A brightly painted place serving Yucatán-style tortas (juicy stuffed sandwiches), tacos with chicken cutlets in poblano chili sauce, scrambled eggs with chaya, and aguas frescas, Wayan’e has long been an indispensable Mérida favorite. Go early if you want to choose from the entire menu and take a seat at the counter, which is pressed in by locals anointing their tacos with loads of habanero chile salsa. Service stops when the food runs out, usually around 2pm.

One of the most traditional places for taco lovers, Wayan’e has different locations all over the city, but the original is the one in Colonia Itzimná. They all have delicious tacos or tortas (baguette sandwiches) of “castakán,” (pork skin with meat attached) eggs with chile xcatic, “chilibuul,” or a variety of other options, that we are sure you will love. Make sure to arrive early for breakfast, because after a few hours there is nothing left!

At Wayan’e, a Mérida insitution that opened in the early ‘90s, I try a range of tacos for breakfast from cochinita pibil to scrambled eggs with chaya, chicharron y castacan (pork belly with crackling), and castacan y queso (pork belly with fresh cheese) and pollo pablano. The wee tacos come in single servings and are the ideal way to sample a large range of Yucetacan flavours for a few pesos, in bite-size portions.

Wayan´e is a street food establishment located in Mérida, Yucatán. This authentic Mexican eatery offers a delightful array of Yucatecan street food dishes. From the famous cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish marinated in achiote and sour orange, to the mouthwatering salbutes and panuchos, crispy tortillas topped with various fillings like shredded chicken or turkey, refried beans, and pickled onions.

Wayan’E is a Merida institution and a must-visit eatery while in town if there ever was one. There are now a couple of branches of this humble taqueria around town but for the best experience, I’d recommend eating at the original one in Itzimna. Tacos and tortas grace the menu and a breakfast taco won’t set you back more than 17-23 pesos per piece depending on what’s inside.

Breakfast might be a no-frills gourmet lineup of 75-cent tacos at iconic Wayan’e or lingering at Chaya Maya a lively eatery in the courtyard of a traditional colonial house with staff clad in Maya clothing. Its Yucatecan breakfast dishes included my favorite — papadzules, hard-boiled eggs wrapped in tortillas and topped with a luscious pumpkin seed sauce.

It’s a tie between Taqueria La Lupita, El Apapacho, and Wayan’e for our favorite restaurant we tried in Mérida. Wayan’e is said to be one of the best taco spots in Mérida and is very highly praised for its castacan, which is crispy pork belly. We ordered ours in taco and torta form and had heard to add cheese, which you never have to tell us twice to do!

Better late than never, is the Critics motto when it comes to trying out restaurants that have already been commented on by others; take the Wayan’e case for example, where the Critic waited 20 years to try the famous tortas and tacos and lo and behold, when he did get around to trying them, he was convinced that the mythical reputation was justified.

Speaking of street tacos, fans of Mexico’s most iconic dish need to go to Wayan’e. It’s one of the best restaurants in Merida to have tacos topped with Yucatan specialties like poc chuc, castacan (crispy pork belly), higadilla (liver and organ meats), and lomitos. Only after leaving Merida did I learn that higadilla is a less common Yucatan dish.

As stated by this couple, this is by far their best -and favorite- restaurant in Mérida to eat tacos. Wayan’e does not only specializes in tacos, but it also has a wide variety of Mexican -mostly regional- food. “The Wayan’e location with closest walking distance to Merida Centro has a pleasant ambiance with tables in a courtyard setting.

Wayan’e – This taco shop has three locations, though the closest to centro is still bit of a walk on calle 59. It has a nice little courtyard setting and covered seating area. The menu is on the wall but for your first time, it’s best to go up to the counter to see what taco toppings are available at the moment.

I toyed with the idea of not going to Wayan’e as it was my last day in town and, though there are a couple of branches, all of them are a decent walk outside of the centre. All I can say is that I’m so glad I didn’t let my laziness get the better of me. These were, hands down, the best tacos that I had in town.

Here we are” is the name of this restaurant which has been serving up tacos and tortas for over 30 years. Yucatecan and Mexican recipes make up most of their ample menu. Try their house specialties: the famous Chili Buul, which is a twist on traditional Frijol con Puerco, a dish served in homes across Yucatán.

Ask any Merida local the best place to head for breakfast in Merida and they will answer the same thing: Wayan’E. The restaurant name is in Mayan and means “it’s here”. This is a fitting name as this is definitely the best place to enjoy breakfast on a Saturday or Sunday morning in Merida.

This is a very popular taqueria with a couple of locations throughout greater Merida. The location in Centro Historic has a small courtyard and is a pleasant place to eat. While I didn’t think their tacos were quite as good as the tacos at Taqueria de la Union, they were still very tasty.

Wayan’e has 2 locations in Mérida, and you already know the Bros hit up both. One location is north of the city center and the other is east of the city center. This place quickly became one of our favorite spots for breakfast or an early lunch due to its wide variety and hospitality.

If you feel like venturing outside the city center just a bit, you’ve got to hit up Wayan’e. Locals will tell you this is one of the best places in Merida for tacos. At just 10-15 pesos per taco, this place not only serves up delicious tacos but highly affordable ones too!

A taco from this local establishment is a must when you are in Mérida. There are three locations; google for the location closest to you when you are hungry for tacos from this famous stand. My favorite location: Calle 15 X 18A y 20, Col. Itzimná (97100)

This is the spot to try Castacán, a Yucatan specialty of crispy pork belly. Normally served with melted cheese it’s an amazing taco. They also serve a ton of different tacos de guisado (stew tacos) but the castacan is what to get here.

Wayan’e is a casual spot known for their tacos at 408-412 Calle 59, while Manjar Blanco at 496 Calle 47 Zona Paseo Montejo is known for cochinita pibil, the traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatán Peninsula.

Now if you are looking forward to having a familiar Mexican cuisine like tacos, then Wayan’e is your best bet. Their take on street tacos is one of the best by far in this area. Which is why I added it to this list.

Below are two from the extensive menu of the corner taco store, Wayan’e. On the left is egg with beans and local greens. On the right is a local Yucatan pork specialty that has a wondrous black color.

Monday: 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM, Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM, Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM, Thursday: 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM, Friday: 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM, Saturday: 7:00 AM – 2:30 PM, Sunday: Closed

Wayan’e - THE PLACE to have real breakfast tacos (appeard in the cover of food & wine magazine as the place to eat like a local - in the whole world-)