Unwrapping The Mystery Of Marilyn Monroe's Last Meal

Last meals are tricky, especially when talking about one of the most iconic silver screen actresses of all time. While Marilyn Monroe was no stranger to the spotlight, her private life wasn't a total open book. Case in point: her last meal. Was it Mexican takeout? Or maybe stuffed mushrooms? No one knows for sure, but there's one answer that's the most likely. Based on a couple of published books and her whereabouts in the months leading up to her untimely death, it was probably a buffet spread of Mexican food. Without first-hand sources, though, it's impossible to know what that consisted of.

In "Last Suppers: If the World Ended Tomorrow, What Would Be Your Last Meal?," author James L. Dickerson claims Monroe had spicy meatballs and guacamole at a Mexican restaurant, washing it down with Champagne, her drink of choice at the time. In "Their Last Suppers: Legends of History and Their Final Meals," author Andrew Caldwell states that on the night of her death, Monroe had a Mexican buffet delivered to her home, which consisted of gazpacho, meatballs, refried beans, veal parmigiana, layered taco dip, and chicken. How they got this information is not explicitly stated, but the theory holds some weight.

In the year leading up to her death, she spent some time down in Mexico finalizing her divorce and buying some furniture for her home in Brentwood, California. During her last visit to Mexico, she ate at El Taquito, which is still open today, in the historic center of Mexico City. There, she had her fill of margaritas and tequilas, and even sampled tacos made with maguey worms, a delicacy made with caterpillars commonly found inside the agave plant. It's safe to say, her trip to Mexico left a lasting impression on her palate — one that may have shaped what ended up being her final meal.

On several listicle-style sites, Monroe is listed as having had stuffed mushrooms and meatballs as her last meal. While these appetizers were popular hors d'oeuvres at the time, there are no credible sources that support the claim that she had stuffed mushrooms. Monroe's favorite foods included steak, stuffing, lamb chops, and, interestingly, raw eggs in milk. Some of Monroe's favorite restaurants in Los Angeles may have served them, but there's no evidence that she ever ordered the appetizer. She most likely did have the meatballs in her Mexican buffet spread, but the mushrooms are a different story. 

Some sources state that she chased her final meal down with Champagne. It sounds fitting enough, but the facts don't support it. Here's why that story might have stuck around. During her final months, she was known to play it a little fast and loose with pills and alcohol. In her last photoshoot, she drank Dom Pérignon throughout the session. But at the time of her autopsy, her system was clear of alcohol. Police photographs show a glass and a cup near her bedside, but what they held, if anything, remains unknown. While the drinks remain uncertain, the meal itself points most convincingly to a Mexican buffet.