Where to Find the 50 Best Tacos in Texas

Sazzon Baja-Mex Culinary

The Taco: Taco gobernador

A seafood restaurant in the Big Bend may be unexpected. The region is better known for its meaty tacos and forearm-size burritos, but curious diners from all over Texas are making the trek to Sazzon Baja-Mex Culinary to try its excellent seafood tacos, including the Gobernador—a crisped tortilla stuffed with curls of shrimp, melted cheese, a bramble of cabbage, and a thin wedge of avocado. Also on the menu is an open-faced smoked marlin quesadilla, a Sinaloan specialty rarely found in Texas. 901 E. Holland Ave, 432-284-4398. Sun 11–3, Mon–Sat noon–8.

Taqueria MTZ

The Taco: Birria

After decades of working for restaurant chains, Indolfo Martinez struck out on his own with a taco trailer. The first time he and his son, Raul, promoted their beef birria taco on social media, hungry locals took notice. The next day the truck sold out. The birria here uses sirloin so tender that it shreds as cooks lift it from its braising liquid. The remaining juice is used for dipping the tortillas. The tacos are crisped on the griddle, and the meat is complemented by milky Oaxacan-style quesillo—the melty cheese results in a tantalizing pull. Follow Taqueria MTZ on Instagram for its weekly schedule, or call 806-340-8465.

Taqueria Gael

The Taco: Asado verde

Owner and cook Silvia Hernandez, from a small town called El Salto, in the northern Mexican state of Durango, serves home-style guisados, such as the fiery asado verde, a forest-green chile-based stew with chicken. Other favorites at the far West Texas restaurant she started with her husband, Jorge Loera, include the spicy green picadillo (shimmering ground beef with a fiery salsa verde and aromatic vegetables) and the asado rojo (chopped pork in a dark, clay-colored salsa). 500 S. Main, 432-223-8827. Mon–Fri 7–2, 5–8, Sat 6–1, 5–8.

Con Todo

The Taco: Bistec estilo Matamoros

Joseph Gomez, a native of Los Fresnos, in the Rio Grande Valley, serves New Tejano treats influenced by the RGV, including salsa macha–drowned sweet potato tostadas, large mesquite-flour tortillas, and the crown jewel, bistec estilo Matamoros. Gomez’s take on this traditional taco features marinated Angus chuck, queso fresco, and a dollop of guacamole. But the young taquero’s primary contribution to New Tejano is a special ongoing event called Sabor Sin Fronteras, a sci-fi-themed dinner series set in the year 2109. For the first event, Gomez served a tostada with RGV-grown beets soaked in the same alkaline solution used for corn, a corn miso topping with greens, and pink and white moles. A tamal filled with figs from Gomez’s grandmother’s backyard served with queso fresco ice cream was the sweet finish to the meal. Back at the trailer, Gomez serves all menu items “con todo”—with all the garnishes—which is what he’s aiming for: everything. 10001 Metric Blvd, no phone. Tue–Fri 3–10, Sat & Sun noon–2:30, 5–9.

Cuantos Tacos

The Taco: Suadero

This truck is one of the few taquerias preparing and selling legitimate Mexico City–style tacos in Texas. The choricera, a round metal cooking device with high walls and a convex mound in the center, is a staple of CDMX’s street stalls. Inside the appliance, lard bubbles around and over meats such as longaniza (aged chorizo), suadero, and tripe. Cuantos’s specialty is suadero brisket, a replacement for the typical long, thin cut between the sirloin and the lower flank. The meat is roughly chopped and glossy inside tortillas from San Antonio Colonial Tortilla Factory that have been brushed with lard. The lengua, sliced into medallions, is another treat. 1108 E. Twelfth, no phone. Tue–Fri 11–10, Sat 9–8.

Discada

The Taco: Discada

Offering only one taco leaves a business no room for error. But Discada owners Anthony Pratto and Xose Velasco’s creation comes out perfect every time. Named after the broken plow blades northern Mexican cowboys and ranchers repurposed into a shallow, open-fire cooking pan (also called a discada), the filling is confit of beef and pork, along with onions and peppers and other aromatics, all of which are reduced until the fat and liquid evaporates. The tacos come with a scorching, pinkish habanero salsa. Pratto and Velasco include minced pineapple in their cooked mixture, a nod to Velasco’s native Mexico City and its fruit-topped al pastor. 1319 Rosewood Ave, no phone. Tue–Sat noon–8.

