The topic of the best tacos in Mexico City is a BIG ONE. From Netflix shows to high-profile YouTubers all sharing their two cents, what could I possibly add to the discussion?
Well, I live in Mexico City and I eat tacos a LOT. Of course, I have my favorite spots that I always gravitate back to but I make an effort to try out new places, too.
As you can see, I’ve jokingly called this article ‘my life’s work’ but, genuinely, I’m proud of this mammoth guide I’ve been slowly putting together for years!
What is the best area for tacos in Mexico City?
Well, it depends on what you want! For local institutions with decades of history, head to CDMX Centro Historico and do your sightseeing around quick bites at the best taquerias in Mexico City. Expect low prices and no frills.
Although many locals may turn their noses up at the idea of tacos in Roma and Condesa (the expat bubble area), it has undeniably fantastic options. If you have dietary requirements, for example being vegan, you’ll have endless choice. As well as taco trucks, there are cool restaurants with cocktails and craft beer.
Taco dictionary
Unless you’re already an expert, you won’t understand this blog post (or restaurant menus) without learning some new lingo. Here’s a little dictionary I put together that you can refer back to while reading this post, and when eating amazing tacos in Mexico City.
Taco fillings
- Al pastor – pork cooked on a trompo (vertical rotisserie) credited to Lebanese immigrants arriving after WWI. The meat is served on small tortillas with cilantro, onions, and sometimes pineapple (although this prompts a debate akin to pineapple on pizza!)
- Arabe – more Lebanese-style tacos, originating from the city of Puebla. The meat is brown rather than red, served on pita bread
- Res and bistec – types of beef steak. Bistec is usually sliced thinner.
- Suadero – a thin cut of meat from the flank of a cow or pig (between the stomach and leg)
- Chicharron – fried pork rinds
- Milanesa – a fried meat fillet, often chicken or pork
- Longaniza – a pork sausage similar to chorizo
- Campechanos – mixed meats, usually beef and pork. Often chicharron and longaniza make an appearance
- Guisado – stew tacos, usually served in big clay pots where you can point at what you want
- Birria – meat, traditionally lamb, cooked in a rich adobo sauce originally from Jalisco (read more in my Puerto Vallarta food guide)
- Canasta – served from a basket usually found in the mornings. Simple, inexpensive street food with fillings like papa, chicharron, and frijoles
- Carnitas – translating as ‘small meats’, this slow-cooked pork dish originating in Michoacan is similar to pulled pork
- Barbacoa – a cooking style to soften tough cuts of meat, most commonly beef or lamb. It’s cooked for long periods on an open fire or in a fire pit, wrapped in agave leaves until juicy
- Alambre – a mix of meat (usually beef) and ingredients often including bacon, bell peppers, onion, and salsa
- Cabeza – cow head. One for adventurous eaters!
- Lengua – cow tongue. Another adventurous option!
Taco alternatives
- Quesadillas – a dish that needs no introduction! A famous debate relates to Mexico City quesadillas not including cheese unless you ask for it
- Tostadas – crispy fried tortillas often topped with seafood (although you can get every topping under the sun at Tostadas de Coyoacan in Coyoacan Market)
- Volcanes – crispy fried tacos, similar to a tostada, topped with melted cheese
- Costras – tortillas (not fried) topped with a melted cheese crust
- Gringas – large wheat tortillas (rather than corn) with al pastor meat, cheese, and pineapple.
Meaty tacos in Mexico City
The OG taco joints in the capital go heavy on the meat. I’ll share some places for fish and vegan tacos later.
How to use this guide? Because there are so many meaty tacos, I’m starting with taquerias in Centro first, then Roma & Condesa, then other areas, then places with multiple branches. After that, I’ll list different types of tacos (fish, veggie etc).
Let’s start with meaty taco joints in Centro…
Los Cocuyos (Centro)
One of the most famous taco joints in the city (with over 10,000 Google reviews and many satisfied customers long before Google was invented) is Taqueria Los Cocuyos.
It doesn’t look much from the outside but the eternal crowds indicate it’s something special. If that’s not enough to persuade you, know the late, great Anthony Bourdain was a fan AND it appeared on Netflix’s Taco Chronicles. Subsequently, there’s often a 30-minute line.
The specialty is suadero but there are MANY types like campechano, longaniza, chacete (beef cheeks), and unusual options like offal, tripe, and tacos de ojo (eyeball tacos!).
