Before arriving in Mexico City (my first ever time in Mexico), there were a few things I was excited about. Seeing the Aztec ruins, visiting the Teotihuacán pyramids and drinking great coffee. But one thing stood above all the others in Mexico City: Tacos!!
Now, I knew they would be pretty darn good. But I did not know they would be so flippin’ amazing that I’d need to write my first ever blog about them.
Finding tacos is easy, you can get them anywhere, at any time of day or night. There are so many different types you’d need to eat them three times a day for a week to appreciate them all. You can have flour tacos, corn tacos, double layered tacos, tacos with chorizo, tacos with offal, tacos with fish, tacos al pastor (like kebab meat but better!). Ok Ok, you get the the jist.
Eating tacos three meals a day was something I was game for, but in the interest of not over indulging, I settled for trying at least one taco joint a day for seven days (full disclosure – there were some days where I tried more). So if you’re heading to Mexico City, keep reading below and get ready to spend seven days salivating over the tastiest tacos in town.
[Sneaky tip] The key to finding the best is to never judge a book by its cover. A rickety old street stall could be hiding an explosion of flavours, and all you have to do is give it a fair go.
Tacos El Paisa
Where to begin? This was the best taco I’ve ever eaten! The corn taco itself was immense. The secret was dipping in it pork fat before quickly dropping it on the hot plate. There was all kinds of meat, and so we opted for some pork (not sure which part!), but it was unbelievably succulent. As for the extras, the coriander was fresh, the local papaloquelite herb refreshing, both the red and (avocado-based) green chilli salsa’s were perfectly spiced, and the charred spring onions were epic. And of course, plenty of fresh limes. It’s just a small stand on the street, but it is not to be missed.
SCORE: 15 out of 10.
AMOUNT CONSUMED: 5 (we were on our way to dinner!).
COST: $11.50 pesos ($0.90 AUD) each.
La Buenavida Fonda (BVD)
This was the second taco I tried, and so I was keen to give the chicken a go. Situated in a small, quite trendy bar, overall the taco was pretty tasty. But it was nothing compared to El Paisa (a tough act to follow). The taco itself was soft, but it had been slightly over toasted to give it a crunch which I think was a mistake. The chicken was also a little dry, although I will admit, the mole (sauce) was delicious. It came with some pickled veggies which added a good dimension of flavour.
SCORE: 6 out of 10.
AMOUNT CONSUMED: 2 (After already eating 5 at El Paisa).
COST: $25 pesos ($2 AUD) each.
Orinoco
Oh shit…I think we have a new number one already. Orinoco was a fast paced taqueria that felt like a cross between an american diner and a sushi train. I loved it as soon as we sat down at the bar to watch the magic happen. The beauty at Orinoco was ordering three different styles of meat. And with a mix of avocado, coriander, pickled onion and capsicum giving each one its own unique flavour, they all tasted so different. For me the ultimate was the al pastor (pork from the spit), which was crispy from the flamed kissed parts, but succulent in the middle.
Divine! And as an extra treat, the tacos came with a few sneaky roasted potatoes and grilled pineapple to finish. Lastly, the 6 different sauces on offer meant it was a flavour extravaganza. It was just immense, you have to go here. Now. Just go.
SCORE: 17 out of 10.
AMOUNT CONSUMED: 3.
COST: $30 pesos ($2.40 AUD) each.
Por Siempre Vegano
My first ever ‘plant based meat’ experience, and it was definitely a pleasant surprise. The meat substitute gave the tacos a good texture, and the double layer corn taco really helped make them a full meal! At this place the toppings were all laid out for you to add, which was nice to control the spice, but I think I prefer it when the restaurant takes charge.
My favourite was the spicy red sausage (plant based). It was crunchy and still juicy. The chimichurri option was also pretty good. However, my biggest issue with vegetarian food is when it tries to imitate meat. Veggies taste awesome, and so to be honest I’d much prefer to have seen more veggies cooked in interesting ways for a vegan taco, rather than just imitating meat. But I can’t deny they were all delicious, and I’d eat them all again.
SCORE: 8 out of 10.
AMOUNT CONSUMED: 4.
COST: $20 pesos ($1.60 AUD) each.
Taqueria Los Cocuyos
This was another street vendor, and one that is highly recommended in various blogs. It was a tasty taco for sure. In fact, a really tasty taco. But….and it’s a big but! Was it worth a 30 minute wait? The honest answer for me is no. Don’t get me wrong, I loved eating it, but it wasn’t a better taco than the others that involved no wait time. But if you must try it, or if you happen to pass by with no queue, this is what I thought of the taste.
The chorizo sausage was delicious. And this place definitely scores well for cooking the meat in its own pork fat, which makes it so tender, especially the shredded pork. The toppings were just OK (laid out next to the stand), but maybe we were a bit put off by the melee of people blocking the selection of extras. Overall, a great taco worth eating if you can avoid the queue.
SCORE: 7 out of 10.
AMOUNT CONSUMED: 2.
COST: $20 pesos ($1.60 AUD) each.
Tacos El Huequito
What a great ‘everyday’ taco this is.
It was served up at another street stall (with no large queue!), so it was super quick and super tasty. The meat was cooked al pastor, which gives the juicy and occasionally crispy meat I do so love. The corn tacos were double layered, and filled with some slow roasted onions. It came ready sauced with a guacamole and spicy salsa.
Amazing! It’s great when the chef knows what is best and hands it to you ready to go. No need to choose your own adventure here. Each taco also spent a little time on the hot plate once rolled, giving an extra texture to the corn taco.
SCORE: 9 out of 10.
AMOUNT CONSUMED: 5.
COST: $20 pesos ($1.60 AUD) each.
La Chica
This was another slightly trendy restaurant, and was our last night in Mexico City. I had the pulled pork, which came extremely full of meat, which for me is always a win. Especially as they are a touch more expensive than the street vendors, and only serving you three. With each taco a slither of avocado and some pickled onion arrived on top, making for an amazing flavour combo. My only criticism of this taco that the meat was a little too juicy, so it was quite a messy affair. But that really is nit picking.
SCORE: 8 out of 10.
AMOUNT CONSUMED: 3.
COST: $35 pesos ($2.80 AUD) each.
I’ve been salivating the entire time I’ve been writing this blog, and luckily for me I’m still in Mexico, so it’s time to head down to town and sate my appetite!
And time for you to book a flight to Mexico City!