There is little more upsetting when on vacation in Mexico than sitting down to breakfast with an empty stomach, glancing at the menu and realizing you understand practically nothing. This is the absolute worst because let’s be clear, Mexican breakfasts are the absolute best!

“What are these foods and why don’t I recognize anything?” you might find yourself thinking. Well, no more, my friend, for I am here to help you decipher the Mexican breakfast menu and help you work out how to order breakfast in Mexico. 

How to order breakfast in Mexico

Whether you’re eating from street stands or in a sit down restaurant, these tips will help you get the Mexican breakfast of your dreams. And of course, if you have dietary restrictions, it’s vital to ensure you get exactly what you need at breakfast.

How to order breakfast coffee

_{^{Photo taken by Monique’s Bakery staff in Mérida}}

Everyone drinks coffee in Mexico but the quality of the coffee definitely varies depending on where you are. In Chiapas or Veracruz, where coffee grows, for example, you will experience some of the very best coffee you’ll ever have. But if you’re in the villages or mountains you may well find yourself drinking Nescafe unless you take your own equipment (I’ve been known to do this). 

What is Café de Olla 

Café de olla translated literally just means “pot coffee” (as in made in a pot, not marijuana coffee) and it is a traditional Mexican drink. Cafe de olla is made in a traditional clay pot with cinnamon, piloncillo (a specific type of raw sugar) and sometimes orange peel and cloves. It’s worth trying at least once if you’re offered it. 

Café Lechero

This is really just a white coffee but it’s something of a Veracruz speciality. You are given a glass with coffee in it and then a waiter comes along with a giant pot of hot milk and makes a whole show of pouring your milk. 

Pan Dulce (sweet breads or pastries)

This is traditional Mexican first, or light, breakfast consisting of sweet breads, often taken with coffee. If you’re in Mexico around Día de los Muertos then you must try pan de muerto, a traditional delicacy eaten at this time of year.

💀 Learn about Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca and Mérida

What is a Paquete?

If you see the word paquete on the menu it means a “full meal” that generally includes coffee, juice, pan dulce or toast, fruit and a main dish (guiso or plato).

​How to order eggs in Mexico

🍳 There are obviously many different breakfast dishes in Mexico and since Mexico is such an enormous country there are, of course, regional differences in breakfasts too.

Wherever you are though, eggs are the most important part of a Mexican breakfast. If you’re like me and aren’t a huge egg fan generally, this can be tricky but I have to say, after many years of living in Mexico, I have learned to enjoy Mexican eggs.

Let’s take a look at the different egg dishes you’ll find on a Mexican breakfast menu. 

Huevos Motuleños

🍳 This dish originates in the pueblo magico of Motul, a small town about 45 minutes from Merida.

It consists of a fried tortilla covered in refried beans, a little cheese, and fried eggs. This is all covered liberally in a tomato, peas and ham salsa. It is often served with sweet fried plantain as an accompaniment.

It’s delicious and well worth trying even if it doesn’t look super pretty.

🌶 – not generally spicy

🌱 – not for vegetarians 

Huevos Rancheros

🍳 This is a typical Mexican egg dish consisting of tortillas, fried eggs and refried beans that is covered a spicy tomato sauce.

🌶 – ask because sometimes the salsa can be spicy

🌱 – suitable for vegetarians

Huevos Divorciados

🍳Yup. Divorced eggs. It’s similar to huevos rancheros but the two eggs are separated on the plate, one served with salsa roja (red sauce) and the other salsa verde (green sauce), you know, just like a divorced couple…covered in salsa.

🌶 – ask. Some salsas are spicier than others – salsa verde (green salsa) tends to be less spicy

🌱 – suitable for vegetarians

Huevos a la Mexicana

🍳 Scrambled eggs mixed with onion, tomato, chiles (white red and green, just like the Mexican flag).

🌶 – can be spicy thanks to the chiles

🌱 – suitable for vegetarians

Omelette

🍳 This will generally be on any breakfast menu and is nice and easy if you’re not feeling confident to order something new.

🍳 Huevos al Gusto

“Huevos al gusto” translates to “eggs as you like them” – you choose how your eggs come. See below for the Spanish translation of various egg options.

Chilaquiles

This is a popular Mexican breakfast and one of my absolute favorites. It’s a plate of totopos (tortilla chips), absolutely bathed in either red or green salsa and cheese. The mix is softened on the stove top and then a healthy mix of raw onion, avocado, cream (kinda like sour cream but not quite), cheese, eggs, pulled meat (usually chicken) and a healthy serving of cilantro is added.

You must try this at least once while you’re in Mexico.

🌶 – ask about spice level

🌱 – suitable for vegetarians if you ask for it “sin carne” (without meat)

Molletes

This begins life as a simple bread roll (torta) sliced open and topped with refried beans, cheese and pico de gallo (a not very spicy salsa of tomato, onion and chile) but can also wind up as beautiful and complex and the mollete pictured above.

Tacos and tortas

🌮 Tacos are warmed corn tortillas (in some places, you’ll also be offered flour tortillas) offered with a variety of fillings. This is one of the most traditional and most delicious things to eat in Mexico at any time of day although in some places (Yucatán) tacos really are a breakfast food.

💰 Know that tacos are a cheap and cheerful breakfast, not a five-star restaurant sit-down menu breakfast. You can rock up to any of the numerous street stands or hole in the wall restaurants and get fabulous breakfast tacos. 

🌮 Breakfast tacos will often involve scrambled eggs (huevos revueltos) with vegetables, chicken (pollo) or pork (puerco) covered in raw onion, lime juice, and salsas. 

📌 Order two different tacos and then if you’re still hungry, order more.

🥤 Note that in many parts of the country breakfast tacos are washed down by a coke or an agua fresca (water based juice) rather than coffee. 

Quesadillas are melted cheese inside a tortilla. Unless, of course, you’re in Mexico City where there’s no guarantee of cheese in your quesadilla, you’ll need to specify that you do, indeed, expect cheese (queso) in your QUESAdilla. 😂 

A torta is a bread roll that is generally filled with refried beans and some salad and then the fillings offered for the tacos. 

Fruit Plates

Fruit in Mexico is magnificent and will often be served at breakfast with yogurt, muesli or hotcakes.

Juices and Agua Frescas

Both fresh juices and water based drinks (agua fresca) are offered at breakfast in Mexico. Sometimes the agua fresca will be rather sugary – jamaica, for example, but it can be made without sugar if you ask nicely.

💦 Know that all agua frescas are made with potable, safe water as pretty much no one drinks tap water in Mexico.

As we say in Spanish, ¡Buen Provecho!