Private Mérida Cooking Class in a Local Yucatecan Home

Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star half v4
(123)
Photo of heartV2
Add to Wishlist
Share
Photo of img box all
Show all photos
Photo of 55
Photo of d4
Photo of c3
Show all photos
Photo of 60
+8
Photo of heartV2

Private Mérida Cooking Class in a Local Yucatecan Home

Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star half v4
(123)
Photo of heartV2
Add to Wishlist
Share
Photo of img box all
Show all photos
 US$115.69  per guest
Photo of user add
Adult x2
Photo of calendar
Select a Date
Check Availability
Photo of calendar mark
Earliest available date: August 18, 2026
Free cancellation (24 hours notice)
Photo of arrow button down
Photo of group 14
For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals
Summary
Experience Details
What You’ll Experience
Where to Meet
Reviews
Photo of exp duration
Duration
4 hours
Photo of exp guest
Number of Guests
2 - 6 guests
Photo of exp language
Language
English, Spanish
Photo of exp other
Other
Private Experience
Photo of mobile ticket
Digital Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Photo of group 14
For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals

Experience Details

Step inside the kitchen with Sofia for an authentic, hands-on cooking lesson of Yucatecan and Mayan delicacies. Sofia prepares traditional Yucatecan dishes such as sikil pak (traditional pumpkin seed dip), sopa de lima (chicken soup with lime) or empanadas de chaya, and pollo o cochinita pibil (perhaps the Yucatan’s most famous dish of slow-cooked chicken or pork which has been marinated in an achiote and sour orange marinade, wrapped in banana leaves).


Sofia will teach you to prepare traditional recipes from scratch so be prepared to get your hands dirty. You will learn to prepare an authentic Yucatecan meal that includes a fiery habanero salsa. Enjoy the delicious meal you helped prepare with your host (and her family on occasion) in her modest home in Merida. Please note that Sofia runs a homestay so while your experience will be private, there may be other guests present in her home. Enjoy this private, authentic, immersive Yucatecan food experience with a local!

Sample Menu

STARTER
Sikilpak
Traditional squash seed and tomato dip
STARTER
Chile Kut
Yucatecan habanero salsa
MAIN
Tacos al Pastor or 5 Antojitos Yucatecos
Traditional tacos al pastor or a tasting of beloved Yucatecan street foods, including panuchos, salbutes, and empanadas.
DESSERT
Dulce de Papaya
Candied papaya dessert with local cheese

What You Get

Private Yucatecan cooking class in Mérida with your host, Sofia
Home-cooked Yucatecan meal
Hands-on cooking instruction using traditional family recipes
Private transportation
Hotel pickup and drop-off (unless the transfer upgrade option is selected)

Good To Know

  • Guests interested in a more in-depth master class that includes preparing traditional dishes such as pollo pibil or sopa de lima may request this option in advance. Please note that it extends the experience by approximately 2 hours or more.
  • This is not a professional cooking school or chef-led culinary course. Rather, it is an opportunity to visit an authentic local home, connect with a Mérida resident, and share Yucatecan culture, traditions, and cuisine together.
  • This experience takes place in Sofia's private home, which also operates as a homestay. Your cooking class is private, though other guests may be present on the property.
  • For added convenience, choose the tour option with transfers, which includes round-trip transportation between your Merida hotel or vacation rental and Sofia's home.
  • Sofia's home does not have air-conditioning. During warmer months, the kitchen can become hot while cooking.
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

What You’ll Experience

Join Sofia, a lifelong Mérida resident, for an authentic Yucatecan cooking class in her home and discover the flavors and traditions behind one of Mexico's most distinctive regional cuisines. Using family recipes passed down through generations, you'll learn to prepare traditional Yucatán dishes from scratch while gaining insight into local culinary traditions. During this hands-on cooking and dining experience, Sofia will guide you through the preparation of a traditional meal while sharing stories about local ingredients, family traditions, and everyday life in Yucatán. Depending on the menu selected, you may prepare tacos al pastor or a tasting of traditional Yucatecan street foods such as panuchos, salbutes, and empanadas. After cooking together, sit down to enjoy the meal you helped prepare in a relaxed, family-style setting. More than a cooking class, this is an opportunity to connect with a local family, experience genuine Yucatecan hospitality. Sofia has been welcoming guests into her home for more than 20 years and is passionate about preserving and sharing her region's culinary traditions. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets can be accommodated with advance notice.

Meeting & Pickup

Pickup Point
Select a pickup point
OR
Meeting Point

C. 17ᴬ 102A, Calle 17ᴬ, Yucatán, Mexico, MX, 97205

Open in Google Maps
Please meet your host Sofia at her home in Bulevares de Chuburna neighborhood of Merida. Please check the 'Before you Go' section on your confirmation for the exact address. The above only offers neighborhood details, and not the exact address.
End Point

This experience ends at the meeting point.

Cancellation Policy

Cancel your booking at least 24 hours before the experience start time to receive a full refund.

Read more

Reviews
4.8
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star half v4
based on 123 reviews
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
(TripAdvisor)
Photo of avatar
Wonderful Week in Yucatan with Historic Sites, Diving, Flamigos, and Great Guide (Hernan)
June 14, 2026

We stayed at a private home in Merida for the first week of June and had a fantastic guide from ToursByLocals - Hernan E. -- who spent 5 days with us and also picked us up from the airport and dro...read more

Photo of captionPhoto of captionPhoto of captionPhoto of captionPhoto of captionPhoto of captionPhoto of captionPhoto of captionPhoto of captionPhoto of caption
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star light v4
Photo of star light v4
Photo of star light v4
(Viator)
Photo of avatar
Way too long and hot; didn’t eat for 5 hours
May 03, 2026

Very very long, hot and chaotic. Sofia was disorganized and time management was a real issue. We didn’t eat for over 5 hours (class started at 5 and we didn’t eat until 10:15). Nothing was prepped ...read more

Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
(TripAdvisor)
Photo of avatar
Sophia was fantastic
April 26, 2026

Sophia was great! She welcomed us into her home and gave us a great overview of her family's history. She then took us to the market and to the Tortilleria to watch them make tortillas using a ma...read more

Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
(TripAdvisor)
Photo of avatar
A wonderful day spent with Sofía!
March 23, 2026

Thank you, Sofia, for such a wonderful day! We chose relleno negro as the main dish. She showed us a few different ways of serving the dish, including in tacos and making our own salbutes. We opted...read more

Photo of captionPhoto of caption
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
Photo of star fill v4
(TripAdvisor)
Photo of avatar
A true unforgettable experience with Doña Sofia
February 27, 2026

Our cooking class with Doña Sofia was a truly remarkable experience during our stay in Merida. It was just my wife and I, and we were treated to not only a thorough lesson on the history, ingredie...read more

Photo of captionPhoto of caption
Load more
You may also be interested in these experiences
Photo of 48
Photo of star fill v4
5.0 (11)
Handmade Tortillas, Salsas & Picaditas Cooking Class
Merida
2.5 hours
Private Experience
US$152.51US$169.45
Photo of empty heartV2
Photo of 28
US$80.68US$89.64
Photo of empty heartV2
Photo of 3c
US$373.91US$415.45
Photo of empty heartV2