Huniik: Merida, Mexico

Huniik, which means 'unique spirit' in Mayan, is more than a restaurant. It's chef Roberto Solis' love letter to Merida and the Yucatan region. Tucked inside a pink-accented townhouse, its unassuming exterior gives way to a jewel of a dining room designed by Cuban artist Jorge Pardo, where golden stone walls echo the region's ancient cenotes. With just 16 seats, the space feels both intimate and otherworldly, setting the stage for Solis' culinary theatre.

Solis, a Merida native, is widely recognised as the pioneer of nueva cocina yucateca - a modern, globally influenced take on traditional Yucatecan cooking. His pedigree is stellar: training at temples of gastronomy such as Noma in Copenhagen, Per Se in New York, and The Fat Duck in London, before returning home to elevate his region's flavours.

Expect dishes like yellowfin tuna wrapped in hoja santa with Yucatecan ponzu, or mango with recado negro, coconut foam and ice cream - flavours deeply rooted in Mexico, yet plated with cosmopolitan flair.


In a land best known to outsiders for Cancun's beaches, Huniik reminds visitors that Yucatan's true soul lies in its food, heritage and artistry.