Guide to the Best Meals in Mexico / Doña Esthela's kitchen, the breakfast in Valle de Guadalupe that became the best in the world
To tell the story of how Doña Esthela's breakfast in Valle de Guadalupe came to be known as the best in the world, we have to go back in time several decades.
By la Tía Polís / Photos: Food Police
About Doña Esthela
In the early 1990s, Doña Esthela left her home town of Sinaloa in search of work and found it in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California where some “paisanos” set up a ranch. They were in need of hands to make tortillas and cheese, a skill that she mastered through years of work since she was a child helping her parents.
Family in tow, Doña Esthela, along with her husband and daughters, moved to Valle de Guadalupe, a little-known agricultural valley at the time.
Although they found work and a home, "after a while" the ranch went bankrupt and the family was left without a job. Accustomed to not giving up, she dedicated herself to doing everything to survive. In one of those, she began to prepare tortillas and burritos with simple stews: "Beans, vegetables, potatoes... there was no meat," she recalls, and she began to sell them from house to house.
They were there when a ranch spoke to Esthela and her husband again to employ them to take care of the properties, but the fortune did not last long: the owner of the land had to return to her native Guadalajara and was planning to sell what she had in the Valle de Guadalupe before leaving. But before the lady concluded her affairs in Baja California, she sent for the couple and asked them to please choose one of her lands because she was going to leave it to her in gratitude for their time in service. When Esthela Bueno tells the story of how the land where today her restaurant receives several thousand diners a day was made, she smiles. It was in this piece of land where in 2011, on some tables, she began to receive a few clients.
Soon, its northern flavor became popular among the locals, even winery owners or renowned chefs from the region such as Jair Tellez or Javier Plascencia are often seen around and recognize the quality of the food. It is possible to assure that “La Cocina de Doña Esthela'' became a point of reference for anyone looking for authentic Mexican food. But the surprises for the family did not end there. In 2015, while she was in her restaurant, Mrs. Esthela received a call from someone who spoke to her in English on the other end. After hanging up on him several times, his interlocutors managed to explain to her that the food critic site Foodie Hub wanted to give recognition to his machaca con huevo dish for being considered the best breakfast in the world. The myth had been created: today, Doña Esthela's Kitchen It has two rooms and a huge terrace where daily it receives more than a thousand diners including tourists, chefs, journalists and foodies from all over the world to try its menu of machaca con huevo with flour tortillas, grilled lamb, hot corn cakes, sweet bread …
Doña Esthela's is one of those stories we like, the dream of a working class who, with exceptional talent, hard work and a lot of luck, become international celebrities. In 2022, Trip Advisor awarded it Travelers' Choice recognition. In addition, as of today La Cocina de Doña Esthela is the number two place for Mexican food and number 3 of all restaurants in the Valle de Guadalupe.
Like any great story, this cuisine also has its detractors, who believe that there are already too many tourists and it is not the same as before. If your doubt is the same, don't worry: this seasoning has changed little since the time when these burritos were sold from house to house, since Doña Esthela gets up every day at 2 in the morning to prepare the stews that will be served. during the day: in 10 years she has not taken a vacation. Doña Esthela is a hard worker who has achieved great success. She started out selling burritos from house to house, and now her restaurant, La Cocina de Doña Esthela, is one of the most popular in the Valle de Guadalupe. Her food is delicious, and her story is an inspiration to us all.
Best time to visit
- Breakfast, but the opening hours are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- This place can be an excellent complement to a visit during the grape harvest season, which begins at the end of July and ends until October. They don't take reservations and you may have to wait in line to get a table, so be patient and don't worry because the hungrier you are, the better the experience.
How to get to Doña Esthela's kitchen?
- It is usually one of the stops of the tours that leave from Ensenada and Tijuana to tour the Wine Route, although you can also get there on your own.
- By car, on the Francisco Zarco highway, follow the signs to the La Lomita winery, which is located two blocks from La Cocina de doña Esthela.
Must-haves we love
- The hot corn cakes, the grilled lamb and the machaca with egg.
What we don't like so much
- The wait can be very long and there are no reservations
Food Police advise
- To avoid the queue, arrive very early, at least 15 minutes before opening.
- Portions are HUGE. A plate will suffice for 2 and up to 3 people.
- And if you run into Mrs. Esthela, don't be shy and say hi! She loves the occasional selfie.
- Address: Carretera El Tigre El Porvenir between kilometer 13 and 14, 22755 Rancho San Marcos, Valle De Guadalupe Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
- Telephone:+52 646 156 8453
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Ideal for: breakfast, lunch, brunch.
- Type of food: Northwest Mexican
- Payment: cash and credit cards
- Accessibility: wheelchair accessible
- Parking: yes / free / dirt road.
- Beer price: no beer sale
- Reservations: no (no exceptions, don't even try)
- Nearby public transport: no
- Pet friendly: yes
- Suitable to go with children: yes
