After a long work day, few pleasures compare to sitting down at your favorite taquería and letting your troubles float away on the cloud of steam that rises off the sizzling meat, cheese and onions. So as we step into 2025, here are a few of the best tacos and taquería meals we at Mexico News Daily had the privilege to experience this past year. May they inspire a year full of delicious culinary adventures. ¡Provecho!
Tacos de barbacoa at El Mexiquense in Mexico City
I’m a sucker for tacos de barbacoa and this place in CDMX (in Narvarte, Roma and other locations) has great ones. Try the tacos dorados as well! —Peter Davies, chief staff writer
Tacos de guisado at Los Burritos in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Nopales, meat, eggs in red sauce, mole, chicharrón, beans… are some of the dishes you can enjoy in your ‘burritaco’ prepared on the spot in delicious flour tortillas. They are located on Hidalgo Street, in downtown San Miguel de Allende. —María Ruiz, assistant editor
Pellizcada de asada at the Mercado Garmendia in Culiacán, Sinaloa
Thicker than a tortilla but thinner than a sope, Culiacán’s pellizcadas offer just the right dose of chewy tamal goodness. The cooked masa is spread with savory pan drippings, melted cheese and a thick layer of carne asada then served with a wide variety of salsas. —Rose Egelhoff, senior news editor
Tacos de asada at Lila Taquería in Dubai
I had tacos de carne asada and agua de Jamaica on Day of the Dead. The tacos tasted just like any taco in Mexico. Later we learned all ingredients in this restaurant are shipped from Mexico. —Gaby Solís, news writer
Tacos al pastor at Orinoco in Mexico City
The crispy tortilla topping that Orinoco adds really takes this taco al pastor to the next level. —Caitlin Cooper, senior news editor
Tacos de carne asada con queso in Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí
Lots of pico de gallo, fresh tortillas, grilled green onions, amazing salsas — served on plastic tables and chairs on the street. —Travis Bembenek, Mexico News Daily CEO
Tacos al pastor in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The chances of stumbling upon a taco al pastor in the dusty street of the Cambodian capital were low. The chances of it being lovingly prepared by a Oaxacan chef were even lower. It was a tiny slice of heaven. —Chris Havler-Barrett, features editor
Tacos de carne asada in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
The salsas are amazing! —Tamanna Bembenek, Mexico News Daily co-owner and product manager
Tacos de barbacoa at Mayahuel in Querétaro city
This local family-run chain of barbacoa restaurants scattered in and around the city of Querétaro consistently makes the best traditional barbacoa de borrego tacos I’ve ever tasted. Their dining setup may look unassuming — some locations are a bunch of wooden tables set up outdoors under a massive tent — but Mayahuel takes the art of barbacoa seriously, with the meat wrapped in maguey leaves and braised for hours in a traditional mesquite-fired barbecue pit. They also provide plenty of the traditional simmering consomé or mole de olla and all the classic fixings. No wonder queretanos pack this place on weekends. —Michelle Aguilar, news editor
Tacos de carne asada and pastor at El Nuevo Poblano in Tijuana
Giant tacos with so much guacamole — very indulgent and very northern. —Felicity Bradstock, news writer
For more recommendations, don’t forget to check out our staff picks for best books, movies and music of 2024.
Mexico News Daily
