Best Tacos in Mexico City: The Places We Loved Most

“Los tacos son la respuesta. No importa cuál sea la pregunta.“

When you think of Mexico, you probably think of margaritas and tacos — and honestly, one of the first things we asked ourselves was: where could we find the best tacos in Mexico City?

Mexican food is one of our favourite cuisines in the world. The ingredients are often simple, but the flavours are anything but. A tortilla, good meat, salsa, lime and a few carefully chosen toppings can become one of the best meals you have on a trip.

Mexico City is full of taquerías. Some are modern and well known; others are tiny, busy and completely unassuming. The difficult part is choosing where to go.

Before our trip, we saved more than 20 taquerías on Google Maps. Every time we found ourselves near one — hungry or not quite hungry enough to justify it — we stopped for tacos. We tried a few of the places we had planned, discovered some better ones by accident, and left plenty for next time.

Our biggest piece of advice? Do not follow your saved list too strictly. A few of our favourite tacos were not on it at all — they were the places we found simply by walking around and following the smell of food.

A stand that is busy with locals, where food is prepared fresh and people know exactly what they want to order, is often a very promising sign. Of course, use your usual judgement with street food — but do not skip it altogether. Street food is not just a cheap way to eat in Mexico City; it is part of everyday life, part of the rhythm of the neighbourhoods and one of the best ways to understand the city.

We also know that arriving at a busy little taquería with no obvious menu can feel intimidating at first. Do not be afraid to ask the person cooking what they recommend, point at something another customer is eating, or simply ask what it is. In our experience, people were more than happy to help, explain the food and share a little piece of their culture with visitors. It is often the easiest way to find something delicious.

Tacos are eaten at all hours, not only at lunch or dinner. You can find a simple breakfast taco in the morning, a quick snack while walking around, or a late-night meal after a long day of exploring. Some of our most worthwhile food experiences in Mexico City were the least planned ones.

Planning your first trip? Read our honest 3-day Mexico City itinerary for the places we visited, what we loved and what we would skip. For more ideas beyond food, explore our guide to the best things to do in Mexico City.

Our top 3 taco experiences in Mexico City

1. Gorditas from a small street stand near Frida Kahlo Park, Coyoacán

This was our first big food surprise in Mexico City — and the moment we realised how many great opportunities we could miss if we only ate at the places we had originally saved.

We were walking around Coyoacán after visiting Frida Kahlo Park when we noticed a small street-food stand surrounded by locals. It smelled incredible, everyone seemed to know exactly what they wanted to order, and the people working there were so welcoming that we did not need much more convincing.

This was where we tried gorditas for the first time.

Gorditas are thick little corn pockets, cooked on a griddle or fried, then split open and filled with things like beans, cheese or slow-cooked meat. Think of them as a heartier, more filling cousin of a taco.

What made this stand particularly special was that everything felt homemade. We watched the tortillas being prepared and pressed right there in front of us, then cooked fresh before being filled. The gorditas were warm, soft, generous and full of flavour — simple food, but made with real care.

It was one of those meals that makes you stop for a moment and think: this is exactly why we travel.

We had not planned to eat there. We had no idea what the place was called. But it ended up being one of the most memorable things we ate in Mexico City.

You can find the exact stand we visited on our Google Maps pin.

2. El Turix, Polanco

El Turix was one of the places on our original list, although we cannot remember whether we found it through a recommendation or social media. Either way, it was not one of the most talked-about places we had seen before arriving in Mexico City.

We went while exploring Polanco because it was nearby and we were hungry. When we arrived, there was a queue outside made up almost entirely of locals — always a very good sign.

El Turix specialises in cochinita pibil, a slow-cooked Yucatán-style pork dish that is rich, tender and full of flavour. You can order it in tacos, tortas and panuchos.

A torta is essentially a Mexican sandwich, usually served in soft bread. Panuchos are a Yucatán speciality: corn tortillas filled with black beans, fried, then topped with things like cochinita and pickled onions.

We tried all three, and everything was delicious. But the tacos were the real highlight. The tortilla was dipped into the cooking juices before being filled with pork, meaning the sauce was dripping everywhere in the best possible way.

It was messy, intense and absolutely worth it.

3. El Paisa

El Paisa was our favourite example of a classic Mexico City street taquería.

The menu includes the kind of tacos you expect to find in the city: suadero, longaniza, al pastor and more. No unnecessary reinvention, no attempt to make tacos look fancy — just good ingredients, strong flavours and properly satisfying food.

It was full of locals talking, laughing and eating together, which made the whole experience even better. There is not much more to say: they make tacos, and they make them very well.

If you want a classic, uncomplicated taco experience in Mexico City, this is one we would happily return to.

Other tacos we tried in Mexico City

Los Cocuyos, Historic Centre

Los Cocuyos was the first taquería we visited in Mexico City, on our very first day.

