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Written by: Martin Pramatarov

Published: 07 March 2022

Last Updated: 03 April 2025

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• Mexican food
• Fast food
• Mexican fast food
• Mexico

What is a taco? 

The taco is the most popular Mexican food, both inside Mexico and abroad. 

It is a folded circular bread called a tortilla, filled with different mixtures like beef meat (tacos de bistec, cecina, carne asada, suadero, etc.), pork meat (cochinita pibil, chicharon, tacos de panza), cacti (Nopales), chicken meat (tacos dorados, tinga tacos, tacos de mole verde, tacos de guisado, etc.), goat (barbacoa, birria), fish and seafood (swordfish, octopus, codfish, tuna fish, shark, calamari, etc.). 

The tortillas are made usually out of corn flour, but they can be made of wheat flour too. Their size varies, and you can find as small as 5cm diameter and as big as 30cm. 

A typical order includes multiple tacos, garnish or salad (beans, cacti, rice, etc.), lime, and different sauces like salsa verde, salsa roja, guacamole, pico de gallo, etc. 

You can find special restaurants called “taquerias” all around Mexico. They focus exactly on this special Mexican food. 

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The history of tacos

The tacos are really ancient, but it took a long time before they get their name. The first ancient Mexicans that ate a similar food were the Olmecs. The Olmecs are a native Americans that lived in the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco. They have lived between 2500 BC to 400 BC.

What they did right is to process the corn. They invented the process called “nixtamalización”. The word comes from “nextli” lime ash, and “tamalli” - cooked corn dough. 

Doesn’t sound impressive, but it is. This great discovery of ancient engineering consists of cooking the corn with water and lime, which softens it and also causes chemical changes in the composition of the corn grains. It provides them with calcium and potassium and makes the proteins and nutrients of the corn are more usable by the human body.

After that, history is kind of silent, but some of the indigenous people of Mexico started to form ancient bread and cooked it on hot stones. The first written history that we can find about the ancient tacos comes from the Spanish conquistadors. 

Bernal Díaz del Castillo writes in his book “The True History of the Conquest of New Spain“ that the Aztecs were using tortillas, made of corn, to eat their prepared food. Instead of eating directly with hands or cutlery. So, in this book, you can find a story about the ruler of the Aztecs in this time Moctezuma, creating the first taco party together with the leader of the conquistadors – Hernan Cortes. This event happen in Coyoacán, and the party-goers ate tacos with pork meat (like cochinita pibil), or beans. This happened in the 16th century. 

But wait, there is more to the story. The tacos still didn’t have their names. 

 

Where does the name of the tacos come from? 

There are two theories about the name of the tacos. 

1. Indigenous origin of the word taco. One of the old languages in Mexico is Nahuatl. In it, the word for half is “tlahco”. The idea is that the prepared food is put in half of the tortilla. Still, it doesn’t sound close enough to the modern taco.

2. Silver miners origin of the word taco. There are similar sounding words in the Germanic languages like “tache” in French and “tack” in English. Some say that the silver miners in the 18th century in Mexico were using the word taco to say a plug. They used explosives, that were made of gunpowder and wrapped in plug form. This sounds about right, but there is no hard evidence. The first written data with the name taco is from the end of the 19th century, and the tacos they wrote about were tacos de minero (miner’s taco). 

 

What are Mexican tacos made of? 

The most traditional Mexican tacos are made of corn tortillas, cooked meat (usually pork or beef), fresh garnish, lemon, and hot sauce. 

 

What kind of meat is used in Mexican tacos?

You have Mexican tacos with every type of meat. Pork and beef are the most popular, but you can find chicken, goat, sheep, and many other types. If you want to see more types of tacos read the following article “The complete list of Mexican tacos you must try before you die!”. 

 

What meat is tripas?

The tripas are beef intestines. They are cleaned well and cooked for a long time, so they become soft and tasty. 

 

What are the most popular tacos?

The most popular tacos in Mexico are the following:

• Tacos al pastor – pork meat tacos, popular in Mexico City.

• Tacos de Bistec – beef steak tacos. 

