Chef/owner Roberto Solís is widely considered one of Mexico’s best chefs—and Néctar deserves its reputation as one of the area’s top restaurants. The kitchen serves up traditional dishes from the area, all featuring local and seasonal ingredients so the menu changes depending on what’s being harvested around the Yucatán. But several local favorites are always available, including cochinita pibil(roast pork); relleno negro-stuffed turkey; and tikin xic (fish marinated in Achiote and sweet chile.

If you're up for venturing a little further, Nectar, on the outskirts of town, is well worth the drive for Yucatecan fine cuisine served beneath a leafy trellis. Particularly keen sommeliers preside here, so be sure to pick their brains on what to pair with your pork belly.

Industrial-chic in design and split over two floors, the open-plan Nectar focuses on seasonal ingredients to create a menu of sensational, haute cuisine (think: foie gras and duck ravioli, charcoal onions, and a burnt Basque cheesecake served with truffle ice cream).

If you want to try your hand in the kitchen, a number of local chefs offer cooking classes, or you can head to the city’s fine dining temples—Nectar, Apoala and K’u’uk—for innovative Mayan-meets-modern fare. There’s also Mercado 60, a food hall with 18 restaurants, and the newly-opened Casa Dominga, for a more laid-back gourmet adventure. Don’t leave the city without trying pre-Columbian specialties like cochinita pibil (pork marinated in achiote (annatto)), turkey salbutes and traditional papadzules (similar to enchiladas).

It's a matter of coexistence among us, of putting aside egos, of interacting with people, from being in the company of another person, and then pairing them up to achieve understanding with someone who has never worked with them before, who may have different perspectives, in other words, how to initiate a dialogue and as human beings, achieve something in common,” explains Solís, who has also just celebrated the 20th anniversary of his restaurant Nectar, which was virtually the first elevated dining restaurant in Mérida.

Owner Roberto’s philosophy of the restaurant is based on harmony with nature and creating what is known today as ‘The New Yucatecan Cuisine”. The fundamentals of this cuisine include using ingredients of the region and adding details to traditional Yucatecan plates such as incorporating flowers, herbs, and local specialties such as deer and pig. It also involves creating a perfect balance to invoke the pallet so guests can obtain an experience that exceeds expectations.

You can sample dishes such as Mayan octopus with tomato sauce, avocado, Valladolid sausage, cotija cheese, red onion at Nectar, or textures of refried beans at Huniik. At Tatemar, chef Sara Arnaud applies the tatemado technique to local seafood and meats, cooking them over a direct flame until they are almost charred. At K'u'uk, sample the tasting menu created by Pedro Evia and Eduardo Rukos that exclusively uses Yucatán ingredients; try their sopa de lima.

I can easily recommend the new location of Nectar, a restaurant by now famous celebrated Iron Chef Roberto Solis. He split with original partners in 2013, but continues to a fully elaborated menu he calls the New Yucatecan Cuisine at Nectar. As you walk in you can see the kitchen; the chef and staff cook right in front of you and being solo for this one dinner, I headed straight to the bar to watch and enjoy the plates being prepared for the patrons.

Nectar was the first fine-dining restaurant in Yucatán, opened by chef Roberto Solís in 2003 and widely regarded as the birthplace of new Yucatecan gastronomy, with dishes as tacos al pastor negro that changed the way Yucatecan food was perceived across Latin America. While Nectar is still one of the most important restaurants in the city, Solís also recently opened Huniik, a more casual dining experience that conveys modern Yucatecan cuisine.

Hail a cab to Mérida’s northern suburbs to sample the artistry of chef Roberto Solis at Nectar. With kitchen stints at Noma and Per Se under his belt, Solis has invented a style of cooking that pays homage to molecular gastronomy, foraging, and traditional Yucatecan cuisine: Try his beef picanha with chaya (a spinachlike Mexican green), bacon dust, and roasted onions ($23), and local venison with organic corn and sour orange jam ($23.)

Néctar in Mérida is one of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants, helmed by visionary chef Roberto Solís. Known as a pioneer of modern Yucatecan cuisine, Solís has redefined the region’s traditional flavors through innovative techniques and global influences. At Néctar, which he opened back in 2003, the menu showcases his masterful balance of contemporary gastronomy with the rich heritage of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Nectar restaurant is a pioneer in the fine dining restaurants in Yucatan and opened his doors 16 years ago. It is definitely a place to put on your list for must-visit fine dining. Chef Roberto Solis is one of the precursors of the modern Yucatecan cuisine and has made his mark on the culinary scene as a vanguardist combining traditional flavors with contemporary techniques.

The combination of flavors in the ingredients will provide you with an unforgettable culinary experience. Try the Cebollas Negras (black onions), where the famous regional black condiment (recado negro) is combined with Japanese tempura. It’s important to mention that it’s a restaurant of innovation, so you will constantly see different dishes on their menu.

Néctar is known for its “new Yucatecan cuisine” proposal, where traditional flavors are reinvented with a modern touch. Chef Roberto Solís leads this culinary project, offering unique dishes that combine local ingredients with avant-garde techniques. The restaurant has a sophisticated ambiance and excellent service, making each visit a memorable experience.

A Garcia Lavin, Merida Square Garden: I had a great experience at Nectar which was one of the best meals I have had in Mexico of which there have been many over many years. I had just returned from over 25 days in Spain eating at some of the best restaurants including Mugaritz in San Sebastian. I would put my experience at Nectar as the same there.

Nectar Restaurant - Nectar is the restaurant in Merida where they make art that happens to land on your dinner plate. You might have a salad that looks like something a church lady would wear on their head, complete with something that might pass as a feather but is really a piece of fried parmesan cheese. You never know, and that's part of the fun.

Nectar is a street food establishment located in Mérida, Yucatán. It is known for its exploration of endemic ingredients and its representation of the flavors of Yucatecan cuisine. The chef, Roberto Solís, is a pioneer in the "Nueva Cocina Yucateca" and combines traditional culinary techniques with international influences.

A variety of regional chefs offer culinary workshops, or you may visit Nectar, Apoala, or K'u'uk, the city's three fine dining temples, for inventive Mayan-meets-modern cuisine. For a more casual culinary journey, there is also the recently opened Casa Dominga and Mercado 60, a food hall with 18 eateries.

Néctar is located in the heart of Mexico’s bustling culinary center, Merida. This restaurant highlights the authentic tastes of the region, providing visitors with a unique and unforgettable experience.The exceptional restaurant boasts two floors of stylish, industrial-inspired space.

Nectar seasonal ingredients keep the menu interesting, with a shifting definition of what is regional and what is contemporary. At Nectar, technique counts and method is what makes the difference between a typical dish and the interpretation of one.

Are you seeking a vacation dining experience with fresh, local ingredients that create innovative Yucatecan cuisine?. Then visit Nectar restaurant in the heart of Merida!. The culinary visionary for this esteemed eatery is Chef Roberto Solís.

Of course, I will mention Nectar here because of Chef Solis. He is best known for his Nuevo Cocina Yucatea or New Yucatan cuisine. At Nectar, you will get to sample more of his unique dishes in a posh setting.

Monday: Closed, Tuesday: 1:30 PM – 12:00 AM, Wednesday: 1:30 PM – 12:00 AM, Thursday: 1:30 PM – 12:00 AM, Friday: 1:30 PM – 12:00 AM, Saturday: 1:30 PM – 12:00 AM, Sunday: 1:30 – 5:30 PM