Opening times: 24 hours.
Los Especiales (Centro)
Another popular taqueria in Centro Historico is Los Especiales speciazing in tacos de canasta AKA basket tacos. You’ll see these all around Mexico City but if you want the best (why wouldn’t you?), get here early. I’d seen photos of HUGE lines but when I visited at 9.15am (just after opening), I even got a seat.
If the eyeballs at Los Cocuyos sound like an overwhelming place to begin your taco adventures, this is where to ease yourself in!
They serve just four fillings: frijoles, papas, and two types of chicharrones. I suggest ordering all four, especially since they cost 8 pesos each! Easily some of the cheapest and best tacos in Mexico City.
Both the chicharron tacos were rich and flavorsome but I preferred the frijoles; they were so well seasoned. I found the papas a bit bland.
Opening times: 9am-10pm (6pm on Sundays).
Baltazar (Centro)
If you get bored of al pastor (although, frankly, how could you?), this local institution in Centro Historico serves tacos arabe.
These are technically a Puebla food that arrived in Mexico with Lebanese immigrants but now they’re found in the capital, too. Unlike CDMX’s typical al pastor colored with red annatto seed, arabe meat is a plainer, brown color.
Choose from trompo meat or al carbon (meat smoked over charcoal), served on a choice of corn tacos, wheat tacos, or pita bread. Baltazar serve falafel tacos with cucumber and tzatziki alongside unusual menu additions like jocoque cheese. Wash it down with a yogurt-based lassi drink.
Don’t miss this modest taqueria in Mexico City’s Centro for fusion food with rich heritage (costing 35-50 pesos; reasonable since they’re large).
Opening times: 1-10pm, closed Mondays.
Ricos Tacos Toluca (Centro)
Chorizo is the specialty at Ricos Tacos Toluca. There are four types: red, green, tamarind, and habanero chili. Not only are they unusual but they’re all delicious! My favorite was the green chorizo.
Tacos cost 27 pesos each, topped with fried onions, crispy potatoes, and salsas of your choosing.
Opening times: the Google pin says they’re open from 10.30am but, when I visited at 1pm, they said they weren’t serving for another 30 minutes. So best to aim for 2pm or after.
El Torito (Centro)
For another famous taqueria in Centro featured on the Netflix show, head to El Torito. They’re famed for their suadero and tripe tacos, and tasty dessert popsicles.
Since it’s a popular spot with chilangos and tourists following the Netflix trail, expect to wait in line. Eat in classic street food style: from a plastic plate, standing outside.
Opening times: 10am-10pm (8pm Sundays).
El Buen Taco (Centro)
El Buen Taco is another Mexico City taqueria that appeared on the Netflix show. Al pastor is their specialty (tacos cost 17 pesos each or three for 50 pesos) but the menu is huge, offering queso fundido, birria, tortas, and more.
It wasn’t my favorite because the meat was quite fatty and the tacos extra oily. Still, it’s a good place for a sit-down meal (with seats inside and outside) unlike Los Especiales and many other taco places in Centro where you’ll eat standing.
It’s located in Chinatown and, as you can see, the yellow facade displays Spanish and Mandarin.
Opening times: 9.30am-9.30pm (10.30pm on weekends).
Now moving onto some meaty taquerias in Roma & Condesa...
Orinoco (Roma and Condesa)
This famous taco joint with branches in Roma and Condesa is insanely popular, usually with lines down the street and around the corner! Many locals dislike Taqueria Orinoco, saying it’s overhyped, expensive, and all about the marketing (they even have a shoe collab with Adidas!).
But I can’t deny their food is tasty, especially the juicy al pastor meat. Their other tacos are res and chicharron. Order all three for free crispy potatoes.
As well as tacos, there are costras with melted cheese, and giant tortillas topped with cheese and avocado. The salsas include a tzatziki one for a cooling alternative to all the hot sauces.
The restaurant is brightly lit in red and white diner style. Your best bet is arriving before 8pm; it gets busy once the late-night rush begins.
Opening times: 1pm-3.30am (5am on weekends).
Frontera (Roma Norte)
If you’re new to Mexico, you may be confused by the sheer volume of options at Frontera, but you can always keep it simple with tacos al pastor.
