Thanksgiving in Yucatán 2024: Our dining guide
This is our 11th year compiling a Thanksgiving Day dining guide. Just when we thought this feature had outlived its usefulness, we started getting requests for an update. The options are more plentiful than ever before.
So again, with apologies to our Canadian readers who have already celebrated, here’s the latest roundup of turkey and trimmings options on Thursday, Nov. 28.
We continue to update this list until the day before. Send us a message to add your restaurant to the list (free, with sponsorship opportunities). Reservations are strongly suggested, if not required, no matter where you choose.
Hyatt Regency
We always list the Peregrina Bistro first. Their buffet restaurant off the lobby offers a traditional fare of roast turkey and stuffing and an enormous selection of sides and other meats. The price per person was MX$950 per person, just as last year, including a welcome glass of sparkling wine, from 6 to 11 p.m.
Calle 60 at Avenida Colón, Hotel Zone, Mérida; 999-942-1227
Fiesta Americana
Across the street from the Hyatt is a big rival, the lavish Fiesta Americana buffet at Café Montejo, off the lobby. From 7-11 p.m., turkey, prime rib, smoked salmon, and pork tenderloin, along with a multitude of side dishes and a dessert bar for MX$820 per person.
Paseo de Montejo 451 and Avenida Colon, Hotel Zone, Mérida; 999-942-1111
Holiday Inn
La Arboleda at the hotel zone Holiday Inn starts Thanksgiving at 7:30 p.m., where turkey joins their meat and grill buffet. That means possibly the meatiest Thanksgiving around with ribeye, New York and skirt steaks, plus chicken, sausage and Argentine chorizo. Salads and desserts included. Adults MX$620, MX$310 children. Free for kids under 5. Drinks extra.
Avenida Colon 498, between Paseo de Montejo and Calle 60, Hotel Zone, Mérida; 999-942-8800
Yerba Santa
Inside the famous Minaret mansion, Yerba Santa starts with an amuse-bouche, then cream of pumpkin soup, turkey with cranberry sauce, green beans, buttered asparagus, gravy and honey, sweet mashed potatoes, and rounding it all out with butter pecan caramel apple, English corn mousse, or salted caramel ice cream for dessert. Starts at 2 p.m. MX$996.
Paseo de Montejo 473, Mérida; 999-802-2908
Avelino & Maria
New option: The restaurant/bookstore behind the Quinta Montes Molina museum on Paseo de Montejo offers a traditional Thanksgiving buffet starting at 7 p.m. MX$999 for adults, MX$599 for children up to 12. Choice of turkey, roast chicken or stuffed pork loin, with mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, glazed vegetables and cranberry sauce.
Quinta Montes Molina, Paseo de Montejo 469 x Calle 35; 999-258-9629
Oliva Enoteca
The winner of our fine dining readers’ poll, Oliva Enoteca has an a la carte menu with roast turkey, rosemary mashed potatoes, prosciutto-wrapped green beans, gravy, cranberry sauce, and cornbread, starting at 7 p.m. The plato principal is MX$595 and includes roast turkey, rosemary mashed potatoes, elotes verdes with prosciutto, cranberry sauce, and corn bread. More sides and dessert range from MX$210 to $490.
Corner of Calle 47 and 54, Centro; 999-923-3081 or info@olivamerida.com
Villa Mercedes
Great for families with kids. The Villa Mercedes Curio Collection by Hilton has a full buffet dinner from 7 pm. until 10:30 p.m., MX$750 for adults (including a glass of house wine) and MX$365 for children 5 to 11. Kids 4 and under eat free.
Avenida Colón No. 500 between Calle 60 and 62, Hotel Zone, Mérida; 999-315-7762
Merci
Chef Regina at Merci has prepared her family’s recipes to eat in or go. The dine-in package is at 6:30 or 8:30 and costs MX$950 per person. Take home a whole roast turkey for MX$3,000, and check the menu for a la carte sides, including stuffing (MX$300) and gravy (MX$300). See Merci on Facebook for instructions on wiring a deposit.