El Paso Flauta

The Taco: The Number Two

In El Paso, Chico’s Tacos’ ground beef–stuffed rolled tacos submerged in tomato sauce and obscured by shredded orange cheese are controversial. People either love them or hate them. I think you’ll love the homage served at El Paso Flauta, an Austin trailer run by Sun City native Arturo Reyes; his daughter, Stephanie Reyes; and daughter-in-law, Samantha Perez. The Number Two is served with the flautas separated from the salsa and cheese. Once you get to your table, empty the cup of red salsa over the taquitos, generously sprinkle the cheddar, and add a drizzle of tangy salsa verde. 7701 Colton-Bluff Springs Rd, 512-516-7894. Wed–Sat 11:30–9 or sold out, Sun 11:30–5 or sold out.

Nixta Taqueria

Ranking: No. 10

The Taco: Enchilada potosina

Nixta became a sensation after it opened on Austin’s East Side in October 2019. Its design features Mexican touches, such as flower-print oilcloth, dried ears of corn, and a mural of Mesoamerican goddess Tonantzin. But the menu—developed by chef de cuisine Sara Aguilar and co-owner Edgar Rico—is New Tejano. 

The vegetable-forward lineup relies heavily on corn from Barton Springs Mill, in nearby Dripping Springs, and non-GMO heirloom Mexican corn, both of which are nixtamalized (steeped in a nutrient-unlocking calcium-hydroxide solution) for its tortillas and tostadas.  

The enchilada potosina taco is a riff on Rico’s family roots in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosí. Cooks mix guajillo chile paste into the masa for tortillas that hold duck-fat refried beans and a blend of potato and chorizo. They cap the taco with shredded cabbage and queso enchilado, chile-rubbed cheese imported from the same region. Follow it up with sholeh zard, a rice pudding that nods to co-owner Sara Mardanbigi’s Persian background. The dessert is spiked with cardamom, cinnamon, pistachios, saffron, and turmeric. 2512 E. Twelfth, 512-766-8023. Sun 10–2, Tue–Thu 5:30–10, Fri & Sat 11–2, 5–11.

Ramen del Barrio

The Taco: Lengua Yaki-Taco

Maine-born, Mexico-raised Christopher Krinsky is obsessed with ramen. The chef’s stall in Hana World Market, an Asian supermarket on the north side of town, naturally serves magnificent ramen—and also offers up the best lengua taco I’ve ever had. After braising for four hours with bay leaf, black peppercorn, and onion, the beef tongue is removed from the liquid and peeled, cooled, and cubed. It’s then skewered with green onions and grilled over Japanese binchotan charcoal, yakitori-style, and, finally, dipped in piloncillo tare, a Japanese soy-based sauce that’s spiked with unrefined Mexican sugar. Then it’s plated on a corn tortilla with fiery chile de árbol salsa, chopped onion, cilantro, guacamole, lime, and cotija. Herbaceous from the braising liquid, the lengua is chewy yet tender, pulling away from the skewer in strands. 1700 W. Parmer Ln, no phone. Wed–Sun 11–3, 4–7.

Suerte

The Taco: ChocoTaco

Dessert tacos are beloved by people digging into convenience store freezers at 1 a.m., but the Chocotaco at Suerte, a product of pastry chef Derrick Flynn’s imagination during the slow times at the restaurant brought by COVID-19, is a cheeky treasure and a credit to its genre. Prepared over two to three days, beginning with the nixtamalization of Barton Springs Mills yellow masa, the taco is filled with cinnamon semifreddo and peanut caramel and dipped in chocolate. A layer of crushed peanuts completes the dish before it’s frozen. Of course, you’re welcome to eat dessert first, but don’t skip the suadero tacos, topped with a salsa macha that joyfully dances at the back of your throat. 1800 E. Sixth, 512-522-3031. Mon–Thu 5–10, Fri 5–11, Sat 11–11, Sun 11–10.

