Placer & Delirio - Mérida

Quaint neighborhood cafe/bakery, tucked away just off Calle 59, where it crosses 72. We’ve been here a few times, had crepes and pancakes for lunch and some pastries and coffee. Nice to sit in the little courtyard with one of their specialty hot chocolates. We always go in to the store and get a baguette, some chocolate croissants, or a Napoleon to go. Very friendly service!

A relative of a friend—a former Mérida resident—recommended this bakery-slash-café on learning we were chocolate lovers and looking to visit a local bakery or two. We found the place overhyped. The café and bakery storefront were cute, the atmosphere reminiscent of a French bistro. The seating is limited, with somewhat uncomfortable wrought iron chairs. We ordered two dishes to share, the crepa salada de jamón (savory crepe) and huevos al gusto (we ordered the eggs scrambled). The servings were very small, more like a snack than a meal. The crepe had a negligible amount of filling, and the scrambled eggs, plural, amounted to perhaps a single medium sized egg, if that, dry rather than fluffy, and bulked up by being served on a piece of toast. Neither meal had a lot of flavor, with the exception of the toast—a substantial piece of fresh baked bread with nice and chewy crust. A heads up that the turkey (pavo al jamón) is just a slice of pressed turkey cut into a spiral, so don’t expect any chunks or pieces of turkey. We shrugged and moved on to the bakery after lunch, expecting more from the pastries. The small but impressive display case features an assortment of large cakes and bars, in addition to cookies the size of big saucers. We bought a slice of brownie cheesecake, an oatmeal raisin cookie, a slice of triple chocolate cake, and white chocolate bark. The cookie proved dry and tasteless, and the slice of triple chocolate cake both mushy and spongy (it fell apart). The cheesecake was fine—salvageable but nothing spectacular. The bark proved desiccated. An additional note that the single restroom is small and very narrow, and it was difficult to squeeze through the door. This could prove problematic to maneuver with a wheelchair or walker. The counter staff were pleasant and very helpful in describing each pastry. The servers were generally fine but it was difficult to catch their attention.

They did a great double espresso for my husband and I had the violet latte which sounded interesting. Drinks were both excellent and each came with a different macaron. Choose to sit inside the aircon salon or outside at one of the tables within the narrow couryard. Seemed to be favored by locals on lunch. Cute little place!

Artistic pastries, decadent coffee drinks, and yummy breakfast. Would have given stars but both our breakfasts weren't very hot by the time they were brought to the table. We loved the place and would be regulars if we lived in Merida.

Dont be fooled by the area. This small cafe deserves a shot. Great breakfast and super ambiance. If you fancy a breakfast, ask for the off menu options!