There are tacos, quesadillas, birria, volcanoes, queso fundido, and gringas and more. The main options for vegetarians are mushrooms and nopales with or without cheese.
It’s the place to go if you want to try new things or have no idea what you want to eat. Whatever you choose, pair it with totopos, guac, and a cold beer.
Opening times: 1pm-midnight (3am on weekends).
Read next: best restaurants in Roma Norte you must try!
Hola El Guero (Condesa)
These are some of the best guisado (stew) tacos in Mexico City, not just according to me but the Netflix team who visited during the filming of Taco Chronicles.
There are vegan and vegetarian options like chard, nopales (cactus), rajas (sliced green chilis), calabazitas (green pumpkin), battered cauliflower, and cheese-stuffed chili peppers. But meat-eaters won’t be disappointed at Tacos Hola because there’s also chorizo, steak, chicharron, chicken tinga, shrimp, and more.
Everything is served in clay pots at the front of the restaurant. Whatever you pick will be served with cheese, beans, and rice on a bright yellow plate.
Tacos cost just 26 pesos each; one of the cheapest places to eat in Condesa. Two or three make the perfect quick, cheap lunch. There are a few tables outside so grab a seat or eat standing.
Opening times: 9am-9pm (until 3.30pm Sundays).
El Kalimán (Condesa)
This late-night taco joint in Condesa specializes in costilla AKA ribs. An order comprises bitesize pieces of meat, some still attached to the bone.
We also tried the poblano tacos: green chopped chili peppers mixed with melted cheese (delicious!), the chicharron de queso (crispy cheese fried paper-thin), and the pan de arabe filled with cheese and meat.
The pan de arabes were huge and we couldn’t finish so probably over-ordered. We paid 600 pesos for 2 including beers; not bad for how much food we had, and the fact it’s Condesa!
Opening times: 5pm-2am daily (closes at 8pm on Sundays).
Tacos Los Juanes (street food stand, Roma Norte)
I could tell this place was legit as soon as I spotted the crowd of locals huddled around the trompo.
Tacos Los Juanes is an authentic joint serving a wide range of tacos and tortas from your classics like al pastor, suadero, longaniza, champignon, and nopal, to more unusual ones like lengua (tongue) and cabeza (head).
The tacos cost 10-20 pesos and the tortas are 35 pesos. They have some of the best salsas around!
This is one of the best places for a real, ungentrified taste of Mexico City street food!
Opening times: 8.30pm to 5am!
Tacos El Gato Volador (street food stand, Roma Norte)
The ‘Flying Cat’ serves some of the most popular street tacos in Mexico City. It’s a local institution with a crowd gathering at lunch and dinner.
They serve several types of meaty tacos for 10 pesos a piece: birria, bistek, longaniza, campechanos, and alambre. These can be topped up with serve-yourself toppings (potatoes, nopales etc) from clay dishes at the front of the stand.
If the lines are too long, there’s another stand I like immediately opposite: Tacos El Morocco serving meat and veggie fillings like huitlacoche.
Opening times: 24 hours.
El Compita Birria de Res (street food stand, Roma Norte)
El Compita has a cult following and tens of thousands of Instagram followers; hardly surprising since they serve some of the best birria in town.
Describing their food as ‘100% Tijuanese’, it’s rich and flavorsome, served on tortillas soaked in meat juices. Your order comes with beans, cilantro with serve-yourself pink onions, lime, and spicy salsa.
It’s a short but sweet menu of birria tacos, quesabirra tacos (with added cheese), and volcanes (tostadas topped with birria). If you’re hungry, opt for the compita especial with a birria costra (tortilla with a cheese crust) or the birria en su jugo comprising a birria platter and soup.
Whatever you get, a side of 10 peso consome is great for dipping!
Opening times: 9.30am-4pm (closed Mondays).
Taqueria El Greco (Condesa)
More of the best tacos in Mexico City are at family-run El Greco Taqueria. Like Baltazar Taqueria mentioned above, they serve arabe, a variation of al pastor. The gringa donerkay is the star dish made with Arabian-style pitta bread with meat, cheese, and avocado.
Other dishes at this late-night joint include crispy volcanes and flan napolitano for dessert.
I noticed some recent reviews mentioning tourists getting ripped off. I can’t comment on this but double-check your change!
Opening times: 2pm-10.30pm, closed Sundays.