Plaza San Angelo (Montes de Amé) 999-941-6886 or Paseo 60 (Hotel Zone); 999-948-8251
Hennessy’s Irish Pub
Hennessy’s Irish Pub never forgets the Thanksgiving holidays. A full three-course meal — cream of mushroom soup or Thai shrimp salad to start and pumpkin or apple pie with whipped cream for dessert — for MX$595.
Paseo de Montejo x 45, Mérida; 999-115-7036
Zinc Comfort Food
Every year, Zinc offers an alternative for people who don’t like turkey but still want to celebrate the season. Goat cheese salad, pumpkin soup and organic duck breast with orange gravy, followed by pecan pie, were on the menu for MX$850 in 2023.
Paseo de Montejo x 43 y 45; 999-219-1247
Aperitivo
The restaurant at Casa T’ho starts off with an apple-infused cocktail and serves traditional turkey and gravy, green beans with toasted almonds and puré de papas y de camotes with pumpkin pie or creme brulee for dessert, for MX$1,150.
Paseo Montejo 486A x 41 y 43; 999-923-8993
BC66
BC66 offers take-home stuffed turkey platters for MX$3,200. Order 10 days in advance and pay a 50% deposit. Includes sides such as baked potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, and elotes. Lunch in the dining room will also be served for $550 per person. Turkey with a blue cheese salad with walnuts and apple, sweet potato puree, roasted potatoes, and corn. Cheesecake for dessert.
Calle 66 No. 377 x 43, Centro; WhatsApp 999-921-9756
Lou’s Restaurant
Turkey with stuffing, with sides to be announced. Payment in advance required to hold a table (seating at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday). MX$550 per person, the only restaurant that actually cut their price over last year. UPDATE: SOLD OUT!
Calle 55 522, Santa Lucia, Centro; 999-461-4654, or DM on Facebook
Hacienda Xcanatún
The Casa de Piedra (Stone House) restaurant, in the restored powerhouse of the 18th-century Hacienda Xcanatún, always has a refined Thanksgiving menu served at the table. This year, it’s from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for MX$1800, per person, family-style, with a turkey carving station and live music.
Calle 20 S/N. Comisaría Xcanatún. Km. 12 Carretera Mérida-Progreso; 999-930-2140
Lizard Joes Yucatexa
The barbecue beach bar offers that classic American combination of Thanksgiving and the NFL starting at 11 a.m. to catch Bears vs. Lions at 11:30, Cowboys vs. Giants at 3:30 p.m. and Dolphins vs. Packers at 7:20. Dinner (MX$550) includes roasted turkey with gravy, bread stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, slaw, cranberry chutney and apple or pumpkin pie from 12:30 to 7 p.m.
Calle 17 72i x 24 y 26, Chelem; 999-459-6566
El Bull Pen
In Chelem, head to El Bull Pen for turkey dinner (or apple-bacon pork) with mashed potatoes and gravy, sage pork stuffing, almond green beans, cranberry sauce, roll, and pumpkin pie for MX$380 4:30 to 9 p.m. Vegetarian option.
Calle 19 x128, Chelem; 999-257-6457
Faces
“Jim and Elke’s Place” serves turkey, ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberry sauce and dessert for MX$550 per person starting at 6 p.m.
Calle 21 66, x 48 y 50, Col. Ismael Garcia, Progreso; 999-191-9510
Restaurant David’s
Under new management, but still keeping Thanksgiving traditions alive. Conchita’s daughter Diana, and grandchildren Diana Laura and Moises, who are bilingual, are the hosts now. Reservations by prepaid ticket: MX$500. Dinner features turkey from the wood-fired oven. Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce, salad buffet and carrot cake. Drinks at 5 pm, dinner at 6.
Calle 27, 214, x 12 y 14, Carretera Progreso-Chicxulub, Progreso; WhatsApp 999-640-5813 or restaurantedavids@gmail.com
Viejo Bar
Three-course turkey dinner starting at Viejo at 6. Live music and folk dancing are included for MX$400 per person, including a glass of wine or a margarita.
Calle 17, between 20 and 22, Chicxulub; 999-134-8597
Yucatán Magazine has the inside scoop on living here. Sign up to get our top headlines delivered to your inbox every week.
