This Mexican restaurant leans into the most important meal of the day

There are dozens of places in Madison where you can find Mexican specialties like tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas and tamales, but the same can’t be said about Mexican breakfast options. A dearth of Mexican morning fare was enough for first-time restaurateurs Jennifer Osuna and Israel Fuerte to jump into the restaurant scene with MEXLI Mexican Breakfast. 

Situated just off West Beltline Frontage Road near Todd Drive, MEXLI’s vibrant facade sets it apart from the gas station next door, which shares a parking lot with the restaurant. Inside, a single, spacious dining area is painted yellow, orange, pink and blue. “The colors represent Mexico,” says Osuna. “They represent the places we’re from.”

Fuerte, who moved to Madison from Mexico City in 2006, brings traditional dishes to MEXLI’s menu. Osuna, a Madison native who lived in Guanajuato for several years, likes to experiment. The result is a diverse menu brimming with Mexican creations that put a modern take on the classics. 

MEXLI will celebrate two years in business in February 2026, but in that short time, the restaurant has significantly changed, including rebranding with an updated name and focus. “At the beginning, we started with breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Fuerte explains. Before long, though, the owners pared down to a breakfast-only concept. “We wanted to get back to the reason we started this,” says Fuerte. “Fewer items meant we could focus on making everything perfect.”

Familiar fare is on the menu, like omelets and burritos, though these dishes are far from classic American diner food. The omelette campestre (or country omelet) features sauteed cactus alongside mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, serrano peppers, salsa verde, queso fresco and avocado. Huevos divorciados includes fried eggs and two of MEXLI’s house-made salsas in a single dish, while the omelette poblano adds sweet corn, strips of poblano pepper and cream cheese to a bacon and spinach omelet. 

Diners with a sweet tooth can turn to Osuna’s pancakes — referred to as hotcakes in Mexico. She makes the dish uniquely Mexican by offering specialty syrups, including tres leches and jamaica (hibiscus) syrup. “We wanted to make them original, modern and fun without losing the traditional elements,” says Osuna. 

The ideas keep coming for Osuna, and the menu continues to evolve and grow. She and Fuerte hope diners will choose to start their day at the cozy restaurant they’ve filled with love and creativity. “We want it to feel like you’re stepping into a home,” Osuna says.

Chilaquiles Your WayThe tortilla chip dish gets custom treatment

Photo by Nikki Hansen

Tradition meets personalization with MEXLI’s signature dish: chilaquiles. This classic Mexican breakfast consists of crispy, fried tortilla chips bathed in warm salsa, topped with sour cream, queso fresco and onions. MEXLI dedicates half its menu to chilaquiles options, including a “favorites” list that features chilaquiles served with mole and several other salsas, plus proteins ranging from breaded chicken breast to chicharrónes (fried pork rinds). For those feeling adventurous, a build-your-own option allows customers to mix and match salsas, proteins and extras to turn the Mexican favorite into a dish all their own.

MEXLI Mexican Breakfast | 2705 W. Beltline Highway | Facebook: MEXLI Mexican Breakfast

Sam Zwick is a contributing writer to Madison Magazine.