• Tacos de Pescado – fish tacos.

• Tacos de birria – greasy tacos with beef or goat meat tacos.

• Tacos de barbacoa – sheep meat tacos.

 

What seasoning do Mexican restaurants use?

• The most common spices that Mexican restaurants use are: 

• Oregano

• Cumin

• Onion

• Garlic

• Coriander

• Chili powder – different types 

• Smoked paprika

• Achiote

 

How many types of tacos are out there?

There are countless types of tacos, but in our list “The complete list of Mexican tacos you must try before you die!”, we manage to find around 50 types of tacos. Go ahead and check them all. We are adding new, each time we find one, so the list is still growing.

 

Are there vegetarian tacos that you can buy on the street of Mexico?

Yes, in Mexico, there are vegetarian tacos that you can buy from street food stands. The flavors that you should check are:

• Tacos dorados de papas – fried tacos with boiled potato filling, sour cream, cheese, and lettuce. 

• Tacos de canasta de frijol – steam-cooked tacos, with a filling of cooked beans with red or green sauce. 

• Tacos de canasta de papas - steam-cooked tacos, with a filling of boiled potatoes with red or green sauce.

• Tacos de guisado de nopales – tacos with a prepared filling of cacti (Nopales) with onions and spices. 

• Tacos de guisado de rajas con crema – tacos with a prepared filling of chilies with sour cream.

 

Are there vegan tacos that you can buy on the street of Mexico?

There are very few vegan tacos out there. You might have better luck finding a vegan quesadilla. The quesadilla is a similar dish, made from longer tortillas, and is as popular as the tacos. 

Still, if you want to find vegan tacos inside Mexico you could try this one:

• Tacos de guisado de nopales – tacos with a prepared filling of cacti (Nopales) with onions and spices.

Your other option is to find a vegan taqueria (restaurant for tacos). There you could find an all-vegan menu. Thanks to the foreigners, such places are getting more popular. If you are in Mexico City, you can find vegan tacos in the La Condesa neighborhood, and also downtown. 

 

Wheat flour tortilla or corn tortilla do Mexicans use?

Mexican prefer corn tortillas. The corn tortilla is the standard all around Mexico. Still, you can find flour tortillas too. It is a bit more popular in the North, in states like Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, and Baja California. Mexico is a big producer of corn, and this is the reason why this type of tortillas is more popular. 

 

Are traditional tacos hard or soft?

The traditional tacos in Mexico are soft. The hard tacos are an American invention and they are not popular at all in Mexico. You can find dried tortillas, but they are used for totopos snacks (nachos), Azteca soup, chilaquiles, and other dishes. The only hard tacos in Mexico are the tacos dorados (fried tacos). 

 

How are Mexican tacos different from American tacos?

Mexican tacos and American tacos share just the name. Apart from this, they are extremely different. 

• The tortilla of the Mexican tacos is usually made of corn flour and it is soft. The American one is hard and made from wheat flour. 

• The filling of the Mexican tacos can be very versatile – pork meat, beef, goat meat, sheep, vegetables, fish, seafood, and so on.

• The American tacos are made with beef minced meat. 

• The Mexican tacos have different garnishes, depending on the flavor, while the Americans have a little salad of vegetables. 

• You will also find many specific hot sauces in Mexico, specially prepared by each restaurant, while in America, you will find only a few choices of bottled hot sauce. 

 

Why are American tacos different?

American tacos were created, to be a part of a fast-food chain restaurant. They are a mass-market product that strives for standardization. 

On the other hand, Mexican tacos are made on spot, to be consumed freshly cooked. They are unique and each region has its own. 

 

Is Taco Bell real Mexican food?

No. Taco Bell is an American chain of restaurants that was inspired by the Tex-Mex cuisine and Mexican food from the border. It is very different from traditional Mexican food. 

 

What is Taco Tuesday?

Taco Tuesday is an American promotion, that offers tacos with a discount every Tuesday. It is American promotion, and it is not adopted in Mexico. It was trademarked in 1989 by Taco John, but many other restaurants use it, even without paying for copyrights.  

 

When is National Taco day (USA)? 