Looking back, we are not entirely sure whether the tacos were truly incredible or whether they tasted even better because they were our first proper tacos in Mexico. Probably a bit of both.

The menu is huge, with many different cuts and fillings, and we tried several. Everything we ordered was good, cheap and satisfying. It is a particularly useful place to save if you are staying around the Historic Centre and want something local rather than an obviously touristy restaurant.

Were they the best tacos we ate in Mexico City? Probably not. But they were a great introduction to the city’s taco scene, and we would still recommend them if you are nearby.

Breakfast tacos in Coyoacán

One of our favourite breakfasts in Mexico City came from a tiny street stand in Coyoacán, right in front of an OXXO.

They served soft, simple tacos filled with beans and cheese. Nothing complicated — just warm tortillas, comforting fillings and a perfect way to start the day before exploring the neighbourhood.

We probably would have walked past it if we had not noticed how many people were stopping there before work and during their morning routines. There is something so special about eating the same breakfast that is part of people’s everyday lives, even if only for a few minutes.

It was not a place we had researched, photographed or planned around. We simply saw it, smelled the food and decided to stop. Those are often the meals that stay with you the longest.

You can find the exact location on our Google Maps pin.

Coyoacán was one of our favourite areas to wander around, eat well and take things slowly. If you are still deciding where to stay, our guide to where to stay in Mexico City will help you find the area that suits your trip best.

El Califa de León: good, but go with realistic expectations

We also tried El Califa de León because it became famous after receiving a Michelin star — a huge moment for taquerías in Mexico City.

We had very high expectations before going, which is probably why we left feeling slightly disappointed. It was not a bad meal at all. We ate well, the meat was high quality and the tacos were carefully made. But we expected something more memorable.

The concept is extremely simple: excellent-quality meat, a corn tortilla, salt and lime. The signature taco is the Gaonera, made with thinly sliced beef, but there are other cuts available too.

One thing that surprised us was the setting. Despite its Michelin fame, El Califa de León is surrounded by regular shops, and there is an arrangement with the clothing shop next door. When it is busy, you may be taken to sit at one of the restaurant’s tables inside the clothing shop itself.

So do not be surprised if you arrive expecting a classic restaurant and suddenly find yourself sitting in the middle of rails of clothes, eating your tacos. It is a very unexpected experience — and, honestly, quite funny.

Was the food good? Yes.

Was it the taco experience we would tell every visitor to make a special journey for? Personally, no.

It was much more expensive than almost every other taco we ate in the city, and we found the overall experience less exciting than the lively local taquerías and street stands we discovered elsewhere. We understand why people want to go — it is famous, it has an important place in Mexico City’s food story, and it is interesting to try once.

Just go with realistic expectations. In our opinion, you can eat more memorable tacos for a fraction of the price elsewhere in the city.

A note on the random taquerías we tried

Of course, we ate more tacos than the places listed above.

There were moments when we were hungry, tired, grumpy or simply did not want to wait in another queue. On those days, we stopped at random taquerías along the way, including some quieter places, and ate whatever looked good.

Some were perfectly nice. Some were exactly what we needed at that moment. But they were not the places that stayed in our memory or that we would specifically tell you to plan your day around.

That is the difference: not every taco needs to become a recommendation. The random stops were part of the fun of exploring the city, but the places in this guide are the ones we would genuinely return to ourselves.

Save a few strong recommendations before you go, but still leave room for surprises. Try the well-known places, yes — but also trust the busy local spots you come across while exploring. If somewhere is full of people eating, it is often worth stopping for one taco.

Even if you are not hungry, there is always room for a small taco.

Taquerías still on our list for next time

Mexico City is impossible to finish in one trip, especially when it comes to food. These are the places we saved but did not get the chance to try:

• Taquería Orinoco
• Jenni’s Quesadillas
• La Once Mil
• Tacos El Güero
• Taquería El Greco
• Taquería Las Rejas
• Tacos La Chula Roma
• El Pescadito
• Maizajo
• Tacos del Valle
• Tacos Atarantados
• Cariñito Tacos

We have not included these as personal recommendations because we have not eaten there yet — but they are firmly on our list for our next visit.

Final thoughts

Mexico City has enough tacos to keep you busy for months, not days. You could eat every meal at a different taquería and still barely scratch the surface.

But this is not only about finding the “best” taco. It is also about the people making it, the locals eating beside you, the noise of the street, the smell of the tortillas cooking and the generosity that comes with being welcomed into a place that is part of someone else’s everyday life.

The food in Mexico City made us feel that warmth constantly. A quick breakfast taco could turn into a small moment of connection. A busy street stand could become the highlight of an afternoon. A meal that cost very little could stay in our memory long after the trip ended.

Let yourself be surprised. Talk to people. Follow the smell of food. And when you see a little stand full of locals eating, stop — because some of the most worthwhile tacos in Mexico City are probably still waiting for you around the next corner.