Mérida takes breakfast seriously and its panaderías — neighbourhood bakeries producing bolillos, pan dulce, and the Yucatecan specialty pan de cazón (a layered tortilla, shark, and black bean preparation) — are worth seeking out in the early morning. Many open by 6am and are busy from first light. The best are on the streets just off the main market district, on Calles 65 and 67, where small bakeries have been in business for decades and the bread comes out of wood-fired ovens.
The classic Meridano breakfast eaten at these establishments and at the accompanying fondas is eggs scrambled with longaniza (spiced pork sausage), tamales colados (fine-textured Yucatecan tamales in a sauce made with ground pepitas and achiote), and strong coffee. The fondas — tiny restaurants attached to or near the bakeries — are usually run by women, often Maya-speaking, and charge prices that reflect the fact that their regular customers are construction workers and market vendors rather than tourists. Finding them requires wandering rather than following a map, but the streets between the market and the Parque San Juan are a good place to look.