The 4th of October is National Taco Day in the USA. So, this year, Taco Day will be on 04.10.2022. On this day, you can expect great promotions and even free tacos from Taco Bell, Chuy’s, Rubio’s, and other big US chains. 

 

When is the national Taco day (Mexico) - Día del Taco?

In Mexico, the national day of the taco is celebrated on the 31st of March each year. What we could find as a starting day was 31.03.2007. The biggest TV channel in Mexico, Televisa, started first to celebrate Taco Day, and many restaurants followed. Now, it is more a marketing tool that restaurants use, rather than something every Mexican celebrates. 

 

Do Mexican tacos have cheese?

No, typical tacos do not have cheese. There is another dish called quesadilla that takes its name from queso – cheese. They usually include cheese or you can add it if you like.

There are just a few tacos, that include cheese like tacos dorados. 

 

What cheese do Mexican restaurants use on tacos?

Mexico has the following types of cheeses:

• Oaxaca cheese

• Manchego cheese

• Cotija cheese

• Requesón

• Panela cheese

They can be used on tacos, but it is not very common in Mexico to put cheese on a taco. Still, if you insist, the restaurant could add cheese to your tacos for an extra fee. 

 

Tacos vs quesadillas

Tacos and quesadillas are very similar, but what defines them is what you put inside the tortilla. In the case of tacos, the tortilla is circular and the filling is mostly meat. 

When we talk about quesadillas, they have a different shape, longer body, and usually, the filling is a prepared meal - guiso. The guiso can be with meat or vegetarian. Usually, quesadillas have cheese (queso), and tacos don’t have cheese. 

 

Tacos vs burritos

Tacos and burritos are very similar, but the biggest differences are that the taco is a tortilla with filling, that is served open, while the burrito is served wrapped around. Another difference is that tacos are usually using corn tortillas, while burritos are made with flour tortillas. 

 

Can taco be healthy? 

Tacos can be healthy, especially if you prepared them yourself. You can get the best ingredients, evade frying any of the ingredients, and add a healthy dose of vegetables. 

But, most of the traditional tacos will make you fat. Just see “The complete list of Mexican tacos you must try before you die!” and you will find out that most of the tacos are really energy-dense. Meat, fat, oil, garnish, and sauces. Ever adds up to a very heavy dish with a lot of calories. If you are on a diet, eating street food Mexican tacos won’t be good for you. 

 

Conclusion

Now you know a lot more about Mexico’s favorite food, the tacos! We hope we have answered all your questions and doubts about the tacos. Next time you get tacos with your friends or families, you can surprise them with this knowledge.

Guys, share your opinions and experiences with us, PackandGo.info !

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Details

Written by: Martin Pramatarov

Published: 21 February 2022

Last Updated: 29 April 2025

Hits: 2541

• Mexican food
• Mexico

Mexican cuisine is super-rich. It is not just tacos, but also plenty of amazing local dishes, unique to Mexico. There is a lot to love when it comes to the taste of Mexico. 

Today we will dedicate an article to Mexican cheeses. There are not many types of cheese here, but they are totally worth your attention. There are yellow melting cheeses like Oaxaca, Chihuahua, and Manchego, strong flavor cheeses like the Cotija cheese, and soft white cheeses like Panela and Requesón. Excellent choices for cheese lovers. 

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The history of Mexican cheeses

The old Mexican civilizations like the Aztecs and the Maya didn’t produce any cheese. This is the reason why there was no cheese at all before the Europeans arrive on the continent in the 16th century. So then, the Spanish arrived and brought cows, goats, sheep, and all the knowledge to start producing cheese in Mexico. One of the first cheeses in Mexico was the Manchego cheese, which is Spanish by origin.

With time, the Europeans and the local Indigenous Mexicans started to share their knowledge and experience and create new types of cheeses. 

Today there are a few, truly Mexican types of cheese, but still, Mexico is not a huge producer. You won’t find many Mexican kinds of cheese outside of the country. Only in the USA, you can find some like Chihuahua cheese, Manchego cheese, or Oaxaca. 

If you want to try Mexican cheese, you will need to go to Mexico. There is no easy way. 

