35 Taquerias to Visit for the Best Tacos in Mexico City

The humble taco is the most iconic Mexican food. It can be enjoyed in many forms throughout Mexico, but no city offers more variety than the country’s capital – Mexico City – and it isn’t even close. This massive city is home to a staggering number of taquerias serving every type of taco you can think of.

Are you in the mood for fish tacos? The nearest ocean is over 300 km away but that won’t be a problem. Do you want tacos filled with stewed meats and vegetables? Mexico City has plenty.

If you’re feeling hungry after a night of drinking in Roma-Condesa, then you can follow your nose and stumble to the nearest al pastor or suadero stand. Chances are, you won’t have to stumble too far. In some parts of the city, they seem to exist on nearly every block.

Simply put, Mexico City is a taco lover’s paradise. You’ll be spoilt for choice in the world’s taco capital but the sheer number of options, coupled with the city’s size, can be daunting. To help narrow down your search, we’ve scoured the internet, binge-watched Taco Chronicles, and sought the opinions of locals to come up with what we believe to be 35 of the absolute best tacos in Mexico City.

If you’re planning to visit Mexico City and love this iconic street food dish as much as we do, then this list will be very useful to you.

If you’d like to go on a food tour, be sure to check out our guide to the best food and taco tours in Mexico City.

WHAT IS A TACO?

Before we dive into the best tacos in Mexico City, let’s quickly talk about what a taco is.

A taco is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of freshly made corn tortillas topped with a variety of fillings. Taco fillings can consist of anything from spit-grilled pork to stewed meats and vegetables to pit-cooked goat to battered fish and shrimp. The possibilities truly are endless.

If you’ve never been to Mexico and have eaten your fair share of Taco Bell, then you may be in for a surprise. The crispy taco isn’t the norm here. In Mexico, tacos are typically made with soft, palm-sized corn tortillas. Some taquerias will give you the option of having them with flour tortillas, though those are usually at least twice the price.

When you order a taco in Mexico, the server will ask if you’d like it topped with onions and cilantro. In the case of the popular taco al pastor, they may ask if you’d like it topped with pineapple as well. We always get them topped with everything so we say con todo or “with everything”.

Your tacos will be served with wedges of lime, pickled onions, and one or more salsas on the side – typically green (salsa verde), red (salsa rojo), and yellow (salsa amarillo). These will vary in spice level so be sure to try them first before putting them on your taco.

To eat, you simply pick up the soft corn tortillas by hand and bite into the taco. They’re typically small enough to be eaten in two or three bites.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TACOS IN MEXICO CITY?

Tacos can be made with pretty much anything but there are probably over two dozen varieties of traditional tacos made from different cuts of meat like bistec (beef steak), costilla (ribs), lengua (tongue), and chorizo (sausage).

You can find all types of traditional tacos in Mexico City, along with non-traditional versions like Peking duck tacos and iguana tacos. Described below are some of our favorites.

Tacos al Pastor

The taco al pastor is arguably the most popular type of taco in Mexico City. It refers to a taco made with marinated pork grilled on a vertical rotisserie. It’s a cousin of the Lebanese shawarma and Greek gyros, all of which are derived from the Turkish doner kebab.

To prepare, thin slices of pork are shaved from the vertical spit and served on corn tortillas, usually with small chunks of grilled pineapple.

You won’t have trouble finding good tacos al pastor in Mexico City. Personally, our favorites are El Vilsito, Tacos Los Güeros de Boturini, and Tacos Don Güero.

Tacos de Suadero

Thanks to Taco Chronicles on Netflix, this was the one taco that I was most excited to try in Mexico City. It refers to a type of taco made with meat cut from the area between the pig or cow’s belly and leg. Unlike carnitas or barbacoa which are stringier and more muscular in texture, suadero meat is smoother and fattier in texture.

Many taquerias in Mexico City serve suadero tacos only at night. Taco Chronicles described it as a sexy, late-night taco which it absolutely is. It’s one of my favorite tacos and something that you absolutely need to try when you visit Mexico City. We’ve had it at many taquerias and our hands-down favorite is Tacos Don Juan.

We’ve visited several cities in Mexico like Oaxaca, Guanajuato, Valladolid, and San Miguel de Allende, and for some reason, suadero doesn’t seem to be as popular outside of Mexico City. Do NOT miss it!

Tacos de Guisado

Like tacos al pastor, guisado tacos are among the most common types of tacos in Mexico City. Guisado means “stew” and refers to tacos made with a variety of stewed meats and vegetables. If you’re a vegetarian and meat tacos aren’t your thing, then tacos de guisado will be your best option.

We enjoyed tacos de guisado from many taquerias in Mexico City, but out favorites are definitely Tacos Hola El Güero and Taqueria La Hortaliza.

Tacos de Cabeza

If you’re an adventurous eater, then you need to try tacos de cabeza. Like suadero tacos, they’re among my favorite types of tacos in Mexico City.

Cabeza means “head” and refers to tacos made with meat from the cow or pig’s head. Taquerias that serve tacos de cabeza will typically also serve tacos made from specific cuts of head meat like lengua (tongue), ojo (eyes), seso (brain), and cachete (cheek). You can try them at Taqueria El Borrego Viudo or at any of the taquerias along Lorenzo Boturini Street.

I understand that cabeza tacos may not be for everyone but I strongly urge you to try them. They’re delicious. The meat is usually softer than more conventional cuts of meat like bistec or costilla.

Tacos de Tripa

We love what Western society deems as the “undesirable” cuts of meat, so it’s no surprise that tacos de tripa is another of our favorites. As you can probably guess, tripa literally means “tripe” but it refers to tacos made from the small intestines of a cow, pig, or goat.

If you can get past the thought of eating animal intestines, then I think you’ll find the texture to be quite wonderful. You can enjoy tacos de tripa at Taqueria El Torito in the Centro Historico area or at any of the taquerias along Lorenzo Boturini Street.

