15 Best Tacos In Mexico City – By Local Expats
Thereโs arguably no part of CDMXโs culinary culture that is more iconic than the taco. Exploring the best tacos in Mexico City is a rite of passage for any visitor who loves their food.
When we stay in CDMX and we donโt fancy cooking, itโs always tacos that we turn to. Theyโre just so easy, delicious, and cheap! Our go-to is the classic taco al pastor, which you can find at street stands and holes-in-the-wall throughout the capital for as little as $1, but there are many different types to try.
In this post, weโre sharing our fav taco spots, whittling down the tens (if not hundreds) that weโve tried to just 15. From El Pescadito for fishy flavours to La Pitahaya Vegana for the best vegan tacos Mexico City has to offer, weโve been to each one multiple times โ all for research, of course!
โ ๏ธ 10 Survival Tips For Your Trip To Mexico City. We live here and know both the amazing and the ugly sides of the city. โก๏ธ โก๏ธ Get your FREE Guide here.x
TACO TOUR IN ROMA NORTE
This taco tour is a super fun way to learn about the taco culture of the city and taste some of the most famous tacos in CDMX. One of the best evenings we’ve had! ๐ฎ ๐
What Tacos Are Famous In Mexico City?
There are many different types of tacos in Mexico City, but these are some of the most common varieties that youโll come across.
๐ฎ Tacos al Pastor: Inspired by Lebanese immigrants, the meat in these tacos is marinated in a chilli mix, then cooked on a vertical spit. Theyโre also referred to as tacos de trompo (โspinning topโ) on some menus.
๐ฎ Tacos Cochinita Pibil: Citrus juices are key to the tenderness and the flavour of cochinita pibil. Hailing from the Yucatan Peninsula, the recipe involves pork meat rubbed in achiote paste before cooking.
๐ฎ Tacos de Suadero: Suadero is a traditional Mexican cut of meat that comes from the belly of the cow, just beneath the rib cage. It starts off quite tough, which is why taquerias slow cook it in a pot of melted lard before chopping it up and frying it so itโs crispy.
๐ฎ Tacos de Pescado: Literally โfish tacos,โ these migrated inland from Baja California to become a staple of CDMX. Theyโre made using white fish that has been battered and fried.
๐ฎ Tacos de Canasta: โBasket tacosโ are the ready-made version of Mexicoโs favourite street eat. The stewed fillings are stuffed into the taco, which is then steamed inside a lined basket so that it becomes soft and chewy.
๐ฎ Tacos de Carnitas: Carnitas are like suadero in terms of cooking method, but theyโre made from braised pork meat (often shoulder) instead of beef.
Best Tacos In Mexico City Centre
Some of the best tacos Mexico City has to offer are around the Centro Historico, where weโve unearthed a ton of authentic taquerias.
#1 Taqueria Los Cocuyos โ Best Tacos Near Zocalo Mexico City For Suadero.
Just a few streets back from the Plaza de la Constitucion, Los Cocuyos is one of the more well-known spots downtown that are in the running for best tacos in Mexico City.
Donโt be fooled by its unvarnished faรงade, this is a great place to go for pastor and suadero tacos, sold for a mere 20 pesos ($1 US).
If you want to push the boat out a little, we recommend trying the lengua (tongue), which we found enormously flavourful and tender. They also have tacos made with ear, snout, gizzard, tripe, and brain for the intrepid gourmand.
WHERE: Google Location
#2 Tacos El Puma โ Best Al Pastor Tacos In Mexico City.
On a corner of the Plaza de Santo Domingo, El Puma is the kind of simple stand that you might hurry by without thinking, but youโd be missing out on some of the best street tacos Mexico City has to offer!
We found this place completely by chance, but wow! The quality of the meat and the generous portions have kept us coming back ever since. Two tacos at 30 pesos each (just over $1.50) are usually enough for a whole meal.
El Puma has some of the best tacos al pastor in Mexico City, but they also sell suadero, tripe, and campechano (a mix of beef steak, longaniza sausage, and chicharron pork rinds). If you’re looking for the best street food in CDMX, this place should be at the top of your list!
WHERE: Google Location
#3 Tacos De Canasta โ Best For Basket Tacos.
We discovered this Mexico City taqueria because every time we went passed there seemed to be a queue โ which is usually a good sign that there are some good eats to be had!
Itโs just a little set back from the Zocalo, so it’s a good place to pop by if youโve just been exploring the main square. There are seats inside, or you can grab tacos to go.
As the name suggests, the speciality here is pre-made basket tacos. The menu has just 4 items: chicharron in adobo sauce, chicharron in salsa verde, refried beans, and potato.
The price is super cheap at 9 pesos (50 cents) a pop.
WHERE: Google Location
#4 Tacos Los Paisas โ Best For Authentic Local Tacos.