 

Queso Oaxaca

Queso Oaxaca is a string type of cheese, made of cow’s milk, and offered in a form of cheese balls. The name comes from the state of origin – Oaxaca. Queso Oaxaca is mostly white but slightly yellowish. It is soft, easy-to-melt, with a very tender taste, and slightly salty.

 

Its look is unique. It looks like a ball made of strings. It is really fun to open the “node” of an Oaxaca cheese, and spread the strings on your hot food. It will melt and give a delicious finish to your dish. 

 

It is used for quesadillas (traditional food similar to the tacos, but with cheese), sandwiches, tortas (Mexican alternative to burgers), queso fundido, filling for different dishes (chile relleno – filled chile).  

 

Queso Manchego

The Manchego cheese is originally from the region of La Mancha in Spain, but it is really popular in Mexico too. It is a yellow cheese, mostly consumed fresh (1-month aging) with a buttery texture, it is creamy with a delicate taste. The Spanish Manchego is made out of sheep’s milk, while the Mexican version is made of cow’s milk. 

 

The Manchego cheese is very easy to melt. It is another multi-purpose cheese that you can put on different dishes, tortas, sandwiches, quesadillas, and more. 

 

Queso Chihuahua

The Chihuahua cheese is a yellow cheese, that originated in the state of Chihuahua, in the north. It was first produced by the Mennonite community there, and later the recipe was adopted by the Mexicans. 

 

Chihuahua cheese is excellent for melting, and you can compare its taste to Cheddar or Monterey Jack. It has a strong taste and it is aged for longer, than the Manchego and Oaxaca. 

 

The Chihuahua cheese is often used for queso fundido (fondue-style melted cheese), quesadillas, choriqueso, chilaquiles, chile con queso (chilies with cheese), sandwiches, tortas, and other dishes. 

 

Queso Cotija – the “Mexican Parmesan”

The Cotija cheese is often called the “Mexican parmesan” because it also has a very strong flavor. It comes from the town of Cotija, in the state of Michoacán. It is made of cow’s milk and it is white. 

 

 As we mentioned, it has a strong taste, very salty, long-aged cheese with a distinct smell. 

 

The Cotija cheese is often crumbled or shredded on top of various Mexican dishes. 

It is also used to flavor various salads, kinds of pasta, beans, and many antojitos (small fast food). 

 

It is more expensive than the rest of the Mexican cheese on this list, but it is used in small quantities to add flavor, so it won’t break your budget. 

 

Queso Panela

The Panela cheese is a white cheese, made from cow’s milk with a very soft and creamy taste. It is similar to Cottage cheese, basket cheese from Turkey, or Paneer from India. It is also a fresh cheese. 

 

The taste of Panela cheese is very soft, and it has almost no salt. It gives a smooth texture to your sandwich or dish and helps to enjoy the other flavors like sauces and spices. 

 

The Panela cheese is used in quesadillas, different tortas, enchiladas, sandwiches, salads, and even grilled and offered as a dish. 

 

You can find Panela cheese named Queso de canasta (basket cheese) because it is produced inside little baskets. 

 

Queso fresco – fresh cheese

The queso fresco is a fresh white cheese, made from cow’s milk. It is a relatively cheap cheese, so you can find it on different street foods. 

 

The taste of queso fresco is usually non-salty, although, on rare occasions, you can find salty variants too. It is a fresh cheese, so it doesn’t have a very strong taste. It feels a bit spongy while you chew it. 

 

It is often used like the Panela cheese, shredded or crumbled on top of a meal, salads, beans, antojos, tortas, sandwiches, quesadillas, and more. 

 

Queso Añejo – aged cheese

The Añejo cheese is the aged version of the Fresco cheese. It is made from cow’s milk and it has white in color. In rare cases, it could be produced from goat milk, so if you don’t like goat-milk products, ask before you order. 

 

The taste is usually non-salty. It is drier than the Fresco and it is very easy to shred it or crumble it on top of different meals. 

 

It is used the same way too – for salads, meals, tacos, quesadillas, tortas, sandwiches, antojos, and more. 