Yellow Bell Tacos

The Taco: lamb

John Bates, the owner of InterStellar BBQ, the second-best barbecue joint in the state according to this magazine’s 2021 Top 50 list, brings a piece of his native South Texas to his taco truck, Yellow Bell Tacos. The truck serves InterStellar’s smoked meats in fluffy, house-made, beef-tallow flour tortillas as well as in corn tortillas from San Antonio Colonial. The juicy chopped lamb taco is smoky, but it doesn’t mask the sweet, gamy flavors of the meat. Pair it with brews from the Austin Beerworks taproom, which shares a location with the truck. 10300 Springdale Rd, no phone. Thu & Fri 5–9, Sat & Sun noon–9. 

Tacos Pkchü

The Taco: Taco estilo Matamoros

The tiny trailer branded with the Pokémon character turns out platters of tacos estilo Matamoros that are better than any in Brownsville—and nearly anywhere else. The tacos come six to an order, and the slick, mini corn tortillas are packed with a mix of tender, juicy beef—which can include al pastor, bistec, and tripa—salty queso fresco, and a slice of avocado. Served on a Styrofoam tray, they are messy wonders. Be sure to ask for lots of extra napkins. 5727 Southmost Blvd, 956-579-7983. Sun–Tue 5–11, Thu–Sat 5-11.

Vera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que

The Taco: Barbacoa de cabeza de res

Brownsville sits at the southern corner of the state between the border and the Gulf, yet many barbecue and barbacoa fans from all over Texas make the pilgrimage to Vera’s, likely the last commercial bastion of mesquite-fired, pit-cooked, whole-head beef barbacoa. Whether you order cheek, mixed whole-head meat, lengua, or palate (the roof of the mouth), the soft threads of beef run with rivulets of fat and are infused with subtle smoke flavor. Arrive early enough to nab the coveted eye: ojos are “Mexican caviar,” says owner-pitmaster Armando Vera. Order all the fixings, including corn tortillas from the Rio Grande Valley’s Capistran Tortillas & Bar-B-Q, for dine-in or takeout. 2404 Southmost Blvd, 956-546-4159. Fri 6–2, Sat & Sun 5–2.

Southside Barbacoa

The Taco: Carne Guisada

The namesake meat at Southside Barbacoa is luscious and fatty, but it’s the carne guisada, with its addictive gravy, that shines every time I’ve visited during the past ten years. 5894 Everhart Rd, 361-334-0888. Sun 5–1, Tue–Sat 5–2.

El Come Taco

The Taco: Cabeza a la Casa

This East Dallas taqueria is both a traditional Mexico City–style joint and a contemporary restaurant. It hits all the CDMX highlights, including cabeza, longaniza, al pastor, and suadero. Succulent and served on small, doubled-up corn tortillas, the cabeza a la casa comes with fluffy chopped potatoes and tangy cactus strips that touch the taco lover’s heart. If you’re visiting after the dinner rush, walk toward the back of the restaurant to grab a drink at El Come’s mezcaleria, La Viuda Negra. 2513 N. Fitzhugh Ave, 214-821-3738. Sun 11–9, Tue–Thu 11–10, Fri & Sat 11–midnight.

Molino Olōyō

The Taco: Wagyu Suadero

Chef and Colima, Mexico, native Olivia López and her partner, Jonathan Percival, started doing deliveries and private dinners in 2021. The demand for their deceptively simple, made-from-scratch Mexican food eventually became great enough that they moved on to hosting pop-ups. López and Percival offer creatively colored and flavored nixtamalized tortillas and use produce from their own Pequeño Farms, in South Dallas. The sensational flavor of the suadero taco alternates between sweetness, tanginess, and spice. Follow Molino Olōyō on Instagram for its weekly schedule, or call 469-769-8950.

Resident Taqueria

The Taco: Caramelized cauliflower

Chef Andrew Savioe came to Dallas from the East Coast for love—luckily, the native New Yorker never looked back. He entrenched himself in his Lake Highlands neighborhood and turned to making tacos. Seasonal specials abound at Resident Taqueria, including a lengua pastrami, which is available in autumn. The best taco is the caramelized cauliflower, with strips of kale winding through the florets, topped with pepitas and an herbaceous epazote aioli and served on a fresh, airy flour tortilla. 9661 Audelia Rd, 972-685-5280. Tue–Sat 7:30–9.

