idea is the same—bulgur and meat—but it seamlessly joined the list of Yucatán’s beloved antojitos, or street snacks. 

The Ubiquity Of Kibbe

Today, you can find kibbe everywhere in Mérida. It is served in high-end restaurants such as Siqueff on Calle 60 as a gourmet appetizer, or in much smaller eateries such as Café Alameda on Calle 58. It is sold at corner stores and neighborhood taquerías for a quick lunch. You can even buy it from vendors at the beach in Progreso, a perfect snack after a swim. Alongside kibbe, tacos Árabes — spit-grilled meat on pita bread — labneh, and tabule have all become standard fare.

The interconnection extends beyond Lebanese dishes being sold separately. A true fusion occurred. Lebanese culinary techniques and ingredients blended with local ones. It became common to eat kibbe with a slice of habanero pepper or pickled red onion, classic Yucatecan accompaniments. Some versions might include a local touch, such as chaya, a local leafy green, or be served with fiery salsas. Meanwhile, traditional Yucatecan restaurants and market stalls often include kibbe on their menus without hesitation.

This blending exemplifies culinary assimilation. The Lebanese community in Mexico adapted, and Mexico, particularly Yucatán, embraced their cuisine. The food served as a bridge, helping immigrants become part of the local culture while also permanently enriching it.

“The integrity and quality of the kibbe and everything that is prepared here are lovingly preserved. Here, only mutton and beef are used; no pork,” says Fiby Catrib Trujillo, who runs Café Alameda and is the great-granddaughter of migrants who arrived on the shores of Yucatán almost a century ago. “The most frequently ordered dishes are fried kibbe, kafta, and charcoal-grilled beef skewers. Shishbarak is ordered often, though it’s not made very often; it is a sour labneh soup to which little balls of flour dough, filled with ground mutton.”