 

Queso Enchilado – spicy cheese

The Enchilado cheese is another version of Añejo cheese with a big difference of added flavors. It will be covered with chiles and spices for additional taste. It is spicy, so it is great for fans of hot Mexican food. 

 

Queso crema – cream cheese

The Queso Crema is typical cream cheese. White fat cheese, made of cow’s milk, with the purpose to spread it on bread and use for cheesecakes. 

 

Nothing very special, it is just like you can imagine it. It is not a quality cheese and it is often made with a little percentage of real milk. 

 

Queso Doble Crema 

The Doble Crema cheese is a type of fresh cheese originally from Colombia, but very popular in Mexico too. It is produced from cow’s milk and typically has a white color, but it could be a bit yellowish too. 

 

It has a creamy texture and has a plane surface. What distinguish it from the rest is its acid taste. 

 

The Doble Crema is used for pizzas, sandwiches, tortas, and antojos. 

 

Queso Asadero

The Asadero cheese is another white, slightly yellowish, cheese from cow’s milk. It comes from the state of Chihuahua. 

 

It has a string structure and creamy taste. Its flavor is relatively light and similar to the Mozzarella cheese. Honestly, for a foreigner like me, it is incredibly similar to Oaxaca cheese. Especially if it is sold like a cheese ball. You can also find it as a cheese bar, which looks more like a Manchego cheese. 

 

The Queso Asadero is used for quesadillas, tacos, tortas, burritos, tostadas, sandwiches, filled chilis, salads and more. 

 

You can also grill it, and it tastes delicious! 

 

Requesón

Requesón cheese is a milk product, made from milk whey. It is the Mexican version of the popular Italian Ricotta cheese.

 

It is a fresh type of cheese, non-salty, white, creamy, with a slightly sweet taste. The texture can be compared to cottage cheese.

 

The Requesón cheese is used a lot in salads, different dishes, and even deserts, thanks to its low price.

 

Quesillo 

The Quesillo cheese can be found in almost every taqueria (taco stand). 

 

The Quesillo cheese is a fresh, semi-fat, semi-hard, low-quality cheese. 

 

It is used for many types of Mexican street foods like quesadillas, enchilada, tortas, tacos, antojitos, salads, and more.

 

It is cheaper than Oaxaca and Manchego cheeses, so it is often preferred by restaurant owners. 

 

Queso de bola – Ball cheese

The Queso de Bola is a cheese, made from cow’s milk and sold in a form of a cheese ball. It is the Mexican version of the Dutch Edam cheese.

 

It comes from the town of Ocosingo, in the state of Chiapas.

If you visit the state of Chiapas, you can find Queso de Bola artisanal (handmade) in many shops.

It is also very popular in Yucatán.

 

The Queso de Bola is a semi-firm cheese with yellow color, with a strong flavor.

 

In Yucatán, Queso de Bola cheese is used for filled chiles (chile relleno), and other dishes as a finishing touch on top.

 

Conclusion

Now you know, Mexico is not just tequila, chilies and tacos. The country has some of the most amazing types of cheese in the world. Next time you visit it, go ahead and enjoy one delicious quesadilla with one of those cheeses. 

 

If you ask me, for a personal recommendation, I would point you to Oaxaca cheese, Cotija cheese, and Manchego cheese. They are my 3 favorite Mexican types of cheese. Share your opinion with us,

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Details

Written by: Martin Pramatarov

Published: 07 February 2022

Last Updated: 03 April 2025

Hits: 2738

• Mexican food
• Fast food
• Mexican fast food
• Mexico

Tacos! They are one of the most delicious Mexican food that you can imagine. Mexican tacos come in all shapes and sizes. You can have them with chicken, port, beef, fish, or even exotic meats like alligator and boar. The tacos’ potential is unlimited! But which types of tacos are the most popular?

Here you have all the best Mexican tacos, which you must try when you visit Mexico!

 

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​What is a Mexican taco? 

The taco is a traditional Mexican food, that has two main ingredients – tortilla and filling. 

The tortilla is a circular bread with a diameter between 5cm and 20cm and it is made of corn flour or wheat flour. 