Revolver Taco Lounge 

Ranking: No. 4

The Taco: Pulpo al pastor

Revolver Taco Lounge, which opened in Fort Worth in 2011 and moved to Dallas’s Deep Ellum six years later, has pushed the boundaries of Texas’s taco scene through its restaurants, including at its private, prix fixe Purépecha. Owner Regino Rojas and his family present customers with such imaginative taco options as seared duck breast, swordfish al pastor, and foie gras. They do traditional tacos excellently, too: the oven-roasted birria is made with kid goat imported from Monterrey. 

Rojas has fun with his food. Years ago, he created a taco filling of frogs’ legs mixed with yellow Thai curry and named the item Kermit in Bangkok. Another night, on a whim, he stacked suckling pigs’ heads on a trompo. The crisped skin contrasted with tender meat made for a rich combination, but the sight of it did make me feel a little guilty.

But I always return to his pulpo al pastor (a.k.a. octotrompo), which features octopus—tentacles and all—marinated in chiles and spices and stacked and cooked on the vertical rotisserie. He rolls it out for special events, cooking the mollusk with a blowtorch to showcase his natural flair for the dramatic. 2646 Elm, 214-258-5900. Sun 11-10, Tues–Thu 11–11, Fri & Sat 11–midnight.

El Botanero Mariscos

The Taco: Ceviche

Abel Palacios’s seafood-forward trailer makes the ceviche taco a new staple dish in his hometown. With a mix of lime-marinated tilapia and shrimp, the taco is like an edible air conditioner, ideal for the Chihuahuan Desert. 12150 Radiance Rd, 915-503-7268. Thu–Sat noon–8 (or sold out), Sun noon–6 (or sold out).

Taconeta

Ranking: No. 6

The Taco: mushroom

After years spent working in Austin restaurants, El Pasoans Alejandro Borunda and Daniel Fox returned to their hometown to open their own taqueria highlighting their Mexican American upbringings. Taconeta is adorned with multicolored Mexican tiles, industrial light fixtures, and breeze blocks, and it’s not uncommon to see kids running around, including Borunda’s own. What sets this taqueria apart in the flour tortilla–loving border city is its use of corn tortillas that are, you guessed it, nixtamalized. It also pays special attention to its beverages, offering fresh aguas frescas, agave spirits, and local craft beer. 

Walk up to the window and order tacos that are exemplars of the New Tejano movement. The tempura mushroom taco perches on a silky black bean purée. Atop the lightly battered creminis sit pickled onions and salsa Goku, a peppy salsa macha named after the protagonist of Dragon Ball, the influential Japanese anime series. 311 Montana Ave, 915-303-8038. Mon–Sat 11–10. 

Taqueria El Tiger 

Ranking: No. 5

The Taco: Tripa y Tembloroso

Jorge Ortiz earned his cooking chops at Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn, in San Francisco, but returned to El Paso to help his friends open their restaurants. In 2022 he launched his own place, Taqueria El Tiger, a charming blue bus named after his father’s luchador alter ego. 

Ortiz and crew sling modern twists on border food that are puro New Tejano, including trompo de carne asada tacos and suadero flautas, all made with nixtamalized corn tortillas from Molino Azquil, in Ciudad Juárez. The standout taco at El Tiger is the tripa y tembloroso (the latter word means “trembling” in Spanish and describes the chicharrón’s floppiness). Cooks mix tripe with chewy pork rinds, which are amped up with salsa morita–marinated kimchi.

Save room for the ice cream sandwich—pig-shaped buñuelos (fried in the same lard used for the carnitas) sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and filled with vanilla ice cream. These imaginative dishes represent the forefront of New Tejano. 10167 Socorro Rd, 915-496-3046. Wed–Sat 2–midnight.

Don Artemio

The Taco: Nopalitos Fritos

The Texas outpost of the original Don Artemio, a restaurant from celebrity chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas in Saltillo, in the Mexico border state of Coahuila, serves a range of entrées, from killer dry-aged steaks to Chilean sea bass. But it’s the nopalitos fritos appetizer that has stolen my heart and stomach. Julienned strips of cactus pads are deep-fried to the consistency of french fries, and mixed with chopped bacon. Diners are offered tongs to pluck the crispy strings from a pyramid-shaped heap and nestle them into nixtamalized corn tortillas. The environs add a lot to the experience, giving a feel of northern Mexico, with more than 20,000 bricks imported from Saltillo in the dining rooms. 3268 W. Seventh, 817-470-1439. Sun 10–8, Mon–Thu 11–9, Fri–Sat 11–10.

