From its desert edges and mountain peaks to the beautiful landscapes within, the Inland Empire is a thriving destination adjacent to, but nestled away from, Los Angeles's insanity. It's also an impressive place to head for tacos.
The region is home to an estimated 4 million residents, and long before it was known as the orange empire for its once-thriving orange groves, it was home to the Tongva, Serrano, Kumeyaay, Luiseño, and Cahuilla tribes, their history stretching back thousands of years.
When asked to describe their pedacito of the Inland Empire, residents often describe it as a place that feels like home, especially for anyone who migrated from dense L.A. neighborhoods to its wide open expanses.
The area is diverse in its hard-working communities and its cuisine alike. At-home restaurants like Cali Tardka in Riverside bring the flavors of northwest India's Punjab region to the I.E., while food from a variety of different regions of Mexico is abundant. With Latinos comprising 51% of the 909's population, it is the perfect place to find great-tasting tacos.
From tacos de canasta in Fontana to brain tacos in San Bernardino and puffy tacos filled with chile verde in Alta Loma, these tacos fuel the Inland Empire's working class.
Each one of them is 100% worth the drive.