Between Centro and La Merced, Los Paisas is in a slightly dodgier area of town, so be cautious with your surroundings. Donโt let that put you off making the trip to this neighbourhood, though โ itโs one of the most real and authentic taco joints weโve tried!
Itโs always super busy, which is hardly surprising given the superb quality. We love watching the lady here freshly making the tortillas, which come stuffed with beefsteak, longaniza, pastor, or campechano.
Once you get your taco (40 pesos, about $2), you can then top it off yourself with salsas, beans, nopales (cactus leaf), and other sides.
Not only do Los Paisas sell some of the best tacos Mexico City has to offer, they also do an excellent line in refreshing aguas frescas.
WHERE: Google Location
Best Tacos In Roma Mexico City
Roma is a good place to sample a mix of down-home taco stands and fancier taco eateries, taking you across the spectrum of CDMXโs taco culture.
#5 Los Tacos De Homero Roma โ Best For Cochinita Pibil Tacos.
After discovering this unassuming taco place on a food tour, we keep coming back for more!
The cochinita pibil is so good here, and they serve it in a variety of ways โ all of which you should try! Our fav is the costra, which comes in a large flour tortilla with Oaxacan cheese, but the panuchos are also heavenly: smaller corn tortillas topped with frijoles (refried beans) and habanero sauce.
Everything is served on traditional clay plates, which feels quite posh for a taco stand โ plus, you can even pay by card here. Only in Roma!
To complement some of the best tacos in Mexico City, order the house horchata or agua de jamaica (a kind of hibiscus tea).
WHERE: Google Location
#6 Tres Galeones โ Best For Seafood Tacos.
Specialising in seafood bites, Tres Galeones is the place to go for more exotic tacos like octopus with achiote and soft-shell crab with guacamole.
While itโs all deliciously fresh and flavourful, our go-to is the shrimp taco, which is plated up with a zingy mojo sauce.
Thereโs seating inside and outside, but grab a table on the streetside and enjoy a spot of people-watching with a chilled beer.
Prices are on the higher end, ranging from 40 pesos ($2) up to 70 pesos ($4) per taco.
WHERE: Google Location
#7 La Pitahaya Vegana โ Best Vegan Tacos Mexico City.
La Pitahaya Vegana has some of the most famous tacos in Mexico City. Their cute little pink tortillas fill foodie Instagrammer feeds โ and thatโs before you even get into the tasty, vegan-friendly ingredients.
The toppings are innovative and original, with flavours like curried potato, mushrooms al pastor, and cauliflower with coconut cheese.
Easily among the best tacos in Mexico City for meat-free eaters, the prices are a little high at 195 pesos ($10.50) for 3, but not particularly surprising for Roma.
The vibe is also very cute but casual. This is somewhere you could easily chill out a whole afternoon.
WHERE: Google Location
#8 Taqueria El Morocho โ Best For Huitlacoche Tacos.
Located on a busy street food corner along Avenida Insurgentes, this is a no-frills spot for trying huitlacoche tacos.
For the uninitiated, huitlacoche (aka corn smut) is a kind of fungus that infects corn. As far back as the Aztecs, it has been treated as a delicacy, imbuing food with what we can best describe as an earthy, mushroom-y taste.
As well as the huitlacoche tacos, El Morocho also has popular local orders like tripe and suadero, with a bunch of sides that you can scoop on top.
WHERE: Google Location
#9 Tacos El Gato Volador โ Best For Birria Tacos.
Some of the best tacos in Mexico City for people who want value for money, this taco stand dishes up excellent birria (spicy meat stew) tacos for just 12 pesos (65 cents) a pop. Turn it into a quesabirria (aka birria with cheese) for an additional 3 pesos (15 cents).
Once you have your taco, you can top it up from bowls of nopales, pickled onions, and salsa.
This streetside stand parked up just off Avenida Alvaro Obregon is a popular hangout, but they shoot through the orders pretty quickly.
WHERE: Google Location
#10 Los Compas โ Best For Cheap Taco Essentials.
Another taco stand we got to know on one of the food tours we took, Las Compas is super local and super cheap. Tacos go for 15 pesos (80 cents), served up by cheerful guys from steaming pans.
Like many good street spots, the toppings and salsas are self-serve and unlimited.
Be brave and try the cabeza de res tacos, which are made with head meat. For the timider souls, Los Compas also do tasty versions of suadero, al pastor, and campechano.
WHERE: Google Location
Best Tacos In Condesa Mexico City
Condesa is where we live in CDMX, so most of these taquerias are places we visit on a regular basis, particularly when we want something quick, cheap, and utterly delicious!
#11 El Pescadito โ Best Fish Tacos In Mexico City.
This busy but well-organised taqueria chain has some of the finest fish tacos Mexico City has to offer.