Zavala’s Barbecue

The Taco: Sloppy Juan

Tejano barbecue meets Central Texas ’cue at the corner of Brisket and Main (yes, there really is a Brisket Street) in this North Texas suburb. Order the Sloppy Juan taco, a delightfully messy, saucy blend of brisket trimmings and pulled pork that riffs on the classic school-cafeteria sandwich. 421 W. Main, 817-330-9061. Thu & Fri 11–7, Sat 11–4.

Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Que

The Taco: Tlaquepaque

Arnulfo “Trey” Sánchez III carries on the tradition of his family, which has borne two generations of pitmasters, with this New Tejano take. You can get the smoked birria taco every day (Sánchez says the birria is so popular, he couldn’t take it off the menu if he wanted to), but one day a week Sánchez shows more of his range. Every Thursday night, he serves a variety of specialty tacos such as the Tlaquepaque. The corn tortillas are packed with smoked barbacoa, and you can request a side of dark árbol salsa to be poured over the dish. But do so carefully. The salsa scalds the tongue and lingers. Look for Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Que’s brick-and-mortar location to open early next year in Allen. 906 Jean, 214-532-4244. Thu & Fri 4–8, Sat & Sun noon–4.

Elemi

Ranking: No. 2

The Taco: Conejito pibil

If El Paso is the epicenter of New Tejano cuisine (and it is), Elemi is New Tejano’s beating heart. Emiliano and Kristal Marentes’s restaurant, located on the outskirts of the city,  is about getting back to the couple’s Mexican roots with local ingredients, such as the New Mexican beef used in the brisket suadero taco and the black trumpets in the mushroom birria quesadilla. For the latter, the filling is combined with stretchy white cheese and folded into a long blue corn tortilla. The crunch of the tortilla and the earthy mushroom consommé make the dish a wonder of textures and flavors. But the best taco of the bunch is the conejito pibil. Chef Emiliano’s rendition of the classic dish swaps pork for rabbit (a staple of the Mesoamerican diet), which is slathered in achiote and bitter oranges. Its deep flavor is balanced with the bite of pickled onions. 13500 Eastlake Blvd, 915-532-2090. Tue–Thu 5–10, Fri 5–11, Sat 3–11.

Azteca Taco House

Ranking: No. 3

The Taco: Costillas en salsa verde

When co-owner Carlos Gallegos and his family opened Azteca Taco House, they wanted to provide home-style dishes, such as tacos de guisado and menudo, for tradespeople and families. But the taqueria, in Houston’s Aldine neighborhood, is now persistently slammed with customers of all kinds lining up to choose guisados that are spooned into house-made corn or flour tortillas.

I was enchanted by the costillas en salsa verde—chopped, bone-in pork ribs stewed in a tart green salsa. Eating the taco is tricky, as you’ll need to navigate the bones, so take your time. If you want more, get back in line—the constant turnover means the fillings are always fresh. Regardless of the never-ending rush (the line moves quickly), the setting makes you feel at home, with colorful plaid oilcloth–covered tables, a corrugated metal patio roof, and sugary café de olla on hand for the perfect morning buzz. 3801 Hopper Rd, 832-486-9775. Mon–Fri 5–3, Sat 6–4, Sun 7–4.

Cochinita & Co.

The Taco: Vegan Tinga

Victoria Elizondo’s East End restaurant and retail shop sells her brand’s chips, salsas (start with the salsa macha), tamales, and trail mix alongside a menu that’s heavy on tacos. Lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms cooked with chipotle and morita peppers are a delightfully smoky alternative to the classic Mexican tinga guisado, which is usually made with chicken. 5420 Lawndale, 713-203-3999. Sun 8–3, Mon–Sat 8–9.

Papalo Taqueria

Ranking: No. 7

The Taco: Zanahoria

Partners in business and life Stephanie Velasquez and Nicolas Vera started a bakery in an apartment they rented next to their home. Soon they branched out into nixtamalizing corn for fresh tortillas, which turned into making tacos. Their taco spot, named after a Mexican herb that tastes like a combination of arugula and cilantro, hides in a back corner of downtown food market Finn Hall. The prize taco on Papalo’s menu is the zanahoria, which features carrots confited in a mixture of olive and vegetable oils and cut lengthwise. Nestled in a corn tortilla, the carrots are topped with a squiggle of nutty salsa made from pepitas, greens, and queso fresco. Additional pepitas sprinkled on top add a pleasant crunch. If you can’t make it to Papalo, try the zanahoria taco at EMA, a restaurant in which Velasquez and Vera are partners. 712 Main, no phone. Mon–Sat 8–6.