Tacos de Pescado / Tacos de Camaron

Tacos de pescado or fish tacos are a good gateway taco for people unaccustomed to eating authentic Mexican tacos. Originally from Baja California, it consists of grilled or battered and fried fish served with lettuce or cabbage, pico de gallo, and a citrus/mayonnaise or sour cream sauce.

Tacos de camaron are very similar to tacos de pescado, but instead of fish, they’re made with shrimp. El Pescadito serves amazing tacos made from either fish or shrimp. They serve the best seafood tacos I’ve had anywhere in Mexico, and that includes Puerto Vallarta.

Tacos de Canasta

Tacos de canasta are some of the cheapest and most unique tacos you’ll find in Mexico City. They’re also among the most delicious.

Also known as tacos al vapor (steamed tacos) or tacos sudado (sweaty tacos), tacos de canasta literally means “basket tacos” and refers to tacos filled with various stews and then bathed in oil or melted butter. Unlike other types of tacos that are assembled on the spot, they’re pre-made and typically sold from baskets to keep them warm, hence the name.

Los Especiales is a great place to try basket tacos in the Centro Histórico area. If you visit Coyoacan, then we recommend trying them at the Tacos de Canasta Beto stand.

Tacos de Barbacoa

Barbacoa refers to a style of cooking meat in Mexico. Typically enjoyed on weekends, it consists of a whole sheep or goat traditionally cooked for several hours in a pit covered with agave (maguey) leaves. Like carnitas, the meat is juicy and incredibly tender.

True to the barbacoa tradition, you can enjoy tacos de barbacoa over the weekends at El Hidalguense, one of the most popular restaurants in Mexico City to try this dish.

Tacos de Carnitas

Carnitas means “little meats” and refers to a pork dish from Michoacán. It’s made with pork that’s braised or simmered in lard or oil for several hours until the meat is juicy and fork tender.

We had carnitas a few times in Mexico City and the best were definitely from La Esquina del Sabor and Tacos Don Juan. Their carnitas tacos are incredibly delicious.

Tacos de Cochinita Pibil

Like tacos de carnitas, tacos de cochinita pibil are pork tacos. Originally from the Yucatán Peninsula, they’re made from pork that’s been marinated in a strongly acidic citrus juice. The marinated meat is then wrapped in banana leaves before being slow-roasted in a píib or traditional earthen oven.

Aside from being incredibly tender and juicy, this Yucatán specialty is citrusy in flavor and known for its burnt orange color derived from annatto seeds. The dish is traditionally associated with Merida and the Yucatán Peninsula but in Mexico City, one of the most popular places to try it is at Taqueria El Turix in Polanco.

Tacos Árabes

Tacos árabes is the predecessor of the al pastor. It’s originally from Puebla, the central Mexican state and city which welcomed a wave of Lebanese immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They brought with them their shawarma-making tradition which eventually became tacos árabes.

Tacos árabes are similar to pastor except the meat is flavored with Middle Eastern spices and indigenous central Mexican ingredients. Another key difference is that the grilled pork in tacos árabes is wrapped in pita bread (pan árabe) or flour tortillas, and it isn’t served with any pineapple.

Tacos árabes are the predominant type of taco in Puebla but you can also find it in Mexico City. We tried it at Taqueria El Greco in the Condesa neighborhood.

Tacos de Birria / Quesabirria

Birria is one of the signature dishes of Jalisco state and Guadalajara. It refers to a type of Mexican stew made from a spicy slow-cooked goat meat adobo with cumin, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.

Tacos de birria is delicious on its own, but if you really want to kick it up a notch, then you need to try quesabirria. Originally from Tijuana, it refers to a version of birria tacos made with melted cheese. It’s so incredibly tasty.

If you’re in Mexico City over the weekend, then you can enjoy the most delicious quesabirria tacos at Tacos Don Juan.

THE BEST TACOS IN MEXICO CITY

Mexico City is huge. You may need Uber to get around so to help maximize each trip, we’ve organized this list of the best tacos in Mexico City by location. Click on a link to jump to any section of the guide.

Centro Condesa-Roma Polanco Coyoacan Zona Rosa Del Valle – Narvarte Tacubaya Lorenzo Boturini

CENTRO

Most if not all cities in Mexico will have a zocalo or central plaza. They say that every first-time visit to any Mexican city should start in its zocalo. So should your quest for the best tacos in Mexico City.

1. Taqueria El Torito

There were three taquerias in the Centro Historico area featured on Taco Chronicles. Taqueria El Torito was one of them. Open since 1957, this humble taqueria offers just three things on their menu – suadero, tripa, and campechano.

I’ve briefly described the first two in the previous section but campechano refers to a taco topped with a mixture of meats like carne asada (grilled beef), longaniza (pork sausage), and chicharrónes (fried pork skin).

Pictured below are suadero and tripa tacos. We recommend trying both. These were our favorite tacos in the Centro Histórico area.

Like any popular taqueria in Mexico City, you can expect a line at El Torito at any time of the day. But no worries, orders are filled quickly.

El Torito has limited counter seating so be prepared to eat your tacos while standing outside the shop. Served on plastic-covered plates, this my friends is the true Mexico City street taco experience.

Taqueria El Torito

Address: Isabel la Católica 83 Local A PB, Cuauhtémoc, Centro, 06090 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 10AM-10PM, Mon-Sat / 10AM-8PM, Sun
What to Order: Suadero, tripa

2. El Buen Taco

El Buen Taco was another taqueria featured on Netflix. Unlike El Torito and Los Cocuyos (#3), it’s a proper restaurant with plenty of tables and seats. They offer different types of tacos but what they’re really known for is their pastor.

On my plate below is a delicious trio of pastor tacos. At the time of my visit in February 2022, each taco goes for MXN 17 but you can order a set of three for just MXN 47.

We love the street food experience but we understand it isn’t for everyone. If you’d rather eat your tacos in a more comfortable setting, then El Buen Taco is a good choice in the Centro Historico area.