Tacos Don Juan (Condesa)
Tacos Don Juan is a local institution in Condesa known for their mighty meaty tacos. Suadero is the star dish especially when topped with melted Oaxaca cheese.
Fridays are the day for carnitas and weekends are for rich quesabirria. There’s often a line so be prepared to wait. It’s worth it!
Opening times: 10am-4.30pm.
El Hidalguense (Roma Sur)
Another stop for those ticking off Netflix Taco Chronicle locations is El Hidalguense, known for succulent lamb barbacoa with blue corn tortillas. Following its fame and location in La Roma neighborhood, it’s not a cheap eat.
However, you won’t find better barbacoa without traveling far afield so, if you have the budget, it’s worth it.
Other delicacies at El Hidalguense include the salsa borracha (drunk salsa) with pulque and – for adventurous eaters – the various types of ants served as an appetizer. The mixiote (meat cooked in a fire pit) also gets rave reviews. Wash it down with pulque in flavors like dragon fruit and guava.
Opening times: 7am-6pm, Friday-Sunday only.
Taqueria La Hortaliza (Condesa)
In a nondescript location along the highway, Taqueria La Hortaliza isn’t somewhere you’d stumble upon. If you’re walking to Chapultepec Park from Roma or Condesa, it’s below the footbridge that crosses the highway.
Find it you should because it’s an authentic hole in the wall that appeared on the Netflix Taco Chronicles show. They do fantastic tacos de guisado (stew tacos) for 25 pesos a piece with options like chili relleno (stuffed chili pepper), egg & bacon, chicharron, and – for adventurous eaters – lengua (tongue).
I wasn’t blown away by this place, perhaps because I was hoping to try the chili relleno tacos and they were out. I’ll try again another time.
Time your visit around visiting some of the best Mexico City museums in Chapultepec Park.
Opening times: 9.30am-5pm, closed Sundays.
Now moving on to meaty tacos in other areas...
El Vilsito (Navarte)
Featured on episode #1 of Taco Chronicles (the al pastor episode) is the uber-famous El Vilsito, a daytime car garage and nighttime taco institution.
The star dish is al pastor (but there’s also bistec, costilla, alambre etc served in quesadillas, gringas, and the like). The meat is thick and juicy, plus the salsas are phenomenal. The red salsa packs a punch, while the brown has a slower-building smoky flavor. Cool off with the guac.
El Vilsito in the Navarte neighborhood (around 100 pesos in a taxi from Roma/Condesa or a cheap bus ride) gets busy from 7pm and continues through the night, especially when the bars close.
Opening times: 2pm-3am on weeknights, 3pm-5am on Fri & Sat, and 2pm-midnight on Sundays. It gets busy and atmospheric after 7pm.
Joven Tacos (Navarte)
Not far from El Vilsito in Navarate is another popular taco joint, Tacos Joven, known for tacos de canasta served in a basket. Despite translating as ‘young tacos’, the restaurant has been around since the 1970s!
The short, sweet menu comprises chicharron, adobo, frijoles, refried potatoes, and carne con mole verde. Dare you to try one of each! Since these are more of a daytime dish than a late-night snack, get here for breakfast or lunch.
Opening times: 10am-7.30pm. If you want to visit alongside nearby El Vilsito, go late in the afternoon as the latter doesn’t get busy ’til after 7.
El Borrego Viudo (Tacubaya)
A drive-through taqueria featured on Netflix? This iconic Mexico City taco restaurant has more than 40,000 rave reviews.
If the unusual fillings like brain don’t appeal, try al pastor, suadero, and longaniza, slathered with spicy sauces and washed down with their famous tepache (fermented pineapple juice).
If you don’t have a car for the drive-through, eat in. This late-night joint is located in Tacubaya, just south of Escandon neighborhood.
Opening times: 24 hours.
Now moving on to some meaty tacos with various branches…
El Califa (multiple branches)
To ease yourself into Mexico City’s street taco scene, El Califa is a restaurant with several branches where your tacos are served on ceramic plates with knives and forks… What a novelty!
You can’t go wrong with the al pastor, or try other meats like sirloin steak. Also on the menu are crispy costras and craters, loaded with Oaxaca or Gouda cheese, plus quesadillas and pitas prepared in arabe style.
It’s a great place for mixed groups of meat-eaters and vegetarians because there are meat-free options with faux meat. These are usually only found at vegan restaurants in CDMX so it’s a novelty to find a mixed restaurant.