The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation

The Taco: Tacos al Carbon

In 1973 Mama Ninfa Laurenzo changed the Tex-Mex landscape when she introduced skirt steak–filled tacos al carbon, colloquially called fajitas. Fifty-one years later, the tender, smoky strips of beef rolled into flaky flour tortillas are still heavenly. While Ninfa’s could easily coast on its legacy, it still aims for excellence with this dish, a stellar example of the Texas taco at its simplest. 2704 Navigation Blvd, 713-228-1175. Sun 10–10, Mon–Thu 11–10, Fri 11–11, Sat 10–11.

Tres Chiles

The Taco: Barbacoa de borrego

Near the Aldine area of Houston, owner Javier Martinez cooks barbacoa de borrego—lamb meat wrapped in maguey leaves—and roasts it overnight in a pozo (an earthen oven), where it acquires a smoky intensity that only the best barbacoa has. The bone-in ribs are my favorite part. 2506 W. Mt. Houston Rd, 346-570-5961. Mon–Fri 8–8:30, Sat & Sun 8–9.

Raul’s BBQ

The Taco: Barbacoa

With four walk-up locations, this Laredo staple makes it easy to enjoy succulent barbacoa. I love the lengua, which, like its other dishes, you can eat over the hood of your car or take home. But don’t wait too long—fatty meat like this is meant to be eaten ASAP. Multiple locations.

Suarez Restaurant

The Taco: Carne asada

Grilled over mesquite or charcoal, the carne asada at this family-owned diner makes for a miracle of a steak taco. At many taquerias, carne asada tacos feature pebbles of tough beef, but not here. The meat is smoky and tender, even though finely chopped. 4800 McPherson Rd, 956-602-0230. Tue–Sun 7–10.

Jiménez y Friends

The Taco: Three Amigos

Mark Jiménez, his brother Mike Flores, and their mother, Maria Flores, are as talented at making pan dulce as they are at crafting tacos. Their marble cake, a swirly icing–topped take on the Mexican bakery favorite known as pink cake, is moist with a nice crumb. But if you’re coming for something savory, opt for the Three Amigos plate, which spotlights different tacos de guisado: rich carne guisada; pork in earthy pork chile colorado; and juicy picadillo with potatoes. On Sunday afternoons they sell their food from Good Line Beer Co. 4606 Thirty-fourth, 806-407-5771. Wed–Fri 7–2, Sat & Sun 8–2.

Tacos Wey

The Taco: al pastor

This taqueria is hyperstimulating. First, diners are greeted by a large mural of an anthropomorphic trompo. Inside, piñatas and reproductions of costumes from the Mexican TV show El Chavo del Ocho hang from the ceiling, and comic actors such as Chespirito, who plays the sitcom’s titular character, and Cantinflas get their own murals. Once you make your way past the visual delights, order the pastor tacos con todo, which come five to an order, with pork sliced off a trompo onto small, slick corn tortillas. 900 S. Big Spring, 432-897-4765. Mon–Thu 11–10, Fri–Sun 11–11.

Ana Liz Taqueria

Ranking: No. 1

The Taco: chile relleno

When Ana Liz Pulido won the 2024 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Texas, she thanked her employees and her father while wiping away tears. Pulido grew up following her father, Armando, through markets and restaurant supply stores in Reynosa, Mexico, just across the river from Mission, to equip his taquerias. As a teenager, she set up her own business, selling tostilocos—a mix of chips, nuts, and hot sauce—and sweets. Her heart was in Mexican food, but she wanted to shore up her technique, so she attended the Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio. After making the rounds in mid-range and fine-dining establishments, including at the Tower of the Americas’ restaurant, Pulido felt the pull to return to Mission and open her own place. 

