L.A. TACO is co-publishing this guide with FT Globetrotter, the Financial Times' travel guides to the world's great cities. They cover the art, food, and culture of 20 cities around the world and have just expanded to Los Angeles.
Photos by Maggie Shannon
Olympic Boulevard’s “Taco Row” in Boyle Heights is one of the greatest strips in the world to eat tacos, even by Mexico’s standards. Within a four-block radius lined with drought-stricken trees, dense government housing and the city’s best Latino-owned liquor warehouse, you can easily achieve food euphoria. Every truck and restaurant window has its own regional speciality, and every taco hits those intangible qualities on first bite, over and over and over. The “flavour memory” of these tacos is still fresh, not too far removed from their counterparts in Mexico: the fiery yet tamed heat of a salsa, the tenderness of the meat or freshness of the seafood, and the quality of the tortilla.
This thrill of the hunt is what keeps me going as the editor-in-chief of L.A. Taco, a hyperlocal taco, food culture and investigative news site. I have spent the better part of the past two decades chasing the best taco and writing about it for a living (I’ve co-authored two cookbooks on food eaten with tortillas, and was the scout and associate producer for Netflix’s Taco Chronicles). Tacos are the most direct way to experience Los Angeles and its vast, sometimes overwhelmingly sprawling communities, like a local. It’s the street food that unifies everybody in this city. Los Angeles is home to 30 per cent of Mexican restaurants in the US, and no matter where you’re from, how much this city changes or how much money you make, the one constant will always be our tacos — and the desire to know where to find the best ones.
Chicano Angelenos like myself, who navigate the biculturality of being Mexican but born here in Los Angeles (with the privilege of travelling to Mexico often), know what a good taco should taste and look like. And every year, we watch the taco life in Los Angeles become more robust and specific, leaving all other taco-fuelled US cities in the dust. That flavour memory that I feel on Taco Row is what makes LA the best place to explore Mexico’s tacos: because we are about a two-hour drive from the world’s busiest international border crossing, in Tijuana, many Mexican immigrants end up in Los Angeles, and they have the freshest flavour memory of their state’s regional style. Their urgent need to survive financially in this city (where the cost of living is notoriously high) has propelled Los Angeles further and further into offering tacos that taste like the real deal in Mexico.
I’m here to tell you about the 12 best regional tacos of Mexico that you can find in Los Angeles. But before I do, here are my five rules for living the LA taco life:
- Trust your old-school spirit of adventure. Cruise through new neighbourhoods instead of going on autopilot on the highway, and stop randomly at taco stands and trucks along the way. The next random one you U-turn for may just be the next best one in the city.
- Explore neighbourhoods that are less touristy. A lot of the touristy ones end in “Park” (Highland Park, Echo Park, etc).
- Look for a large crowd huddled on the sidewalk, and spots with a kitschy illustration in the banner, or a name associated with the owner (such as “Tacos Don Cuco”).
- See if there’s a taco style on the menu that you haven’t seen before, or one from a region you don’t know much about.
- Finally, accept the mediocre tacos you eat before you find the one worth the journey. My late mentor was the great American food critic Jonathan Gold. I’ll never forget a valuable lesson he taught me when I started blogging in 2006: “For every great meal, you will have at least 10 bad ones.” This is also largely accurate when navigating your way through LA’s taco life.
Now, tacos: here is a map of all the taco spots that I recommend, and below that, a map of all the regions in Mexico that they come from.
We’ve also put all of these recommendations into a Google Maps list that you can save here to use on the go. (On your phone, tap that link, click Save List and you can access it anytime in the You section at the bottom of Google Maps. It’ll be under Lists you’ve saved.)
Now, take these 12 tacos as a starting point on your taco journey, as you get to know the real LA.
Tijuana, Baja California: Taco al Pastor at Taquería Frontera
Cypress Park
To stand out in the taco capital of America, you have to nail every element of the taco, and Frontera’s taco al pastor is a straight-up masterpiece. It starts with those golden tortillas, straight from El Grano de Oro in Tijuana, kissed by the plancha until they’re just crispy enough to melt in your mouth. Then comes the al pastor — pork marinated with bold, punchy, chorizo-adjacent spices, seared vertically on the trompo (or vertical spit), and sliced right on to that shimmering tortilla, still sizzling from the heat. They top it with a house salsa that is not trying to appease sensitive palates, a dollop of their unique coriander-serrano crema salsa to cool things down and a grilled pineapple slice for that sweet, smoky finish.
Aside from birria (of Jalisco), the taco al pastor is Los Angeles’ most recognised taco style. This one is like a love letter from Tijuana to LA. And as you stand shoulder to shoulder at Frontera’s lively counter, soaking in the taco-making magic, you feel its slogan of “more tacos, less borders”. It’s a delicious reminder of how LA’s taco scene bridges cultures and brings us all a little closer to Mexico. 700 Cypress Ave, Cypress Park, Los Angeles, CA 90065. A second location in Silver Lake will open soon. Instagram; Directions
Michoacán: Carnitas de Costilla at Carnitas Los Gabrieles
Downtown L.A.