Tacos cost 20-100 pesos per piece.
El Tizoncito (multiple branches)
El Tizoncito make a BIG claim to fame: they’re the inventors of tacos al pastor! However, there’s little evidence to confirm thid.
Although I don’t think their al pastor stands out, there’s something they do better than other restaurants: their delicious bean dip served with tortilla chips and salsas. Even if you order one taco, you’ll be brought a stand of these appetizers for free.
A tour guide told me this bean dip is so popular that you can buy it bottled to take home.
Other things on the El Tizoncito menu include alambres, huaraches, quesadillas, and soups (mainly meaty with a couple of veggie options).
Taquería Los Parados (various locations)
Taquería Los Parados is off the tourist trail enough to serve some of the best tacos in the capital without an inflated price tag. It’s always bustling (especially late at night after the bars close) but you won’t have to wait half an hour like at the popular taquerias in Centro Historico.
At the Roma Sur branch near where I used to live, there are no tables or chairs, just counters, so it’s a true CDMX taco joint. Rub shoulders with the locals and chat in Espanol… If you can!
They certainly serve some of the best tacos al pastor in Mexico City, but the chorizo is also worth a try. The other dish worth mentioning is the al carbon (a cooking style over charcoal).
Tacos El Huequito (various locations)
Phil from Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix and Eva Longoria (who visited while filming her Searching For Mexico show) are fans of El Huequito known for serving al pastor meat since 1959. Try it in tacos, gringas, quesadillas, burritos, chilaquiles, tortas, and more. I’ve never seen it served in so many ways!
They have several branches, the busiest in Centro with a huge menu including al pastor breakfast dishes. The Juarez branch is a quieter place for lunch or dinner.
Side note – if you don’t know the Juarez area of Mexico City, read my guide. It’s a gem!
Fish tacos in Mexico City
Fish tacos are more commonly associated with coastal regions like Baja California and Oaxaca but, if you’re not visiting the beach, there’s fantastic seafood in Mexico City from high-end restaurants to cheap and cheerful tacos.
Tip – if you’re heading north, I can tell you about the best restaurants in La Paz and Puerto Vallarta for fish tacos!
El Pescadito (multiple branches)
My favorite place for fish tacos in Mexico City is El Pescadito. Garnish your fish, shrimp, tuna, and stuffed chili tacos with purple lettuce, coleslaw, onions, and endless salsas at the salad bar.
I’ve worked through the menu and love the classic fish taco, shrimp taco, campechano (mix), and the que-sotote with chili pepper, cheese, and shrimp.
Pay just 48 pesos a piece. Two make a decent lunch, or three if you’re starving.
They have restaurants in Centro, Condesa (the most atmospheric often with musicians playing outside), Roma, and Juarez.
El Corazon del Mar (Roma Norte and Napoles)
The original El Corazon del Mar is in the Napoles neighborhood and they’ve recently opened one in Roma Norte, too. It’s not the best location beside a noisy road but it’s worth visiting for the quality seafood tacos (order the pulpo a la diabla!) and other dishes like tostadas and aguachiles.
The food looks as good as it tastes with beautiful details and the odd edible flower. Slather it with guajillo chili salsa, and wash it down with a lemon, cucumber, and ginger agua fresca.
La Zaranda (Roma Norte)
For a sit-down meal with cocktails (that’s not overly pricey), La Zaranda is a great place to try fish tacos. Dine in the colorful restaurant or outside with views of the Fuente de Cibeles statue.
The inventive menu offers aguachiles, ceviche, classic Baja fish tacos, and unusual ‘suadero’ and ‘al pastor’ fish tacos.
Tacos start from 75 pesos and you’ll need a few.
Chico Julio (Roma Norte)
Chico Julio serve classic and unusual options. Ever tried hoisin octopus or cajun crab tacos? If not, this is where to come! Also on the menu are seafood burritos and burgers. My friend and I loved the panko fish and shrimp burgers, but the fries were not so good.
Tacos cost 65-80 pesos and tostadas around 100 pesos.
Mariscos El Paisa (Jamaica Market)
Mariscos Los Paisas in Jamaica Market (known for its wonderful flowers) is a hidden gem popular with foodie YouTubers.