At Ana Liz Taqueria, which she opened in 2021, she focuses on nixtamalizing corn for her tortillas. (You can still order the de facto flour tortillas of the region.) Customers have quickly embraced the corn tortilla–based tacos, such as the vampiro, a small tostada loaded with cheese and guacamole; and the deconstructed chile relleno, with layers of smoky, milky cheese and a spicy, fruit-forward cut-open chile. When you wash it down with the agua fresca of the day, you’ll be in heaven. But first, order a basket of tostadas with six accompanying salsas, an appetizer that fills the air with a divine aroma. 215 N. Conway Ave, 956-591-0655. Sun–Sat 4–10.

¡Tacos! Mi Gente

The Taco: Chicharrón

Chicharrón consists of crunchy cubes of pork stratified with softly fried fat. At ¡Tacos! Mi Gente, the cracklings are addictive enough to eat like popcorn, but in wide, spongy corn tortillas, they’ll leave you in eye-widening awe. 5924 TX-107, 956-599-9527. Wed & Thu 5–9, Fri & Sat 5–10.

Regina’s

The Taco: Carne asada

Staffers at Regina’s, on an unassuming corner in this small East Texas town, excel at the fundamentals. They are as attentive to their customers as they are to the griddle, from which aromatic corn tortillas emerge. Carne asada should be uncomplicated, but at most places it’s too often treated as an afterthought. Regina’s beef morsels get the quintessential and well-balanced carne asada treatment: juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper, then topped with diced onions and cilantro. 400 W. Ferguson Rd, 903-305-3606. Sun 9–5, Mon–Sat 9–6.

Taqueria Borrego Pinto 

The Taco: Barbacoa de borrego

Along a section of the border town’s Jackson Road (a.k.a. Taco Mile), this restaurant, with its walls painted bright blue inside, specializes in lamb barbacoa served with a side of opaque, chest-warming consommé. The one-two punch of the aromatic tortilla and tender meat makes this taco worthy of a trek to the Rio Grande Valley. 6615 S. Jackson Rd, 956-843-5022. Sun–Sat 7–2:45.

Con Huevos Tacos

The Taco: Carmen

Offering distinctive breakfast tacos in a taco-loving city like San Antonio is difficult. Con Huevos Tacos creates something new and memorable by blending northern Mexican and Tex-Mex traditions. The tortillas aren’t futon-thick but gossamer and buttery. The fillings skew toward local favorites, such as the scrambled eggs, potatoes, and cheddar in the Carmen, which is also packed with fun garnishes such as avocado, cilantro, and tomatoey salsa ranchera. One caveat: The lines at the window can be long, so do everyone a solid and have your order ready to go by the time you get to the front. 1629 E. Houston, 210-229-9295. Tue–Sun 8–2.

Eddies Taco House

The Taco: Bacon and egg

The downtown location of this nearly fifty-year-old restaurant is the ultimate place to experience San Antonio breakfast tacos. The staff is quick, friendly, and ready to fill up your diner coffee. Thick flour tortillas cradle any number of toppings, but the classic combination of bacon and soft scrambled eggs (be sure to request cheese) is a must-order. 402 W. Cevallos, 210-222-2400. Mon–Sat 6–3.

El Pastor Es Mi Señor 

The Taco: Taco al pastor

After abruptly closing in May, El Pastor Es Mi Señor reopened in July with a new taquero and a new menu. Owner Brenda Sarmiento and her brother, general manager Alex Sarmiento, serve superior al pastor tacos that come five to an order. The meat, tinged red by the chile-based marinade, is thinly sliced and placed on corn tortillas from San Antonio Colonial, and diners have the option of adding fruity, earthy morita salsa. (You should definitely do that.) The tacos sometimes sell out, so get there early and fill up. El Pastor Es Mi Señor is as close as you’ll get to Mexico City in Texas. 8727 Wurzbach Rd, 210-479-3474. Wed, Thu, and Sun 3:30–9, Fri and Sat 3:30–10.

Garcia’s Mexican Food

The Taco: Pork Chop

In the San Antonio taco world, the bone-in pork chop taco is often overlooked, possibly because it seems difficult to manage while eating. Garcia’s version, with its arched bone framing the meat and seasoned with lemon pepper and other spices in a squishy flour tortilla, deserves just as much attention as its best-selling smoked brisket taco. Not that the former isn’t intimidating: It’s served with a steak knife and no instructions. You can separate the bone from the meat, or you can adjust the pork chop bone-side down and enjoy it as you would any other taco. Either way, don’t forget to add copious amounts of the peppy jalapeño hot sauce. 842 Fredericksburg Rd, 210-735-5686. Tue–Sat 7–2.

