On a sultry November afternoon in Mérida, Mexico, I sat with my friend David Serrano on the terrace of Apoala, a Mexican-fusion restaurant on the Plaza de Santa Lucia, tucking into Flores de Amarillo — zucchini blossoms stuffed with Oaxacan cheese — and people watching. David, a Mexican by birth and a Mérida resident by choice, deftly picked out the vacationers (in short pants, like myself, because of the heat) from the locals (in long pants, like David, because of the insects).

Located on a pretty little plaza in central Mérida, Apoala scores high for its setting. The menu of Mexican cooking is also more than a cut above, with an impressive selection of flavorful options. The Oaxacan brothers behind the restaurant have drawn on their region’s outstanding gastronomy and fused it creatively with more local flavors.

Apoala is one of the best choices for Mexican food on the lively restaurant-lined Parque Santa Lucia. The menu includes both Oaxacan and Yucatecan dishes—moles and beef dishes from the former, ceviches and cochinita pibil from the latter. The presentation is elevated without being fussy.

For a more sophisticated option, restaurant Apoala’s “secret” speak-easy, Malahat* which you’re guided to, behind a parking lot, is an intimate space with bespoke cocktails crafted while you watch. Book through the restaurant and they’ll escort you back to dinner under the stately colannade adjacent to the lively Parque de Santa Lucía square, when your table’s ready. The ulimate in Yucetacan fine dining can be found at K’u’uk* (the Mayan word for sprout), which serves an impeccable 13-course tasting menu dedicated to ingredients, techniques and flavours of the region in an elegant hacienda with lavish rooms.

On August 18, 2013, siblings Sara Maria and Carlos Arnaud Gomez decided to fulfill a life-long dream of opening a restaurant that offered Mexican cuisine in order to rescue flavors oftheir grandmother’s old recipes from their home state of Oaxaca. The Arnaud siblings looked for a different way of incorporating modern standards into their strong passion for cooking and how to bring a touch of their native Oaxaca to Merida. Apoala offers a comfortable atmosphere for lunch or to spend a pleasant evening with cocktails, located in the best place in the city center of Merida, the Santa Lucia Park.

Apoala is arguably the restaurant that started it all: since it opened on Parque de Santa Lucia ten years ago, the square and the neighboring Calle 60 have blossomed with eateries and shops. But its prestigious reputation is well-earned: chef Sara Arnaud’s dedication to showing the best of Oaxacan cuisine still makes for a unique dining experience within Mérida. Whether eating fried zucchini blossoms, or beef short rib with pineapple sauce—maybe with a mescal-based Fortini cocktail, named after the Oaxacan mountain—the food and the people-watching at Apoala is hard to beat.

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).

When I have guests coming to town with Urbano Rentals I give them a few options in the neighborhood of their rental but then for place I recommend for lunch or dinner is Apoala in the park Santa Lucia. Fresh clean Mexican cuisine from the state of Oaxaca but updated to a modern palette and served with aplomb (my first time to ever use that word). Apoala has a lunch menu that they don´t brag about but you should ask what the lunch specials are as they include a plate and a drink for $115 pesos.

Apoala, which takes inspiration from the cuisines of Oaxaca and the Yucatán. Snag a table on the terrace and dig into dishes like zucchini blossoms stuffed with Oaxacan cheese ($8); short-rib tacos ($10); and tuna salad loaded with avocado, chiles, and lime ($9). Play your cards right and your server will show you the way to the restaurant’s not-so-secret speakeasy-style bar, hidden behind an unmarked entrance a few doors down and dispensing tequila- and mezcal-oriented cocktails.

Apoala in Mérida is a celebrated restaurant located in the vibrant Plaza Grande, known for its blend of Oaxacan and Yucatecan flavors. Helmed by the talented chef Sara María Arnaud, who hails from Oaxaca, Apoala offers a menu that highlights the richness of southern Mexican cuisine with a contemporary twist. Signature dishes like mole negro, fresh seafood, and artisanal mezcal pairings showcase her mastery of bold, regional ingredients.

En el centro de Mérida, dentro del bello e histórico parque Santa Lucía, se encuentra Apoala. Su lema es “Pasión por los sabores mexicanos”, que representa muy bien sus platillos que mezclan la gastronomía yucateca y oaxaqueña, enriquecido por la experiencia y el estilo creativo culinario de la Chef Sara María Arnaud Gómez, una de las fundadoras del restaurant. Tiene un ambiente cómodo para almorzar o pasar una agradable velada.

Apoala, located on lively Paseo de Montejo, is a restaurant that celebrates the fusion of Oaxacan and Yucatecan flavors. Chef Sara Arnaud has created a menu that stands out for its authenticity and creativity, offering dishes such as mole negro and tlayuda with fresh, high-quality ingredients. The restaurant has a bar specializing in mezcal, offering a wide selection of this artisanal drink.