Carnitas are often relegated as just another option for your taco. But true enthusiasts know that real carnitas — small pieces of pork slowly confit in their own fat until they caramelise and becomes crispy on the outside and meltingly tender on the inside — are a religious experience. Carnitas Los Gabrieles in downtown LA is one of the few places that still makes them the old-fashioned way: not rushed through. To eat them the traditional way, alternate your bites between carnitas and pickled jalapeños instead of salsa. Carnitas Los Gabrieles’ location in the middle of the Piñata District also fulfils the street food adventure you’re probably looking for when you come to Los Angeles — the sights, sounds, and smells there will remind you that you’re almost in Mexico.
Pro tip: ask for a carnitas de costilla, which are usually extra tender and flavourful, as they are served bone-in. Shout-out to Memo Torres, L.A. Taco’s director of social media, for being the first to write about this street food gem. 1235 East Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90021. Instagram; Directions
Sonora: Taco de Tripa at Sonoratown
Downtown, Mid-City and Long Beach
No matter which Sonoratown you hit — Downtown, Mid-City or Long Beach — this taqueria always delivers consistently delicious tacos that blow you away with their simplicity. One of its co-owners is from San Luis Río Colorado in Sonora, a northern-central region known for its soft, slightly chewy flour tortillas. Sonoratown’s are legendary, made fresh in-house and paired with mesquite-grilled carne asada. Their grilled chivichangas (a style of burrito that is usually fried) ooze shredded, cheesy chicken with bits of roasted green chilli. But the real hidden gem? The taco de tripa, or tripe. It’s the taco that hardcore fans whisper about, and some days they sell out early. Owners Jenn Feltham and Teo Diaz follow the traditional hometown method, boiling the beef intestines for hours to maintain a hint of that velvet texture, then the tallow that is rendered from the process is skimmed off and used to crisp the tripas up in pan. The result is a taco that’s crunchy, rich and packed with flavour — like northern Mexico’s soul is right there on your plate, no annoying wait times to cross the border required. 208 E 8th St, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA 90014. Website; Instagram; Directions
Yucatán: Cochinita pibil at La Flor de Yucatán
Pico-Union
At La Flor de Yucatán Bakery, Marc Burgos carries on his father’s legacy with LA’s first-ever cochinita pibil taco, introduced in 1972. This iconic taco is born from the homesick cravings of Yucateco immigrants, from the country’s southern peninsula. It features the vegetal, brilliantly coloured achiote-seasoned pork, slow-cooked overnight in banana leaves with bitter orange, yielding juicy, tender meat that spills savoury broth with every bite. Burgos relies on high-quality ingredients and slowly rendered pork fat for unmatched flavour, serving it on corn tortillas with an avocado sauce, colourful pickled onions and their house habanero sauce. It has been a cornerstone of the community for over 50 years and, hopefully, will remain so for at least 50 more. 1800 S Hoover St, Pico-Union, Los Angeles, CA 90006. Website; Instagram; Directions
Ensenada, Baja California: Fish tacos at Taco Nazo
Bellflower and four other locations (plus a mobile food truck)
Arguably the first restaurant to introduce battered fish and potato tacos to Los Angeles, Taco Nazo has served them in the style of Ensenada, on the skinny north-western Baja California peninsula, since 1978. It’s worth noting that they were brought to Baja by Japanese immigrants, who introduced this tempura-like approach. Also on the menu are micheladas, shrimp ceviche and extremely addictive fried güero peppers dusted with chilli powder (its version of french fries to order with your burger). Unlike many other spots in Los Angeles that cut corners and use lower-priced tilapia for their fish, Taco Nazo still keeps it wild, using cod. 10326 Alondra Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706, and four other locations across LA County. Website; Instagram; Directions
Jalisco: Birria de chivo tatemada at Birria El Jalisciense
Boyle Heights
This stand is open only one morning a week. All they have is birria de chivo tatemada — freshly slaughtered local goat that is steamed for four hours before it’s finished in the oven, achieving a type of birria-flavoured bark not unlike the kind you’ll find on a good piece of barbecue. You can get it on a plate with a ladle of a tomato-rich consommé and a pile of corn tortillas, or tucked inside tortillas in taco dorado form; I prefer the latter (which is also easier to eat), but it’s all juicy, goaty greatness. Jalisco is a large state in Mexico, and owner Hector Ramirez is from a region of Jalisco that’s close to Aguascalientes — a state known to use tomato broth. That makes his birria uniquely regional and hard to find elsewhere. Pro-level birria eaters ask for it by the cut, so they can gnaw their way through the bones. Our favourite cut? Costilla (ribs). Just get there early before he runs out. Open Saturday mornings from 8am to sellout. 3442 East Olympic Blvd, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA 90023. Instagram; Directions
Mexico City: Taco Sonia at Komal