La Generala

The Taco: Guiso Rojo

Mother-and-son-owned taco truck La Generala serves top-notch, comforting guisados. The guiso rojo—large chopped pork in a ruddy-colored salsa—and costillas (ribs) in a chunky green salsa are both served on nixtamalized corn tortillas so fragrant they’ll leave their aroma on your fingers. 7819 Pipers Creek, 210-971-1707. Wed–Sat 11–10, Sun 10–4.

Los Weyes de la Asada

The Taco: Mamón

Mesquite-grilled steak is the way to many a Texan’s heart, and Los Weyes de la Asada’s steak tacos will make you fall in love. Every piece of beef—seasoned simply with salt and pepper—is cooked to order on the covered grill at El Camino, a bar and food truck park. For the Mamón taco, strips of skirt steak and Oaxaca-style quesillo are served on a nixtamalized corn tortilla. Finish it with a splash of chile de árbol salsa. For a taste of a different cut, don’t miss out on the ribeye. 1009 Ave B, 210-788-9121. Sun noon–midnight, Mon,Tue & Thu 5–midnight, Fri 5–2, Sat noon–2.

Original Donut Shop

The Taco: Bean and cheese

After seventy years in business, the Original Donut Shop has earned its incredibly loyal customer base. With good reason—there’s nary a miss at the spot, whether you’re there for doughnuts or tacos. If you’re interested in the latter, the bean-and-cheese breakfast taco is as cozy as warm laundry. 3307 Fredericksburg Rd, 210-734-5661. Mon–Fri 6–2, Sat & Sun 7–2.

Ray’s Drive Inn

The Taco: Beef Puffy taco

The Lopez family’s classic drive-in serves the gold standard of puffy tacos, defined by a fried U-shaped shell that’s crunchy on the outside with a chewy interior. It’s not greasy and heavy, as one might assume, but light as a cloud, even after it’s stuffed with ground beef. 822 S.W. Nineteenth, 210-432-7171. Tue–Thu 11–7, Fri & Sat 11–9, Sun 11–7.

San Taco

The Taco: Asado de puerco

There are twelve guisados on San Taco’s menu, but the best is asado de puerco: chopped pork spiced with dried red chiles that, once toasted and reconstituted in the sauce, brim with earthiness and the aroma of family dinners. Each bite of the taco, wrapped in a corn tortilla, is vibrant. In fact, so are all the guisados—expertly concocted by chefs Gaby Hinojosa and Charlie Gonzalez. 114 Fredericksburg Rd, 210-314-3099. Mon–Sun 8–6:30.

Stixs & Stone

Ranking: No. 8

The Taco: Big Red and barbacoa Taco flight

Leo Davila’s culinary mission blends his San Antonio upbringing with his Chinese and Mexican American heritage. In doing so, he’s created groundbreaking dishes such as the Big Red and barbacoa taco flight, a paean to the iconic Alamo City pairing. The soda is worked into nixtamalized masa until the mixture becomes pink, at which point it’s pressed into tortillas. The filling of applewood-smoked beef cheek is cooked the day before and cooled overnight; the fat is scraped off the next day for a leaner version of the protein. The tacos, served in a trio, are further fancified with pecan pesto and strawberry–Big Red jam, sprinkled with queso fresco, and capped with gossamer slices of pickled watermelon rind. The watermelon and pecans evoke Davila’s afternoon family gatherings as a child, which were spent snacking on the nuts that had fallen from the large tree in his grandfather’s backyard and digging into sliced watermelon. With this taco alone, Davila joins a growing New Tejano pantheon. 5718 Wurzbach Rd, 210-592-1187. Wed–Sat noon–9, Sun 10–3.

La Vaquita

The Taco: TROMPO

The Rio Grande Valley town of San Benito is best known as the hometown of musicians Charley Crockett and Freddy Fender, but the visitors bureau should tout La Vaquita too. The taqueria serves everything from large breakfast tacos in flaky flour tortillas to al pastor sliced from a trompo. Thin fans of vermillion-hued pork are tucked into small corn tortillas and pop with mouth-puckering spices, leaving you craving more. That’s what a great taco should do. 751 E. Stenger, 956-276-9935. Sun 7–10, Mon–Sat 7–11.