The filling could be very diverse. Usually, it is some kind of meat – pork, beef, chicken, and a salad garnish. 

The extra ingredients that you can put on the tacos are: 

• Sauces – typically spicy sauces, but there are also more neutral ones. 

• Cream.

• Salad.

• Beans.

• Nopales (cactus). 

• Rice. 

• Lemon. 

• Radish.

• Cheese.

 

​Tacos al pastor – pork meat.

These are the most popular types of Mexican tacos in the whole Mexico. You can see taco stands in almost every street in Mexico City. From far, the tacos al pastor look like shawarma or döner kebab, because the chefs use the same kind of vertical grill. The truth is that the origin of this type of tacos is really the Middle East. Many immigrants from there, came to Mexico at the end of the 19th century and brought their food. The mixture with the Mexican culture and habits, change the lamb meat with the more popular in Mexico pork meat.

The meat that tacos al pastor have is spit-grilled pork. The typical marinate for the meat is chile guajillo or chile de árbol and other spices. 

The garnish is onion, cilantro, lemon juice, pineapple, and great sauce (salsa verde) or red sauce (salsa roja). Everything comes inside delicious corn tortillas. 

Tip: The taquero (the taco chef) will always ask you in the end “¿Con todo?” which means “with everything?". If you don’t like something, now is the moment to mention it. 

 

​Tacos Árabes – pork meat.

The tacos Árabes are almost the same as tacos al pastor. Again, they are pork meat, with onion, cilantro, and lemon. The main difference is the tortillas, which are wheat tortillas. The tacos Árabes are extremely popular in Puebla, a big city close to the capital. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and cheese. 

Tortilla – wheat. 

 

​Bistec tacos – beef meat.

The bistec tacos (tacos de bistec) are one of the easiest to cook, but they are amazing! They are very thin beef stakes, prepared on a grill. The usual garnishes are small onions and cilantro, and corn tortillas. Simple but great option. The big difference here is the sauces. You can have a great taste if you put chipotle sauce on it. And to top it off, you can add manchego cheese too. 

 

​Arrachera tacos – beef meat.

Arrachera is another type of steak that is known as the hanger cut. The arrachera meat is very thin, and that makes it very easy and fast to cook on the grill. The secret to its taste is the marinade. It includes different citrus like lime and orange, garlic, cilantro, hot chilies, oregano, cooking oil, and black paper. 

Garnish – onions, red peppers, cilantro, lemon, nopales (cactus). 

Tortilla – corn or wheat.

 

​Carne asada tacos – beef meat.

When we talk about carne asada, it means that it is roasted. It is a marinated steak that gets its smoked flavor from charcoal. Otherwise, it is the same cow meat as the bistec tacos. You can find this kind of tacos more in the north. Monterrey is a great city to try tacos de carne asada.

Garnish – onion, cilantro, and hot sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Cecina tacos – beef meat.

Tacos de cecina are very similar to those of bistec. Again, we are talking about beef meat, but this time it has a special process. The meat is dried and salted. These tacos are coming from the state of Morelos, near the capital Mexico City. 

Garnish – nopales (cactus) and avocado. 

Tortilla – corn. 

 

Tip: Go to Yecapixtla (state of Morelos) to try tacos de cecina! I tried them there and fell in love with their taste. 

 

​Tasajo taco – beef meat.

Tacos de tasajo are Spanish-style tacos from beef meat, very similar to cecina. It is dried beef meat, cooked on charcoal, and you can find them in most of the southern states like Oaxaca, Chiapas, Veracruz, and Campeche.

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, beans and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Machaca tacos – beef, pork. 

The tacos de machaca are special types of tacos made from salted and dried meat (usually beef), that later gets re-hydrated just before cooking. The drying process happens in the desert, under the hot sun. The typical spices are salt and garlic. 

The preparation comes from the state of Chihuahua. People there in the north, love to eat tacos de machaca with eggs for breakfast. 

The taste is similar to jerky meat. 

In the north, they prefer to prepare burritos, rather than tacos. The burritos are bigger breads, from wheat tortillas, that are wrapped around. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lime, radish, avocado and sauce. 

