Memelas Doña Vale

Truly one of the greatest food experiences we had in Oaxaca! The market is pretty busy but it’s worth it to make your way through to eat here. We waited for like 10 min for a seat at the counter but well worth it. Go early because they close at noon and you’ll be sad you missed it. I will never forget those memelas in my life.

If you've watched the Netflix series "Street Foods - Latin America," particularly the Oaxaca episode, you undoubtedly encountered Donna Valle, renowned for her legendary memelas. These fried or toasted masa cakes, topped with a variety of fresh ingredients, are beloved antojitos or snacks in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Puebla, Mexico, with roots tracing back to pre-Hispanic cuisine. Since her feature on Netflix, Donna Valle has garnered even more attention from tourists, with her booth inundated by eager fans.

However, what truly steals the show is the memelas themselves, especially the extraordinary dish featuring black salsa and pork – it's truly out of this world. Despite having handed over the business to her daughter, Donna Valle continues to grace her booth every day, driven by her passion for the craft. While her face may appear stern, a warm smile and a few words of Spanish will undoubtedly elicit a smile in return. For the ultimate experience.

I recommend joining a food tour led by Javier & Martha (+5219514095095), which includes a visit to Donna Valle's booth and many other culinary delights in the bustling centro de abastos, Mexico's largest market, brimming with culture, authentic cuisine, and remarkable individuals.

Eating here was one of our bucket list items and so well worth it! The food was piping hot and so good with fresh with chile. well worth the 5 minute line at 10am

Prices seem to have gone up slightly, but still reasonable for something famous and good portions. Stall is very clean and service is quick. Salsa Mortia is the bomb, and please add Huevos (egg) to accompany it. We were apprehensive about coming to this market after reading multiple reviews about safety, but glad we did it. As long as you come in the morning, walk in open areas, stay vigilant and don't dress in a flashy manner, all is well.

This spot is definitely worth coming to while you are in Oaxaca. Yes there are many places to get memelas here but this is hands down the best. The special memela which comes with a piece of steak and an egg is really tasty. I didn’t have time to try anything else but it was great. Keep in mind though, it is very popular and there is always a lot of people waiting to get food.

Excellent flavor! Challenging to find in center of market. A tour bus of people showed up right as we ordered. Go early! Worth the walk to get there.

Memelas Doña Vale is not in central Oaxaca, but it's easy to get here walking. It is located deep inside a market, so you may have to look for it a little bit, but there some signs pointing to it which makes it easy to find.

The food is amazing, and there are nice places for sitting and seeing the ladies prepare the memelas. I was most surprised by the tomato sauce, which might be the best I have ever tried. And Phil's special was amazing; the egg was simply perfectly made.

Do not miss this when visiting Oaxaca. The place deserves the fame it gets.

Saw this spot on Somebody feed Phil and was eager to try it.
Followed google maps directions and then the signs in the market to find the stall. Was not too hard at all. There were two signs that pointed us in the right direction.
The salsa de Morita was so delicious and would recommend trying it with huevo (egg)

What a great experience! We arrived before lunch (highly recommend as we didn't queue at all, but soon after we sat down people had to wait to be served). It was around 10:30ish that we arrived.
Doña Vale was there making the food, and really the salsa Morita is delicious. We had the simple memelas (queso y salsa morita). Be warned that it's not super easy to find, but that in itself is an experience. We enjoyed strolling around the huge market looking for her spot. Make sure to buy some chillies at the market too!

This was a really lovely place to eat! We had to search through the market on the edge of Oaxaca city to find this gem. We definitely ordered the memelas because we had seen them on a street food documentary on Netflix. They were super lovely with both of the sauces that were available (tomato and the classic darker smoky sauce). We were very surprised by the pork rib which was crispy and succulent, so lovely. You may need to go at a time of day that it won’t be busy but I’m not sure if that time exists! The word is out. She is open from 7 AM to 12 PM to make sure you get there on time.

Well worth the hour long wait. We tried a number of memelas, liked the ones with the Morita sauce and the hot chocolate drink complimented nicely. Also a bit surreal eating food made by someone so famous right in front of you.

My girlfriend and I came here because of the Netflix episode obviously- but my god, that was a delicious experience. I ordered 2, then 2 more, then 2 more, then before leaving I had to get one more. That salsa is the best salsa I've ever had, and my girlfriend said the coffee was the best she's ever had. I tried all the carnes they had, the fried pork was the best, and we also each put an egg on a few of them. I couldn't recommend this place any higher. It was hard to find but Google maps was pretty accurate. If you need to ask someone where it is, it's right near some Sanitarios Públicos that were pink, so that might help. I'm honestly sad I will likely not be able to return, and envious of all the Oaxaqueños who live here and get to visit her whenever they wish.

I wanted to beat the potential crowd so I came early on a Monday morning. I had three veg-friendly memelas (with and without egg and both sauces – salsa morita y salsa roja), chocolate de agua, and cafe de olla. They were all excellent and I particularly loved the lightness and vibrance of the salsa roja. The Google Maps location will get you to the general area; I entered from the south, after the cellphone case stall I made the first right (northeast) into the heart of the market, walked straight for about 100 feet, made a right at the bathroom sign overhead, Doña Vale's stall comes up just as you turn the right corner. ¡Buen provecho!

The memelas may look simple, but the taste is so complex. So many deep flavors. The perfect balance of fat, salt, acid, and spice. We walked 45 minutes from our hotel every morning we were in Oaxaca for these memelas. They are absolutely worth the "hype". I recommend trying both salsas, but the original chipotle sauce is phenomenal. The addition of an egg is great and the fried meat was unbelievable. But just having a memela with no egg or meat was a culinary experience in of itself.

I'm disheartened to see those complaining about service. The ladies working here were kind and patient with my broken Spanish. Service was very quick as soon as we sat down. One of the ladies even saved my phone from being stolen by someone at the market. Come here with the understanding that this is a food stall, not a Michelin star restaurant, and don't be so "star struck" , and you won't be disappointed with the food or services

The memelas are so good - with salsa de morita or salsa de tomate - only 13 pesos each!! Good homemade food at a great price. Expect crowds. As seen on Netflix Street Food Oaxaca.

We started with Agua de chocolate, it is a must try. There is no milk, just water and cocoa. We also had steaks with salsa Moreta

Posting to let people know that Doña Vale seems to be closed at the moment. I talked to people in the market and they said she has been working too hard.

The market is still absolutely worth the trip you will see piles, smell scents, and taste flavors of all kinds.

Tried the memelas with her famous salsa it was delicious. There was a line forming after I had arrived. Definitely a staple when visiting Oaxaca. 😋

I traveled 2.5k miles to taste her food and it didn’t disappoint. The best thing about her food was the salsa morita and her handmade tortillas. I could eat those two everyday without getting tired of them.

After watching Somebody Feed Phil’s episode about these memelas, I couldn’t help but go on an expedition to find them. They are inside the central de abastos, they are a bit hard to find, and you’ll have to make a line, but it’s worth it! I’m not an expert in memelas, but I found them pretty nice. We tried the traditional one that is quite simple and the one with eggs. Both were pretty good. I enjoyed watching Doña Vale prepare the memelas with great skills. They have some simple tables and seats where you can enjoy your memelas. It’s a nice spot to have a relatively cheap and delicious breakfast full of tradition. Don’t forget to bring cash and don’t bring any valuables since it’s a big market in a not so safe zone. You can find the stall with this pin.