LA has always had tacos worth arguing about. From suadero-focused food trucks to old-school counters built on nixtamalized blue corn masa, these spots all obsess over the tortilla and the filling in equal measure. Whether you are hunting breakfast tacos until they sell out or slow-cooked carnitas from a weekend-only window, this list covers the range.
East Austin · 1108 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702, USA
Yellow food truck in the Arbor Food Park on E. 12th, where suadero and cachete land on double-layer nixtamalized corn tortillas brought in from the Colonial Tortilla Factory in San Antonio. Order the champiñones quesadi…
Silver Lake · 2815 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
A leafy taco hideout on Sunset where the tortillas are handmade, the margaritas come with guava, and the patio feels like Silver Lake’s best-kept secret. It’s casual enough for a Tuesday, vibey enough for a date, and th…
Culver City · 11222 Washington Pl, Culver City, CA 90230, USA
Free chips and salsa with every order, a $5.95 taco stuffed with shredded beef and grated cheddar, and a counter-service line that somehow moves faster than the crowd suggests. Crispy corn shells, iceberg lettuce, zero …
Highland Park · 5455 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042, USA
An extremely casual strip-mall taco counter built around blue corn tortillas pressed to order from nixtamalized masa, giving every taco a deeper nuttiness and heft than the average LA version. The Ranchera Asada Queso T…
Northeast L.A. · 5234 Valley Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90032
Serving authentic Tijuana fare and Puebla-style tacos, burritos, and tortas, Zingo keeps it simple and delicious. The kind of family-run spot you’ll find yourself coming back to again and again. Lounge on the patio and …
East Village · 210 E 3rd St, New York, NY 10009, USA
Slow-cooked pork in every form (gorditas, carnitas tacos, the Surdita stuffed with every cut at once) from a shop that treats the whole pig as its singular focus. Open Wednesday through Sunday only, so the line forms ea…
Atwater Village · 3185 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
If you know, you know. This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it taco window is a breakfast burrito legend. The chorizo and potato? Game-changing. Just don’t be late. They’re open until they sell out, and trust us, they will.