El Buen Taco

Address: Dolores 16-D, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 8AM-9:30PM, Mon-Fri / 8AM-10PM, Sat-Sun
What to Order: Pastor

3. Los Cocuyos

Los Cocuyos is arguably the most famous taqueria not just in Centro Historico, but in all of Mexico City. Not only was it featured on Taco Chronicles, but the late great Anthony Bourdain once paid a visit to this 24-hour taqueria on an episode of No Reservations. Today, it’s probably the longest wait you’ll need to make for tacos in Mexico City.

Los Cocuyos offers many different types of meat tacos like campechano, longaniza, cabeza, and tripa. One of their most popular is the suadero.

On my plate below are tacos de suadero, molleja (sweetbreads), and ojo (eyes). I’m all about texture so tacos made with offal and head meat are among my favorites. I find ojo to be especially delicious. It has a soft, gelatinous texture that’s unlike any other.

Los Cocuyos has no indoor seating so be prepared to eat your tacos on plastic stools or while standing. Their tacos are good but personally, I prefer El Torito. Do try both and let us know what you think.

I didn’t time it but I must have waited over 30 minutes to get my tacos at Los Cocuyos. This was easily the most popular taqueria we visited in Mexico City so be prepared for a wait no matter what time of day you go.

Los Cocuyos

Address: Calle de Bolívar 57, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: Open 24 hrs
What to Order: Suadero, cabeza

4. Taqueria Arandas

Like Los Cocuyos, Taqueria Arandas is a popular taqueria in the Centro area. They stay open 24/7 so if you ever wake up in a cold sweat craving for tacos al pastor, then this is a good place to go. I suggest getting them with cheese.

Taqueria Arandas offers tacos de cabeza de res and carnitas tacos as well. If I remember correctly, these were topped with ojo (eye) and cachete (cheek).

Taqueria Arandas is a Tripadvisor Traveler’s Choice awardee. It’s one of the most popular taquerias in the Centro area so expect a crowd at peak times.

Taqueria Aranadas

Address: Av. 5 de Mayo 46, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: Open 24 hrs
What to Order: Al pastor tacos, suadero, cabeza de res

5. Los Especiales

Tacos de canasta really surprised us. We weren’t as excited to try them but they turned out to be some of our favorite tacos in Mexico City. They’re soft and tasty and offer a different experience from other types of tacos.

Los Especiales is probably the most famous basket taco place in the Centro Historico area. The wait was almost as long as Los Cocuyos so I decided to get mine to go. Unlike other tacos that are best eaten on the spot, tacos de canasta get better if you let them sit for a while.

Pictured below is a set of five assorted basket tacos, each stuffed with a different filling. Common fillings include beans, chicharrón, chorizo, and potatoes.

They gave me a plastic bag with what seemed like way too much guacamole, but as it turned out, it was just right. These basket tacos were delicious on their own but the guacamole made them that much better.

Like Los Cocuyos, Los Especiales is immensely popular so expect a wait no matter what time of day you go. They have indoor seating but if you’d rather not wait, then you can get yours to go and eat them on a bench somewhere.

Los Especiales

Address: Av Francisco I. Madero 71, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 9AM-10PM, Mon-Sat / 9AM-6PM, Sun
What to Order: Canasta

ROMA – CONDESA

The Roma-Condesa area (Roma Norte / Roma Sur / La Condesa) is one of the most pleasant neighborhoods in Mexico City. Designated as a Barrio Mágico (magical neighborhood), it’s an upscale tree-lined area with plenty of restaurants, cafes, bars, and some of the very best tacos in Mexico City.

6. Don Juan (Best Suadero Tacos)

Don Juan was easily our favorite taqueria in Mexico City. We enjoyed this place so much that we wound up eating here five times in two weeks. In our opinion, they serve some of the absolute best tacos in Mexico City.

Don Juan serves many different types of meat tacos. Everything we had was delicious but one of our favorites was definitely the suadero. We love suadero anywhere but the offerings at Don Juan were by far our favorite. Not only do they offer the most meat, but the flavor and texture was always spot on – soft and tasty with bits of fat mixed in. They’re sooo good.

On my plate below are suadero and guisado tacos. The suadero is a constant on their menu but this particular guisado, made with lengua (tongue), was a daily special. More on their specials below.

Don Juan’s suadero is plenty delicious on its own, but throw in some grilled cheese and it goes to a whole different level. Known as the suaqueso or suadero con queso, this was one of my absolute favorite tacos in Mexico City.

To prepare, shreds of quesillo are thrown on the grill before the corn tortilla with suadero is placed meat-first on top of the cheese. The taco is left on the grill for a few seconds, just enough time to melt the mozzarella-like cheese.

Gooey, stringy, and a little crispy in parts, the creamy quesillo goes so well with the suadero meat. Trust us, you NEED this suaqueso in your life. Luckily, it’s available everyday at Don Juan.

Every Friday, Don Juan serves what has to be some of the best carnitas or pork tacos in Mexico City. They’re juicy, tender, and incredibly flavorful.

If you’re in Mexico City over the weekend, then you need to head over to Don Juan to try their quesabirria tacos. Judging by how crowded the restaurant gets on Saturdays and Sundays, this has to be one of the most popular items on their menu.

Filled with juicy birria meat and coated with crispy, gooey melted cheese, this could very well be one of the very best tacos in Mexico City. It’s insanely delicious.

Make sure to come early because they do run out of these quesabirria beauties. We got these two and then ordered a third, which turned out to be their last one. Lucky us!

This is the line at Don Juan on a regular day. On Saturdays and Sundays, it gets even more crowded. They only have a few seats but trust us, these are tacos worth waiting and standing for.