Choose from a short menu that includes tuna, shrimp, and battered white fish, each punchily priced at 52 pesos (just under $3). After ordering your tacos, head to the help-yourself salsa and topping stand.
One thing that caught us out first time is that they donโt take payment right away, you pay at the cashier once youโve finished.
The popularity of El Pescaditoโs delicious seafood tacos has seen its cheerful, bright yellow taquerias spread to numerous locations across the city, including not just Condesa but Roma Norte, Juarez, Cuauhtemoc, and Centro as well.
WHERE: Google Location
#12 Tacos Hola El Gรผero โ Best For Guisado Tacos.
On a road corner just a block back from the Parque Mexico, Hola El Gรผero is a small, authentic place to try tacos de guisado, which are sold for 26 pesos ($1.50) a piece.
The stewed fillings come in a mix of meat options like chicken tinga and veggie options like nopales.
We often head here for a quick lunch after doing our big shop at Walmart. There are a few plastic stools on the pavement where you can park up, or grab some of the best street tacos in Mexico City to go.
WHERE: Google Location
#13 Orinoco โ Best Chain Taqueria Mexico City.
Decorated in a cute canteen style with red chairs and white tiles, this popular chain has branches in all CDMXโs most fashionable area, including Condesa, Roma, and Polanco.
There are three main types of tacos to choose from: the trompo (aka pastor) for 29 pesos ($1.50), the chicharron for 42 pesos (just over $2), and the res (beef) for 47 pesos ($2.50).
Each of these can be upgraded to include grilled cheese or supersized into a larger taco with cheese, corn chips, and avocado.
Orinoco has some of the best al pastor tacos in Mexico City, so we usually order the trompo along with a side of fried potato slices and an agua fresca. Perfection!
WHERE: Google Location
#14 El Kalimรกn โ Best For Neighbourhood Tacos.
El Kalimรกn is basically our local taqueria. Itโs near our apartment, so we head over quite a bit. The super nice staff always make a point of saying a warm hello to us, which just adds to the overall neighbourhood vibe.
Itโs not exactly a hidden gem โ we once saw a TV programme being filmed there โ but itโs stayed true to its roots with the no-fuss, authentic feel and the well-priced food.
Despite having an enormous menu, they still manage to deliver some of the best tacos in Mexico City. Essentially, you get a piece of paper with a list of all the options, and you fill it in with a pencil before handing it over to the staff.
They do a lot of tasty variations on beefsteak and pork chop, but there’s also some decent veggie options stuffed with mushrooms, cheese, or nopales.
Prices range from just over 20 pesos ($1) for the classic taco al pastor to about 150 pesos ($8) for a big taco stuffed with beef, chorizo, and cheese.
WHERE: Google Location
Best Tacos In Polanco Mexico City
Most of Polanco is a bit too chichi to host good old-fashioned taco joints, but there is one spot in this neighbourhood that we had to include on our list of best taquerias in Mexico City.
#15 Taquerรญa El Turix โ The Famous Taco Joint.
Arguably the most well-known taqueria in CDMX, El Turix is a favourite among food critics. While thatโs what initially caught our attention, it also stands out as being a very simple, authentic local spot amidst the ritzy brunch hangouts and fine dining restaurants that are Polancoโs signatures.
The specialty here is cochinita pibil, which in our opinion lives up to its fame, the tender marinated meat filling your mouth with delicious juices.
Itโs 26 pesos ($1.50) to have it served in a taco, but make sure to try in on a crispy panucho (39 pesos, about $2) as well.
WHERE: Google Location
Best Tacos In Mexico City: FAQs
Where to eat tacos in Mexico City?
Some of the best tacos in Mexico City are around the Centro Historico, where youโll find a lot of authentic, no-frills local spots. The foodie area of Roma also has some amazing real-deal taquerias, as well as a couple of slightly fancier taco experiences.
How much are tacos in Mexico City?
The cost of tacos in Mexico City varies quite a bit by venue, from a 9-peso basket taco at Tacos de Canasta to a 65-peso pink vegan taco at La Pitahaya Vegana. As a rough guide, anywhere between 20 and 40 pesos is pretty standard.
Is it safe to eat street tacos in Mexico City?
All the places weโve included in this post are safe. More generally, choosing a taqueria that is busy is a good rule of thumb for avoiding food poisoning. Pay attention to how the staff handle money and only eat at places where a separate person touches the cash โ or at the very least puts on a glove when picking up pesos.
Best Tacos In Mexico City: Wrap-Up
Finding (and eating) the best tacos in Mexico City is a core part of enjoying what the capital has to offer. There are so many taquerias spread throughout CDMX to explore, and this is by no means a definitive list, but hopefully, sharing our favs will give you a place to start on your foodie adventure.
MORE CDMX TRAVEL GUIDES