This innovative taqueria stands out from its neighbors with unique dishes dreamed up by the chef, Daniel Silva. The sign you’ve found the restaurant is the giant octopus trompo used to make their house dish, pulpo al pastor.
I can’t recommend the trilogy of tacos enough: carnitas de atún, pulpo al pastor, and suadero con camaron. Other rated dishes include the pulpo birria and fish served in a pineapple.
I paid 200 pesos for three HUGE tacos.
Contramar (Roma Norte)
If it’s street food you’re after, Contramar is NOT your place. It’s probably the most popular seafood restaurant in Mexico. The soft shell crab, spicy fish tacos, and tuna and octopus tostadas are to die for. After, order the fig tart: one of the best desserts in Mexico City!
You can easily spend $50 on lunch and drinks but many people (including me) will tell you it’s worth it. As of 2024, they don’t seem to be taking reservations so showing up early for lunch or dinner on a weekday is your best bet.
Tres Galeones (Roma Norte)
Tres Galeones is another restaurant using quality seafood to imitate Mexico City street food dishes, hence creative shrimp sopes and pescado al pastor. There are dishes from other regions thrown in like pulpo pibil (a twist on cochinita pibil from the Yucatan).
My favorite is the camaron al mojo taco featuring shrimp in a creamy, buttery sauce. Tostadas start from 60 pesos and tacos from 50 pesos.
Note – if you’re on a taco crawl, don’t miss Cariñitos next door serving Asian fusion food (more about this place to come).
Vegan tacos in Mexico City
Although there are regular taco places with vegan options (Hola El Güero is my favorite for fresh vegetables while El Califa is good for fake meats), there are also fully plant-based venues where you can browse an entire menu of vegan options without a meaty trompo in view.
Read next: Mexico City vegan food guide
La Pitahaya (Roma)
The prettiest tacos on Earth are served at La Pitahaya, it’s one of my favourite vegan restaurants in Roma where the tortillas are colored with vibrant pitahaya fruit, similar to dragon fruit.
The toppings are creative and unusual with options like cauliflower curry, coconut cream, and jamaica (cooked hibiscus flowers). They’re not my favorites taste-wise but they’re undeniably unique and Insta-worthy.
Pay 180 pesos for three. For a cheaper option, don’t miss…
Por Siempre (Roma Sur)
At one of the city’s oldest and best vegan taquerias, there’s an array of vegan meats to choose from including Seitan and soy, mimicking suadero and al pastor. They do an impressive job!
Follow Google pin Por Siempre Vegana 2 to the restaurant near Medellin Market. There’s also a food stand. Five tacos al pastor will cost you just 65 pesos.
Mandragora (Roma Sur)
Mandragora is a restaurant in Roma Sur serving more of the best vegan food in town. Pay 60 pesos for three (campechanos with barbecued soya and chorizo) or try the milanesa, alambre, or chorizo-mushroom ones.
Paxil Plant-Based Seafood (Roma Norte)
Paxil serve some of my favorite tacos in Mexico City. Sometimes I even go there over El Pescadito (real fish tacos) which is high praise! The options are so creative from faux ceviche to ‘fish’ tacos with battered mushroom, cauliflower (the Ensenada taco), and breaded avocado.
Everything costs 43 pesos. It’s a food truck with seats at the bar.
Gracias Madre (Roma Norte)
This place is similar to Por Siempre, replicating Mexico City street meats with impressive results. Gracias Madre let you top your tacos with colorful pineapple, lime, purple cabbage, and nopales.
The food truck opens around 4pm so it’s a good place for a casual dinner. The restaurant is open from 9am-11pm; find it around the corner on Tabasco.
Unique tacos in Mexico City
These places mix it up from the traditional street food dishes…
El Autentico Pato Manila (multiple locations)
If you had just one opportunity to eat tacos in Mexico City, you wouldn’t go for Asian-style ones – but stay with me here. The food at Pato Manila is delicious and a bit different from your average taqueria.
El Autentico Pato Manila serve unusual Peking duck tacos. The ‘kim’ tacos are the highlight, served in wheat tortillas with hoisin sauce and cucumber. Two cost 110 pesos.
Cariñito Tacos (Roma Norte)
The simple menu at Cariñitos features just six fusion tacos at 55 pesos each: four with pork belly, one with eggplant, and one with cauliflower. My favorite pork belly is the Cantonese in a rich, sticky sauce.