Don Juan

Address: Calle Juan Escutia 35, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06140 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 10AM-4:45PM, Mon-Fri / 10AM-3PM, Sat-Sun
What to Order: Suadero, quesabirria, carnitas

7. El Pescadito (The Best Fish Tacos!)

Located across the street from Don Juan is El Pescadito, a taqueria that serves some of the best Baja-style seafood tacos in Mexico City. Not only do they serve delicious fish and shrimp tacos, but theirs are some of the most loaded we’ve had anywhere in Mexico. They put so much fried shrimp and fish on their tacos that you almost need a fork to eat them!

This mound of tasty seafood-y goodness below is what they call the que-sotote, a taco filled with a shrimp- and cheese-stuffed chili pepper to go with even more shrimp and cheese. ¡Que maravilloso!

This is El Pescadito’s version of the campechano, but instead of pork and beef, they use shrimp and fish.

As described, El Pescadito is located across the street from Don Juan so you can easily visit both on the same day. I have a feeling you’ll go to both places more than once.

El Pescadito

Address: C. Atlixco 38, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06140 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 10AM-6PM, daily
What to Order: Pescado, camaron

8. Hola El Güero

If you want great tacos de guisado in Mexico City, then look no further than Hola El Güero. Located in La Condesa, it’s a small restaurant that was also featured on Taco Chronicles.

Hola El Güero offers many types of guisado tacos made with meat, seafood, and vegetable fillings like picadillo (hash), chicharrón (fried pork skin), sardina con atún (sardine with tuna), and calabazitas (pumpkin). They top them with beans and/or rice and crumbled cheese.

One of Hola El Güero’s bestsellers is the hígado or liver taco. Mineral-y but clean-tasting, it’s seriously delicious.

We enjoyed Hola El Güero so much that we wound up eating here twice. On the plate below are picadillo and liver tacos. You really need to try the hígado!

Pictured below are torta de camaron (shrimp cake) and chorizo con papa (cured sausage with potatoes) tacos. These were delicious as well.

Hola El Güero offers a true street food experience in classy Condesa. We stayed at an Airbnb near here and they were this crowded almost all the time.

Hola El Güero

Address: Amsterdam 135, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 9AM-9PM, Mon-Fri / 9AM-7PM, Sat / 8:30AM-3:30PM, Sun
What to Order: Guisado

9. Taqueria La Hortaliza

La Hortaliza shares many similarities with Hola El Güero. Both are located in Condesa, both were featured on Netflix, and both serve amazing tacos de guisado. It was impossible for us to choose which one we liked better so we wound up eating at both taquerias twice.

La Hortaliza offers fewer options than Hola El Güero but they served the best lengua tacos we had anywhere in Mexico City. Topped with hefty chunks of beef tongue, my god was this delicious!

Sitting behind the lengua below is a guisado taco filled with chicharrón. It was incredibly tasty as well so make sure to get both.

Pictured below are equally delicious guisado tacos filled with torta de pollo (breaded chicken) and chile relleno (stuffed chili pepper).

La Hortaliza is located near Bosque de Chapultapec so you can eat here on your way to or from the park.

Taqueria La Hortaliza

Address: Cto. Interior Mtro. José Vasconcelos 48, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06140 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 9:30AM-5PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Guisado

10. La Esquina del Sabor (Best Carnitas Tacos!)

This is probably one of the best Mexico City taquerias on this list that you’ve never heard of. Located in Roma Sur, La Esquina del Sabor serves some of the best tacos de carnitas we’ve had anywhere in Mexico City.

As you can see from this picture, they load up those tortillas with a generous amount of soft and juicy carnitas. If you like cilantro and onions, then be sure to ask for it “con todo”. My god were these delicious!

We must have tried every cut of carnitas on multiple visits but our favorites are lengua (tongue), oreja (ear), and buche (stomach).

You can’t tell from this rare quiet moment but La Esquina del Sabor is hugely popular with the locals in the area. This humble stall always had a line, but not to worry, it always moved pretty quickly.

Don’t miss this stand if you want some of the best tacos de carnitas in Mexico City.

La Esquina del Sabor

Address: Tuxpan 22, Roma Sur, Cuauhtémoc, 06760 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
What to Order: Carnitas

11. Chico Julio

Chico Julio is a proper sit-down restaurant that serves seafood dishes like ceviche, aguachile, tostadas, and fish and chips. We were here exclusively for the tacos so we tried this trio of shrimp and octopus tacos.

As you can see from this picture, they mix in bits of chorizo with the seafood to make them even tastier.

I’m usually happy with just lime juice and salsa but the condiments and sides at Chico Julio are next level. I think we used up all these condiments for just three tacos!

Chico Julio is a small but lovely restaurant in Roma Norte. You can’t really see it in this picture but they offer outdoor patio seating as well.

Chico Julio

Address: Jalapa 126, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 12NN-10PM, Wed-Sat / 12NN-8PM, Sun-Tue
What to Order: Seafood tacos

12. El Hidalguense

El Hidalguense is one of the most popular restaurants in the Roma neighborhood. They serve many dishes, including insects, but they’re best known for their barbacoa. They were also featured on Taco Chronicles and recommended in many food blogs.

El Hidalguense is a bit pricey but they do have a reputation for serving some of the best barbacoa in Mexico City. You may want to go there over the weekend to enjoy some barbacoa and other tasty Mexican dishes like mixiote (pit-barbecued meat), enmoladas (enchiladas with mole), and chilaquiles (corn tortilla breakfast dish).

If you’re an adventurous eater, then you may want to try their escamoles (ant larvae) and hormiga chicatana (leaf-cutter ants) as well.

As previously described, barbacoa is typically enjoyed only on weekends in Mexico so El Hidalguense only opens from Friday till Sunday. I initially thought the restaurant was located in Roma Norte but it’s actually in Roma Sur, right at the border with Roma Norte.

El Hidalguense

Address: Campeche 155, Roma Sur, Cuauhtémoc, 06760 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 7AM-6PM, Fri-Sun (closed Mon-Thurs)
What to Order: Barbacoa

13. Cariñito

Cariñito is one of the most interesting taqueries we’ve visited thus far in Mexico City. They basically offer just one thing on their menu – pork belly tacos – but they make them in four different ways.