Historic South Central
Fátima Júarez and Conrado Rivera, a passionate chef couple from Mexico City, have brought a taste of their beloved street-food mecca to Los Angeles with their colourful tortillería at Mercado La Paloma. It’s a cosy spot that serves affordable, authentic Mexican street food at around $10, and is also at the cutting edge of corn masa-based food in Los Angeles. Try their crispy molotes stuffed with plantains, their taco Sonia (seared beef, house-made pork chorizo and mashed potato or cactus) and their unique tlacoyos (a pre-Hispanic snack made of masa dough that is thicker than a tortilla) with heirloom beans. It’s all made from ethically sourced, heirloom Mexican corn that celebrates sustainable farming and Indigenous farmers. It’s also great for families: kids love quesadillas, and Komal has perhaps the best quesadilla in Los Angeles. Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S Grand Ave, Historic South Central, Los Angeles, CA 90007. Website; Instagram; Directions
Zacatecas: Burrito de deshebrada at Burritos La Palma
Boyle Heights and other locations
I can’t talk about the beef birria or flour tortilla wave infiltrating Los Angeles without mentioning the OG: Burritos La Palma. You can find them in Boyle Heights, El Monte, Highland Park and Santa Ana serving an array of snack-sized but filling burritos. Each burrito de deshebrada (shredded beef) is served with a spicy tomato salsa and a raw serrano chilli, just like it would be at your grandmother’s house. One bite instils a deep feeling of nostalgia. And no matter what time of day you stop by, their birria will never, ever be dry. 2811 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023, and three other locations. Website; Instagram; Directions
Sinaloa: Papa loco at Tacos La Carreta
Long Beach and Whittier
Tacos in Mexico are always fresh. Tacos in LA can sometimes lose that quality, influenced by the American demand for convenience. José Manuel Morales Bernal, a Paramount-born taquero with deep roots in El Verde Concordia, Sinaloa, serves an always-fresh and hyper-focused carne asada menu from a taco truck in Long Beach’s industrial north (and another in Santa Ana) as well as a restaurant in Whittier. He draws crowds from across the county with the heavenly smell of mesquite-grilled sirloin steak. My personal favourite is his papa loco (“crazy potato”), a baked potato stuffed with juicy asada and Jack cheese, all elevated with thoughtful touches like beef-fat-brushed tortillas and finely shredded cabbage instead of coriander. His salsa and Sinaloan specialities, like the refreshing horchata-like agua de cebada (barley water), complement the experience. Truck is at 3480 E 69th St, Long Beach, CA 90805; Directions. Restaurant is at 11402 Washington Blvd, Whittier, CA 90606; Directions. Instagram
Los Angeles: Duck confit with date mole at A Tí
Echo Park
Los Angeles’ taco scene is a living and breathing entity, filled with thousands of traditional taqueros. There is also a handful of chefs who are evolving the taco, and Andrew Ponce is one of those visionaries. At A Tí in Echo Park, his training as a chef in one of LA’s most celebrated Italian restaurants (Bestia) comes through in his food, where bold flavours meet Mexican tradition. His striped-bass or vermilion rockfish tacos with zesty habanero-Kewpie mayonnaise and his award-winning duck confit taco with smoky date mole are must-tries for global travellers who love chasing both street food and high-end thrills. 1498 West Sunset Blvd #2, Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Website; Instagram; Directions
Puebla: Taco àrabe especial at Tacos Árabes de Puebla
Boyle Heights
In an industrial stretch in Boyle Heights, this food truck, run by the Villegas family, serves up hunger-slaying Puebla-style dishes like cemita sandwiches (named for its egg-enriched dense bun). It is famous for its taco árabe, a taco with possibly the most international origin story. It’s a Middle Eastern-inspired cousin of al pastor, possibly born in the 1930s from either Lebanese or Iraqi immigrants in Puebla, and it evokes a Mexican take on shawarma. Marinated pork is sliced from a spinning trompo, nestled in a thick, pita-like flour tortilla called pan árabe and topped with buttery avocado, briny quesillo (unpasteurised string cheese from Mexico) and a smoky chipotle salsa. 3600 East Olympic Blvd, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA 90023. Instagram; Directions
Mexicali, Baja California: Guisado de chicharrón at Asadero Chikali
Inglewood
Tacos from the US-Mexico borderlands are a distinct category. Asadero Chikali serves northern Mexican breakfast tacos that capture the essence of Mexicali, the capital city and border city of Baja California. If you love tacos that stick to your ribs and taste like you’re eating in someone’s home kitchen, then you will love their straightforward yet flavourful tacos, made with soft, handmade flour tortillas. Its creamy refried beans are almost worth the trip alone, and hearty guisados (traditional homestyle meat-braised dishes) like chicharrón (fried pork rinds) in salsa roja or beef barbacoa are as satisfying for your soul as they are filling. 4233 W Century Blvd #7, Inglewood, CA 90304. Website; Instagram; Directions
Javier Cabral is a James Beard Award-winning journalist and editor-in-chief of L.A. Taco