There are two influenced by Thai cuisine: the Thai curry taco and the Issan taco featuring Northern Thai flavors, plus a cochinita taco from the Yucatan.
It’s a hole in the wall (with no bathroom) but there are a few seats outside if your visit doesn’t coincide with a big tour group visiting. They serve beers and, if you visit 7 times and get your loyalty card stamped, you get a free beer on EVERY future visit!
(Next door is Tres Galeones fish taco restaurant if you want to do a taco crawl!)
El Turix (Polanco)
Upmarket Polanco isn’t the neighborhood you associate with street food and cochinita pibil isn’t associated with Mexico City at all. But to try Yucatan food in the capital (and enjoy a cheap lunch while ticking off sights like Soumaya and Jumex galleries), El Turix is a hole in the wall worth visiting.
To make cochinita pibil, rich pork is slow-cooked and served in a unique blend of citrus juice and spices, topped with pink onion. Try it with tacos, tortas, or Yucatan specialty, panuchos (fried tortillas stuffed with beans and topped with meat and salad).
CDMX taco restaurants with drinks
Here’s where to eat tacos in stylish settings rather than standing at a taco cart. The first two do fantastic cocktails and the rest are known for craft beer.
Tacobar (Roma)
Tacobar serve creative cocktails along with moreish tacos for 60 pesos. Options include shrimp; meaty ones like pork belly and rib eye, and veggie options including fajita peppers, barbeque nopales, and cheesy dorados (fried tacos).
Wash them down with cocktails (180 pesos) using Mexican spirits like tequila and mezcal or classics like whisky and gin. If you like a crisp cocktail that’s not too sweet, I recommend the Paloma or Salmoncito.
There’s one Tacobar in Roma Norte and another Cafe Tacobar del Sur in Roma Sur. Both are atmospheric places with great playlists.
Paramo (Roma Norte)
Paramo is an atmospheric Mexico City restaurant popular with a cool young crowd and known for their creative tacos with something for every dietary requirement. The cocktail menu is even longer than the taco menu, plus there are craft beers.
It’s best to go early to ensure a table, especially on weekends; there’s a small bar where you can wait and peruse the cocktail menu.
Morenos Tasting Room (Roma Norte)
Cyprez Tap Room (Roma Sur)
Cyprez is a hidden gem with a huge selection of craft beers (and other drinks like hard kombucha). My friend and I loved coming here for the excellent veggie tacos but sadly they got rid of them. Now the taco options are meat and Baja fish tacos.
Taco award party
Here are the best offerings by category…
Al pastor
- El Vilsito (Navarte)
- Taquería Los Parados (various locations)
- El Huequito (various locations)
Tacos arabes
- Baltazar (Centro)
- El Greco (Condesa)
Suadero
- Tacos Don Juan (Condesa)
- El Tortito (Centro)
- Los Cocuyos (Centro)
Guisado (stew tacos)
- Tacos Hola (Condesa)
- La Hortaliza (Condesa)
Tacos de canasta (basket tacos)
- Los Especiales (Centro)
- Tacos Joven (Navarte)
Best CDMX tacos by area
Finally, my last attempt at doing this mammoth topic justice. Screenshot this for when exploring and feeling hungry!
Centro
- Los Cocuyos (suadero)
- Los Especiales (canasta)
- Baltazar (arabes)
- El Torito (suadero and tripe)
- El Huequito (al pastor)
Condesa
- Hola El Guero, Taqueria La Hortaliza (guisado)
- El Pescadito (fish tacos)
- Taqueria El Greco (arabes)
- Don Juan (suadero)
- El Tizoncito (al pastor)
- El Kalimán (costilla)
Roma
- Orinoco (al pastor)
- Takotl, Frontera, El Califa (various, casual restaurants)
- Tacos El Gato Volador, Tacos Los Juanes (various, street food)
- El Hidalguense (barbacoa)
- El Compita Birria de Res (birria)
- La Pitahaya, Por Siempre, Mandragora, Paxil, Gracias Madre (vegan tacos)
- La Zaranda, El Corazon del Mar, Chico Julio, Contramer, Tres Galeones (fish tacos)
- Cariñitos (Asian fusion)
- Paramo, Tacobar (with cocktails)
- Morenos, Cyprez (with craft beer).
Thanks for reading!
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