Whoever came up with these inventive tacos was clearly inspired by his travels to Asia. Three of the four preparations were inspired by Asian flavors.

If I remember correctly, this one was the Cantones pork belly taco. Reminiscent of char siu, it’s meant to mimic the flavors of Hong Kong and Cantonese cuisine.

This one I believe, was the Thai pork belly taco. I think the sauce on the pork belly may have been Thai red or yellow curry.

This one was the most interesting and surprising. They call it Issan because it’s inspired by Issan cuisine in northern Thailand. Cariñito’s chef has probably traveled to northern Thai cities like Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, hence the inspiration for this taco.

Called Criollo, the last type of pork belly taco they serve is inspired by Criollo and Caribbean cuisine.

If you’d like something a little different from the usual al pastor taco, then head over to Cariñito in the Roam Norte neighborhood. This tiny taqueria seems to be a popular stop on many Mexico City taco tours.

Cariñito

Address: Guanajuato 53, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 1-10PM, Mon-Sat / 1-8PM, Sun
What to Order: Pork belly tacos

14. El Autentico Pato Manila

El Autentico Pato Manila was one of the taquerias we were most curious to visit in Mexico City. We’re originally from the Philippines so we were intrigued with the taqueria’s name.

Pato means “duck” so that’s the protein they use in the two types of tacos on their menu – Tacos Manila and Tacos Kim. The tacos are tasty and interesting but we were confused by the taqueria’s concept.

Duck isn’t a commonly used ingredient in Filipino cuisine. To me, “Tacos Kim” is suggestive of a Korean-inspired taco but both of these tacos seem to have been inspired more by Chinese food rather than by Filipino or Korean cuisine. These Tacos Kim are clearly Mexican taco interpretations of Peking duck.

Pictured below are the Tacos Manila. Again, they were tasty but nothing about these tacos reminded me of Filipino food. Why do they call them “Tacos Manila?” Hardly anything “autentico” about these.

If I showed you these condiments without telling you what type of restaurant they’re from, what would you think? They definitely look and taste Chinese to me.

Regardless of the name, El Autentico Pato Manila does serve interesting tacos that you probably can’t find anywhere else in Mexico City. Pay them a visit if you want a break from suadero tacos.

El Autentico Pato Manila

Address: Culiacan 91, código 2, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 12NN-9PM, Sun-Wed / 12NN-10PM, Thurs-Sat
What to Order: Asian-Mexican fusion tacos

15. Takotl

Speaking of Asian-Mexican fusion tacos, if you like Japanese food, then you need to visit Takotl. They make unique tacos, some with an Asian twist.

The three dark tacos below are wrapped in nori (seaweed) while the light-colored one is wrapped in jicama. Very interesting!

Here’s a closer look at one of the nori-wrapped tacos. If I remember correctly, this one was called Takataka de Arrachera. It’s basically a skirt steak taco wrapped in nori with seasoned rice and deep-fried tempura greens.

Give it a spritz of lime juice and it really does feel like you’re eating a sushi taco hybrid. Delicious! I absolutely love the delicate crunch and umami-rich flavors of nori.

I’ve seen nori-wrapped tacos before but this was the first time I’ve ever seen one wrapped in jicama. I believe this one was the Tako Camaron Oriental or shirmp taco wrapped in thinly sliced turnip.

As god as their nori tacos are, this may have been my favorite taco from tonight’s set. It’s different and surprisingly delicious and refreshing.

The nori and jicama tacos are nice but Takotl does serve more conventional tacos as well, like this tasty Tako Suadero and Tako al Pastor estilo Takotl. Both are wrapped in blue corn tortillas.

Takotl is one of the most interesting taco restaurants we’ve been to in Mexico City thus far. Like Crudo in Oaxaca, they combine Mexican flavors with Japanese ingredients to come up with tasty fusion tacos that work. Mexicans in general don’t like raw food so Takotl’s nori tacos felt like a nice compromise.

A Traveler’s Choice awardee, Takotl is a Roma Norte restaurant and bar with a perfect 5-star rating on Tripadvisor. Aside from their inventive tacos, they offer a good range of cocktails as well.

Restaurante Takotl

Address: Av. Insurgentes Sur 275, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 1-11PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Japanese-Mexican fusion tacos

16. Tizne Tacomotora

Tizne Tacomotora is another Mexico City taqueria in the Roma Norte neighborhood with interesting taco offerings. They have around eight tacos on their menu made with different cuts of meat like brisket, pork belly, and pulled pork al pastor. Artfully served on blue corn tortillas, these definitely don’t look like your everyday Mexico City tacos.

Pictured below is Tizne Tacomotora’s most creative taco – kalbi asada. Marinated in miso, garlic, and sesame oil, it’s the chef’s nod to Korean food. Kamsahamnida!

If I remember correctly, this one was the pork belly.

This quesabirria was a limited time special. ¡Riquisimo!

Like many Roma-Condesa taquerias, Tizne Tacomotora is another great place to visit for interesting tacos in Mexico City.

Tizne Tacomotora

Address: Guanajuato 27-B, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 1-9PM, Mon-Sat / 12NN-6PM, Sun
What to Order: Pork belly tacos, kalbi asada tacos

17. Birria Estilo Jalisco

We had just finished brunch at popular Panaderia Rosetta in Roma Norte when we walked by this birria stall. Good birria isn’t something we can easily ignore so we sat down at this humble taco stall to have a second breakfast.

This piping hot cazuela of birria brought us right back to Guadalajara and Jalisco. ¡Que rico!

You can get birria already prepared in taco form, or you can have it served in a clay pot with fresh corn tortillas on the side. We prefer the latter because we enjoy making the tacos ourselves.

Now this is a real Mexican breakfast!

