Sopa de lima is the Yucatán's signature soup: light turkey or chicken broth brightened with the juice of native Yucatán lima (a sweet-tart limón), garnished with crispy tortilla strips, avocado and a slice of fresh lima.
The dish is built around the Yucatán lima criolla (Citrus limetta), a sweet-sour citrus distinct from regular limes. Spanish citrus crossed with Mayan turkey broth and habanero produced the soup in the colonial era. Today's canonical version at La Tradición and La Chaya Maya runs Yucatán lima, achiote and turkey.
4 editor picks for Sopa de lima in Mérida, ranked by editorial score. All Mérida signature dishes · Sopa de lima across every city.
La Chaya Maya ★ 4.4
Santa Lucía · Calle 55 459 esq. Calle 60, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán
La Chaya Maya on Santa Lucía in Mérida pours tortillas on a clay comal in the dining room and runs sopa de lima, poc chuc and panuchos seven days.
La Tradición ★ 4.3
Paseo de Montejo · Calle 60 293 x 25 y 27, García Ginerés, 97070 Mérida, Yucatán
La Tradición on Calle 60 in Mérida runs chef David Cetina's Yucatecan recados, poc chuc and queso relleno from a family kitchen of two decades.
Los Almendros ★ 4.0
La Mejorada · Calle 50-A número 493, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán
Los Almendros on Parque de la Mejorada in Mérida runs the Yucatecan canon since 1972, claiming credit for putting poc chuc on the city's restaurant maps.
Eladio's Centro ★ 4.0
Centro Histórico · Calle 59 425 x 44, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán
Eladio's Centro on Calle 59 Mérida runs the Yucatecan free-botanas-with-drinks tradition, with live trova and a sprawling cantina dining room.