Apoala: The motto of Apoala, in Mérida's Santa Lucía Park, is 'Passion for Mexican flavors,’, and indeed, the award-winning chef-owner, Sara Arnaud, is clearly passionate about her culinary creations. She and her co-owner brother, Carlos, have brought a taste of their native Oaxaca to Mérida, blending Mexican, Oaxacan, and Yucatecan ingredients to create new flavors, textures, and aromas.

Apoala $$$: si tienes un presupuesto limitado, este es el lugar ideal para disfrutar de una cocina mexicana refinada. Los productos son frescos, la disposición es muy interesante, el lugar es muy bonito y te recomiendo que hagas una reservación para que puedas disfrutar de una mesa con vista al Parque Santa Lucía. Dirección: Calle 60, 471 (Parque Santa Lucia), Mérida.

Apoala has become a household name among foreigners who live here or are coming to visit. It’s located in Santa Lucia which is a historic park plaza in Centro and has been turned into a trendy restaurant space where you can eat while listening to live music and watch the various cultural activities. It’s a fabulous location and many great restaurants are there.

Here at Apoala, we had an excellent meal of creative, Mexican cuisine at a very high level. There were not too many vegetarian dishes on the menu to select from, but the ones they had were really delicious. We ordered several dishes for two, and our favourite was the “Ensalada verde” – a salad with mixed vegetables and very good dressing.

Apoala: This adorable restaurant is tucked into a really nice plaza of restaurants where there are concerts and dancing (or so we hear) in the evenings. The fair is creative and modern— if you’ve been traveling for a while and want something vegetable-forward, this is your spot. They also have a great speakeasy; ask your server about it!

A first class fusion restaurant with influences of traditional dishes from Oaxaca, and extraordinary regional Yucatan cuisine. Serving up a selection of fresh and flavorful ceviches and aquachiles alongside traditional tacos with a modern twist. Address: Calle 60 #471 x 55 Local 2, Portales de Santa Lucía, Centro, 97000 Centro, Mexico

Apoala has become a household name among foreigners who live here or are coming to visit. It’s located in Santa Lucia, a historic park plaza in Centro that has been turned into a trendy restaurant where you can eat while listening to live music. It’s a fabulous location, and many great restaurants are there.

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.

Apola is definitely considered one of the best restaurants in Merida. It’s a nice location in parque Santa Lucia with outdoor seating. Apoala gives a contemporary spin on Mexican cuisine rather than traditional Yucatecan, and actually seems to lean more towards Oaxacan style cooking.

You’ll want to make a reservation at Apoala to guarantee a table. It’s a small place with big flavors. Their chilaquiles con atún (chilaquiles with fresh tuna) and the Tiradito de Short rib (sliced short rib and avocado) will make your mouth water for a second drink.

Apoala is the restaurant that made the #1 on Sara’s list of tips for the city. Therefore it’s probably a perfect start into original Mexican cuisine with a twist. The restaurant is located on a wonderful plaza (that even features free wifi) under a row of arcades.

For fine dining, Apoala, on the Parque de Santa Lucia, often tops the list, but this menu swings more Oaxacan. You can also eat at the restaurant in Rosas y Xocolate Boutique, one of the swankier hotels in town. This restaurant overlooks the Paseo de Montejo.

Less fussy but every bit as delicious was Apoala, located in a busy square called Parque de Santa Lucia in the Centro Historico. The gay-friendly Casa Chica is a cool hangout for cocktails, and snacks served inside a former colonial mansion.

Apoala is literally three minutes away from Casa Santa Lucia. This is my first stop after unpacking my tiny suitcase. The chef is from the Oaxaca region, and her cooking is a fusion between modern and traditional Oaxaca cuisine.

Apoala was my favorite place in town to eat before all the other restaurants opened in Santa Lucia. It´s still has the very best Mexican food in town but the tranquil ambience is all but gone. The service is exceptionally good.

Many of these are located in the surroundings of the main square, such as La Parrilla, La Negrita Cantina, Apoala, and La Vizcaina. Others are found in the north of Mérida, not far from its popular avenuePaseo de Montejo.

Monday: 1:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Tuesday: 1:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Wednesday: 1:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Thursday: 1:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Friday: 1:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Saturday: 1:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Sunday: 2:00 – 10:00 PM

Apoala Restaurant, 471 Calle 60, Local 2, Portales de Santa Lucía, Centro, Mérida, Mexico. Stylish Oaxaca fusion cuisine and excellent cocktails.

Apoala: For a more upscale meal, visit Apoala in Santa Lucía park. They offer a modern take on Mexican cuisine with a focus on Oaxacan flavors.

One of my favorite places both for lunch and dinner (I tried small meals for both) is Apoala in the newly restored Santa Lucia Park.

The Apoala restaurant is roughly in the middle of the U-shaped building and is one of the best-known restaurants in the park.