Don’t you just love Mexican street food? As described, this humble taco stall is located just a stone’s throw away from ultra popular Panderia Rosetta, so it shouldn’t be hard to find.

Birria Estilo Jalisco

Address: Colima 171, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
What to Order: Birria tacos

18. Taqueria El Greco

If you like al pastor meat, then you’ll probably enjoy tacos árabes as well. As previously described, it’s the predecessor of the pastor and differs in the type of marinade and bread used.

There are many taquerias that serve this popular Puebla dish in Mexico City but one of the most popular is Taqueria El Greco. They call their version tacos doneraky but I believe it’s the same thing as tacos árabes. If you like pastor and Lebanese shawarma, then you need to try this.

Renée got the taco doneraky while I stuffed my face with this much larger gringa doneraky with cheese and avocado. It’s delicious and something you should definitely try, just so you can compare it to the pastor and shawarma. You can almost taste the history and relationship between these three very similar but different dishes.

Taqueria El Greco is a small restaurant located in the trendy La Condesa neighborhood.

Taqueria El Greco

Address: Av Michoacán 54-Local B – 91 And 92, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 2:10-10:45PM, Mon-Sat (closed Sundays)
What to Order: Árabes

19. Taqueria Orinoco

Orinoco is a chain of taquerias with branches in Roma Norte, Condesa, Polanco, and Zona Rosa. They pride themselves on serving Monterrey- or northern-style tacos which are heavier on the meats, especially beef, and often use flour instead of corn tortillas.

Orinoco specializes in three types of tacos – pastor, res (beef), and chicharrón – which you can get with either flour or corn tortillas. On the tray below are res and chicharron tacos topped with everything. The beef was juicy and tender and the chicharrón nice and crunchy.

Taqueria Orinoco has several branches but their most popular is in Roma Norte. Their shops have a more modern feel to them with their tiled walls and strong red and white branding.

Taqueria Orinoco

Address: Multiple branches
Operating Hours: Varies per branch
What to Order: Pastor, res, chicharron

20. Taqueria La Chiquita

We found these next two taquerias while exploring the Roma Sur neighbrhood. They’re located right next to each other and pretty much offer the same things – carnitas.

Here’s a plate of carnitas topped with different parts of the pig. Oh my!

This is Taqueria La Chiquita. On its right at the corner is the very similar Taqueria la Reyna. Both are excellent.

Taqueria La Chiquita

Address: C. Manzanillo 164, Roma Sur, Cuauhtémoc, 06760 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 10AM-10:30PM, daily
What to Order: Carnitas

21. Taqueria La Reyna

As described, Taqueria la Reyna has similar offerings as Taqueria la Chiquita. They specialize in carnitas but they offer canasta tacos and tacos al pastor as well.

Of course, we got the carnitas.

Can you see both restaurants’ names on the blue awning? Tacos are small so you can easily eat at both on the same trip.

Taqueria La Reyna

Address: C. Manzanillo 159, Roma Sur, Cuauhtémoc, 06760 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 10AM-11:30PM, Mon-Fri / 10AM-10:45PM, Sat-Sun
What to Order: Al pastor tacos, carnitas, canasta tacos

POLANCO

Polanco is often described as the “Beverly Hills of Mexico City”. It’s a swanky area with lots of upscale restaurants and bars. We didn’t think we’d find good street food here but we were wrong. Explore Polanco and you’ll find that it’s home to a good number of taquerias and street food stalls, just like any other neighborhood in Mexico City.

22. Taqueria El Turix

El Turix is one of the most well-known taquerias to try cochinita pibil in Mexico City. It’s the only thing they serve and you can have it in tacos, tortas (sandwiches), or panuchos.

As you can see below, they prepare their cochinita pibil tacos a little differently here. Instead of topping the tortillas with meat, they give them to you rolled up and slathered in sauce.

As previously described, cochinita pibil is marinated in strongly acidic citrus juices so that’s the first thing you’ll notice when you take a bite. They’re tangy, juicy, and delicious.

Taqueria El Turix is popular so expect a small crowd of hungry taco lovers no matter what time of day you visit.

Taqueria El Turix

Address: Av. Emilio Castelar 212, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 11:30AM-10PM, daily
What to Order: Cochinita pibil

COYOACÁN

Coyoacán is a lovely borough about 10 km (6.2 miles) south of the Centro area. It’s best known for its colonial architecture and the Frida Kahlo Museum but there’s plenty of good street food to be found here as well.

23. Tacos de Canasta Beto

We were waiting for our time slot to visit the Frida Kahlo Museum when we spotted this food stall on Google Maps. They’re located just a block away from the museum and serve only basket tacos. It’s a great place to try this tasty snack before or after visiting the museum.

Beto’s basket tacos are absolutely delicious. Had we not been so full from eating so many tostadas at Coyoacán Market, then we would have ordered more. They’re incredibly tasty.

From the looks of it, the Beto stall is a well-known stand in Coyoacán. People would drive by in their cars to pick up bags of their tasty basket tacos to go. You can check the map at the bottom of this article to see exactly where it is in Coyoacán.

Tacos de Canasta Beto

Address: 04100, Berlín 184, Del Carmen, Coyoacán, 04100 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 10AM-4PM, Tue-Sat (closed Sun-Mon)
What to Order: Canasta

ZONA ROSA

Zona Rosa refers to the neighborhood just north of Roma-Condesa and west of the Centro area. Similar in feel to La Condesa or Roma Norte, it’s a trendy area known for its gay community and many nightlife and shopping options.

24. Tacos Los Juanes

In Mexico, they say that the best tacos come out only at night. These next two taquerias are proof of that. Open only from 8PM and 10PM respectively, they serve some of the best tacos we’ve had anywhere in Mexico City.

Tacos Los Juanes is a humble street taqueria that sets up shop at 8PM on the corner of Puebla and Cozumel Streets. They offer tacos and tortas filled with the usual meats like suadero, bistec, campechano, and longaniza. We tried the pastor and cabeza and both were outstanding.

