History
Memelas are the canonical Oaxacan breakfast: a thick masa round pinched at the edges to hold the toppings, toasted on the comal and dressed with asiento, refried beans, salsa and crumbled queso fresco or quesillo. The Memelas Dona Vale counter at Mercado de Abastos is the most famous early-morning stand; Itanoni serves a heritage-corn version that locals consider the city's reference for criollo-maize masa.
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Common allergens: Dairy (queso fresco optional)
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 300g masa harina
- Warm water
- 2 tbsp asiento (rendered pork lard) or lard
- 200g refried black beans
- 100g queso fresco or pulled quesillo
- Salsa de molcajete
- Sliced avocado (optional)
- Sea salt
Method
- Mix the masa harina with warm water and a pinch of salt to a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- Divide into 8 balls and press each into a 12-cm round, 1cm thick.
- Pinch the edges up to form a small lip.
- Toast each memela on a hot comal 90 seconds per side until lightly charred.
- Spread asiento on the toasted side; smear refried beans; sprinkle queso fresco.
- Return to the comal 60 seconds to warm the toppings.
- Finish with salsa and avocado; eat warm.
Tip from the editors. The pinched edge isn't decorative; it stops the bean and salsa from running off the comal.
Where to eat memelas
Memelas in Oaxaca
Memelas Dona Vale (Mercado de Abastos) ★ 4.6
Memelas Dona Vale at Mercado de Abastos is the famous comal counter with thick masa memelas topped with morita-chile sauce, asiento (pork lard) and quesillo.
TryMemelas with morita chile
Itanoni ★ 4.6
Itanoni in Reforma serves the Oaxacan breakfast canon from 07:00 daily: memelas with frijol, tetelas with hierba santa and a chocolate or atole de granillo.
OrderMemelas with frijol and quesillo, atole
Comedor Yolis (Mercado Sanchez Pascuas) ★ 4.0
Comedor Yolis inside Mercado Sanchez Pascuas runs comida-corrida lunch for 60-80 pesos and 20-peso tamales from morning, the locals-only daily crowd.
TryTamales and memelas
Comala ★ 4.0
Comala on Pino Suarez runs until 01:00 Monday to Saturday with Oaxacan plates, mezcal cocktails and a courtyard that draws the after-Selva crowd most nights.
TryOaxacan plates and mezcal
Almu ★ 4.4
Almu is the open-air room in San Martin Tilcajete (alebrijes village), an open-fire kitchen of memelas, enmoladas and tlayudas in the 2025 Michelin Guide.
Book3 weeks ahead
TipLunch only, from 1pm; the menu is handwritten daily on butcher paper. Allow an hour from the centro by taxi.
Memelas in Puebla
La Ververa ★ 3.8
La Ververa cooks chalupas, memelas and mole poblano at neighbourhood prices in Arboledas de Guadalupe, Puebla, on Saturdays and Sundays only.
Why locals goA residential-street kitchen in Arboledas de Guadalupe serving chalupas at 35 pesos and mole poblano at 89, weekends only.
TipOpen Saturday and Sunday only and closed by six, so this works as a weekend lunch detour rather than a weekday one.
Mercado Xonaca ★ 3.8
Mercado Xonaca trades between 22 Norte and 28 Oriente in Puebla, a barrio market of produce, comedores and mole ingredients that opens daily.
Why locals goA barrio market between 22 Norte and 28 Oriente where the comedores cook for neighbours rather than visitors.
TipTake the 19 or 24 route out, and treat the comedor plates as the reason to come rather than the produce aisles.
More cities are in research. Want memelas covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.