The Secret Recipe Behind the Yucatán’s Famous Huevos Motuleños

Huevos Motuleños Motul
Huevos Motuleños. Credit: Yucatán Tourism

There are endless reasons as to why locals and visitors alike have flocked to Doña Evelia Huevos Motuleños in Mercado Municipal in Motul for over twenty years. This popular, open-air restaurant is set about thirty minutes away from Mérida, the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán.

Visitors know exactly what to expect: fast and reliable service, the freshest ingredients, and consistently delicious Huevos Motuleños, a staple dish in this small, historic city.

Motul is historically known as the birthplace of Huevos Motuleños, a popular dish in the Yucatán state. In recent years, there has even been a Huevos Motuleños Fair celebrated in the Yucatán.

According to popular lore, a special dish was made specifically for one of the most important governors of the Yucatán back in the 1920’s named Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Governor Puerto was served a dish that consisted of tortillas, eggs, ham, and green peas, and habanero sauce. Since the dish was made up for the Governor on the spot, the name Huevos Motuleños was given to honor the town Motul.



Huevos Motuleños Dona Evelia
Credit: Yucatán Tourism

How Business Began

Doña Evelia began her business in Motul in 2000. She noticed right away in Motul that most of the restaurants only served basic dishes and regular coffee, so she wanted to steer away from that trend. For instance, she began serving Cafe de Olla, traditionally founded in northern central Mexico.

Cafe de Olla is made with cinnamon and dark sugar and the ingredients are boiled together.  Then, she added some traditional breads, cakes for dessert, which pairs beautifully with the coffee.

Dona Evelia Huevos Motulenos sign Motul
Credit: Yucatán Tourism
Inside Dona Evelia Huevos Motulenos seating Motul
Credit: Yucatán Tourism

Favorite Items on the Menu at Doña Evelia Huevos Motuleños

Beginning as a coffee shop, the menu eventually expanded to include sandwiches. One day, with her family, Doña Evelia decided to bring the popular dish that is Huevos Motuleños to the menu as everyone is so familiar with it. But since everyone in Motul already knows how to cook the dish and does the same recipe, her and her family, particularly her son, decided to create their own version.

Her version, for example, includes fried plantains and incorporates her own special salsa recipe.

To drink, she also serves hibiscus tea, traditional coffee, judo verde, and horchata.

Dona Evelia Huevos Motulenos
Doña Evelia Huevos Motuleños. Credit: Yucatán Tourism
huevos motulenos on tray
Credit: Yucatán Tourism

The Popularity of Doña Evelia Huevos Motuleños

In the busy tourism season, Evelia serves between 300-500 dishes per day. The dish is served all day long. The homemade sauce is pre-made and allows them to rapidly churn out the dishes.

Key ingredients include the habanero paper, tomatoes, and beans that are local to the region.

traditional cake Dona Evelia Motul Yucatan
Credit: Yucatán Tourism
slice of cake with shredded cheese on sustainable bamboo plate
Credit: Yucatán Tourism

Many locals in and around Motul come specifically to Mercado Municipal on a regular basis to enjoy Evelia’s Huevos Motuleños. It is a dish that can be enjoyed all day long and is a perfect blend of local flavor and hospitality you won’t find anywhere else.

people dining at Dona Evelia Huevos Motulenos
Credit: Yucatán Tourism

Hours & Additional Information

Doña Evelia Huevos Motuleños in the Yucatán is open seven days week from 7:30am-2pm year round. The only days during the year that she is closed are Good Friday, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Previous articleDesigning Better Childrens’ Bedrooms
Next articleDifferent Ways to Style Platform Heels
Vanessa Gordon
Vanessa Gordon is the Owner and Publisher of East End Taste Magazine. Vanessa is regularly called on as a family travel, personal finance, and Hamptons lifestyle expert. She has been featured in Reader's Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, The New York Times, New York Post, The Daily Beast, The Daily News, and many other publications. Vanessa is also the Founder of the annual Hamptons summer event, the Hamptons Interactive Brunch.