Pictured below are two pastor tacos. Their corn tortilla is a bit small but they do load them with lots of al pastor meat.

On this plate are two cabeza tacos. As you can see, the tortilla is practically overflowing with meaty goodness.

We arrived before 8PM while they were still setting up and there was already a small group of people waiting to get their hands on their delicious tacos. If you’re feeling hungry after a night of drinking in Roma Norte, then Los Juanes is a great place to go.

Tacos Los Juanes

Address: Puebla 326, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 8PM-3AM, Sun-Thurs / 8PM-5AM, Fri-Sat
What to Order: Pastor, cabeza

25. Tacos Don Güero

Tacos Don Güero is another late-night taqueria that was featured on Netflix. Open only from 10PM, they serve the usual taco meats like suadero, chuleta (chops), and pechuga (chicken breast). Taco Chronicles highlighted their pastor so that’s exactly what we came for.

The producers of that show really knew what they were doing because these pastor tacos turned out to be some of the best tacos we had anywhere in Mexico City. Smokey and charred in parts, they were absolutely delicious.

Here’s a shot of the al pastor man firing up that trompo. They blaze it up from time to time to give their pastor tacos that extra smokiness and char. So so good.

Tacos Don Güero

Address: Río Nilo 66, Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 10PM-12MN, Sun-Fri / 10PM-4AM, Sat
What to Order: Pastor

DEL VALLE – NARVARTE

Del Valle and Narvarte are adjacent neighborhoods located in the Benito Juarez borough of Mexico City. This area doesn’t see as many tourists which is a shame because it’s home to many fantastic taquerias, including the one place that we believe serves the best pastor tacos in Mexico City.

It’s easy enough to visit Colonia Narvarte on your own, but if you’d to go on a guided tour, then you may be interested in this Narvarte night tour.

26. El Vilsito

El Vilsito is perhaps the one taqueria that I was most excited to visit in Mexico City. Like many of the taquerias on this list, we learned about it from Taco Chronicles on Netflix.

We were excited to try El Vilsito’s pastor tacos but I was also looking forward to the place itself. They set up early in the afternoon and share a space with an auto repair shop. It isn’t everyday that you find a taqueria in an auto repair shop so I thought that was super cool!

The novelty of the space is interesting but El Vilsito also serves some of the very best al pastor tacos in Mexico City. We visited many taquerias and these were some of our favorite tacos anywhere in CDMX. They’re absolutely delicious.

Traveleater Tip: Get a side of cebollitas (grilled green onions) to enjoy with your tacos. The chopped raw onions they usually put in your tacos are nice, but the sweetness from the caramelized green onions adds another layer of flavor to the dish. They’re so good!

El Vilsito could very well be home to the best tacos al pastor in Mexico City. You seriously need to visito El Vilsito. (sorry)

El Vilsito

Address: Petén 248 y, Avenida Universidad, Narvarte Poniente, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 2PM-3AM, Mon-Thurs / 2PM-5AM, Fri / 3PM-5AM, Sat / 3PM-12MN, Sun
What to Order: Pastor

27. Tacos Manolo

El Vilsito is arguably the most famous but the Narvarte neighborhood is home to many great taquerias. We loved Roma-Condesa but when it comes to tacos, I think Narvarte may have the slight edge. The taquerias here were less fancy and felt more authentic.

Tacos Manolo is one of the most famous taquerias in this neighborhood. Nothing fancy. Just the usual al pastor, suadero, and longaniza tacos, but done well.

I think these may have been longaniza and campechano tacos.

When you spot the naughty logo, then you’ll know you’re at Tacos Manolo.

Tacos Manolo

Address: Luz Saviñon 1305, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 2PM-12:30AM, Sun-Thurs / 2PM-2:30AM, Fri-Sat
What to Order: Suadero tacos, al pastor tacos

28. Taqueria Don Frank

Like Tacos Manolo, Taqueria Don Frank is a no-nonsese taco restaurant that serves simple but delicious food. They serve the usual taco offerings like suadero, al pastor, and tripa tacos.

Take a good look at the taco in the foreground. Do you recognize that cut? What you’re looking at is a slice of our favorite lengua (tongue).

At Taqueria Don Frank, you can get 60 gram (foreground) or smaller 30 gram tacos. This one was topped with longaniza.

Taqueria Don Frank is the big bright orange corner taqueria in Narvarte. You can’t miss it.

Taqueria Don Frank

Address: Torres Adalid 1353, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 1:30PM-1AM, daily
What to Order: Al pastor tacos, suadero tacos

29. Taqueria los Pericos

Taqueria los Pericos is another popular taco restaurant in the up-and-coming Narvarte neighborhood.

Like the previous two taquerias, there’s nothing fancy here. Just basic tacos like cabeza, bistec, suadero (pictured below), and lengua, but done well.

Pericos means “parakeets” in Spanish, hence the taqueria’s logo.

Taqueria Los Pericos

Address: Enrique Rébsamen 701-A, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 12NN-12MN, daily
What to Order: Al pastor tacos, suadero tacos

30. Sonora Taco Steak

From a distance, we could already smell the meats roasting on a grill. We knew this place would be good and we were right.

As their name suggests, Sonora Taco Steak is a steak restaurant that serves tacos made with different cuts of meat like rib-eye, sirloin, and skirt steak. We got a few each of the rib-eye and sirloin and they may have been some of the best steak tacos we’ve had anywhere in Mexico. They were smokey, fatty, juicy, and just delicious.

If you want the taste of steak in your tacos, then Sonora Taco Steak is a great place to go in the Narvarte neighborhood.

Sonora Taco Steak

Address: Casa del Obrero Mundial 295, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 1-10PM, Tue-Sun / 1-6PM, Mon
What to Order: Steak tacos

31. Ceci la Cecina

It’s hard not to notice this fun taqueria in the Narvarte neighborhood that specializes in cecina tacos. Cecina refers to thin slices of beef that have been salted, marinated, and then left to dry in the sun.

At Ceci la Cecina, you can have tacos topped with cecina natural (pictured below) or cecina enchilada. A popular dish in Oaxaca, the latter refers to butterflied slices of pork coated in chili pepper.

On the left below is the Ceci, a house special taco topped with cecina natural, longanisa, and cheese.

And of course, don’t forget the condiments.

Colorful Ceci la Cecina will surely grab your attention in working-class Narvarte. We didn’t come across too many of these cecina taquerias in Mexico City.

Ceci la Cecina

Address: Anaxágoras 635, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Operating Hours: 9AM-5PM, Tue-Thurs, Sun / 9AM-9PM, Fri-Sat (closed Mondays)
What to Order: Cecina tacos

TACUBAYA

Tacubaya is a grittier working-class neighborhood located south of La Condesa. There isn’t much here for tourists but it is home to an interesting 24-hour drive-in taqueria.

32. Taqueria El Borrego Viudo

El Borrego Viudo is another taqueria that was featured on Taco Chronicles. It’s known for being a 24-hour taco restaurant that offers drive-in service. Many diners would drive in, park, and order and eat tacos from their cars. People love them because they can satisfy their taco cravings at any time of the day.

El Borrego Viudo offers the usual taqueria meats like pastor, suadero, longaniza, and cabeza. We tried almost everything on their menu, starting with these pastor tacos.

On the plate below are cabeza and ojo tacos.

The suadero is always a good choice at any taqueria in Mexico City.

Last but not least was this cachete or beef cheek taco. You seriously need to try tacos made with head meat in Mexico City. The texture of the meat is so enjoyable.

El Borrego Viudo caters to both drive-in and dine-in customers. It took us about half an hour to walk here from our Airbnb in La Condesa.

Taqueria El Borrego Viudo

Address: Av. Revolución 241, Tacubaya, Miguel Hidalgo, 11870 Mexico City, CDMX
Operating Hours: Open 24 hrs
What to Order: Pastor, suadero, cabeza

LORENZO BOTURINI

True taco Traveleaters need to make the trip to Lorenzo Boturini Street. Located about 4.5 km (2.8 miles) east of Roma Norte, this busy street with a cluster of taquerias has been called the “taco capital of Mexico City”. When you’re the taco capital of Mexico City, then you’re pretty much the taco capital of the world.

Every taqueria on Lorenzo Boturini serves the usual offerings like pastor, suadero, cabeza, bistec, and chuleta. You’ll find several taquerias along this street but we went to the three featured on Taco Chronicles.

Netflix highlighted their tacos al pastor so that’s what we ordered from all three taquerias to see which one we liked the best.

33. Tacos Los Güeros de Boturini

I’m not one to keep you in suspense so I’ll tell your straight up, the pastor from Los Güeros de Boturini was our favorite. I understand that taste is subjective but for us, theirs was the best. Not only were they the best along Lorenzo Boturini, but they were among the best pastor tacos we had anywhere in Mexico City. They were seriously delicious.

Of the three Lorenzo Boturini taquerias featured in this article, Los Güeros de Boturini opens the latest, at 4:30PM. They’re definitely worth the wait.

Tacos Los Güeros de Boturini

Address: Lorenzo Boturini 4354, Aeronáutica Militar, Venustiano Carranza, 15980 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 4:30PM-1AM, Mon-Thurs / 4:30PM-4:30AM, Fri-Sat / 4PM-1AM, Sun
What to Order: Pastor, suadero, cabeza, tripa

34. El Gabacho Taqueria

Los Güeros de Boturini may have been our favorite but El Gabacho wasn’t far behind. Taste truly is subjective so we highly recommend going to all three to see which one suits you the best.

One thing we really liked about El Gabacho is that they serve their pineapple as a condiment on your table so you’re free to add as much as you like. Their salsas were ferociously hot as well.

El Gabacho opens at 2:30PM everyday.

El Gabacho Taqueria

Address: Lorenzo Boturini 659, Jardín Balbuena, Venustiano Carranza, 15900 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 2:30PM-12MN, Thurs-Sun / 2:30-11:30PM, Mon-Wed
What to Order: Pastor, suadero, cabeza, tripa

35. El Pastorcito

The pastor tacos at El Pastorcito are delicious as well. Like El Gabacho, they offer their pineapple as a condiment on your table so you’re welcome to add as much as you like. The citrusy sweetness of the pineapple goes so well with the spiciness and smokiness of the pastor meat.

El Pastorcito is located right next to El Gabacho. They open the earliest at 1PM so we recommend taking an Uber to Lorenzo Boturini Street at around 3:30-4PM so you don’t have to wait too long to go to all three taquerias.

El Pastorcito

Address: Lorenzo Boturini 4503, Aeronáutica Militar, Venustiano Carranza, 15970 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Operating Hours: 1PM-2:30AM, Mon-Thurs / 1PM-4:30AM, Fri-Sat / 1PM-12MN, Sun
What to Order: Pastor, suadero, cabeza, tripa

MEXICO CITY TACO MAP

To help you navigate to these taquerias in Mexico City, I’ve pinned them all on the map below. Click on the link for a live version of the map.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEST TACOS IN MEXICO CITY

As you can probably tell from this guide, we LOVE tacos. We could eat them everyday which is practically what we did on our last trip to Mexico City. Bite-sized and with lots of variety, we could never grow tired of them.

We’ll be in Mexico for at least another year so chances are, we’ll be eating our way through Mexico City again soon. We’ll definitely update and refine this guide after every visit, though it probably won’t grow to more than 35 taquerias. The goal is to find the best tacos in Mexico City so quality, not quantity, is key.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading this guide as much as I enjoyed writing (and doing research for) it. If you’re from Mexico City and have suggestions on which taquerias to visit, then we’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading and have a delicious time eating the best tacos in Mexico City!

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