Tortilla – wheat. 

 

​Chorizo/longaniza tacos – meat beef, pork.

Tacos de chorizo or tacos de longaniza are some of my favorite. They are sausage tacos. Chorizo is premium-quality sausage (ground meat), while the longazina (minced meat) is second-quality, but both are very tasty. They have amazing spices like oregano, cumin, coriander, and chili peppers. You can find them in most of the taquerias (taco stands). 

Garnish – nopales (cactus), onion, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Moronga tacos – beef, pork.

The moronga looks very similar to the chorizo, but it is darker. The color comes from the fact that it is made of blood. It has a very strong taste, that is not liked by many, including me. 

Garnish – nopales (cactus), onion, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Campechano tacos.

Tacos Campechanos are mixing two great tastes – tacos de bistec with the tacos de chorizo. You can enjoy both steak and sausage in each bite! These tacos are amazing! As you can imagine, they are a bit more expensive, but if you are a real player, they are perfect for you

Put some cilantro and onions on top and a line of red sauce and taste paradise. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Suadero tacos – beef or pork. 

The suadero tacos can be made from beef meat or pork meat, depending on the state of Mexico you are in. The meat itself is very similar to the bistec. It is again a flank steak, but this time the difference is the method of cooking. Suadero is prepared inside a lot of lard. The more greasy it is the better! This one is not for people on diets. 

People in the capital loved them, especially in the late hours, after leaving a bar. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Carnitas tacos – pork meat.

Tacos de carnitas are pork meat tacos, from fatter cuts, cooked in a lot of oil. In such a taco you can find any type of parts from pork, even things like nose or tail! 

They originally come from the state of Michoacán, but now you can find them in almost every state. It is a very beautiful state, near Mexico City. 

For those of you, who are not very adventurous, it is better to skip this one. 

Also, as you see, these tacos are very oily and they are not good for your health and diet. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, sauce, and avocado. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Barbacoa tacos – sheep or goat meat.

The traditional barbacoa tacos are prepared from really slow-roasted meat from sheep or goats. The meat stays in fire pits for hours, before it became extremely well cooked. At that moment, it can drop down from the bone without any effort. 

You can find this type of tacos in small-town celebrations, important events like weddings, or another occasion with a lot of people. 

Of course, you can find them in many taquerias in Mexico City too, no matter what day it is. 

The tacos de barbacoa are very popular in the state of Hidalgo, where the people eat them accompanied by a soup (consomé). 

Interestingly, these hard-to-cook tacos are mostly consumed in the mornings. In many places, you can’t find them after 2 pm. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, sauce, radish, and avocado. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Birria tacos – goat or beef meat.

The birria tacos come from the state of Jalisco. The birria is a type of stew, usually made from goat or beef meat. The spices that you can find in a typical Mexican birria are adobo chilli, onion, and garlic. Thanks to the adobo, the meat has a red color, so, in some places, they are called red tacos. 

For some people, tacos de birria are considered low value, mostly because of their connection to drunk people. Mexican believe that eating greasy and spicy birria will remove the hangover. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Cochinita pibil tacos – pork meat.

The cochinita pibil tacos of Yucatán, are a must-try if you are visiting Cancún. Cochinita means small pig and pibil shows that they are cooking in an underground oven. 

They are made with slowly cooked pork meat, which stays a long time underground in a special oven until the meat becomes incredibly soft. The meat is marinated in citrus juice, made of limes, oranges, and many spices. 

It is a bit like the barbacoa, but with pork meat. I prefer this one way more. 

Garnish – onions, chile de árbol, habanero chilli. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Lechón tacos – pork meat.

The lechón tacos are super similar to the previously mentioned tacos de cochinita pibil. And, as you could guess, they are also from Yucatán. 

The tacos de lechón use the same technique for slowly cooking the little pigs. The pigs here are lechones, meaning that they are the youngest pigs (up to 1-month old) that are still eating milk from their mothers. 

I didn’t find any differences, nor in taste, or look. Maybe I am not picky enough, but for me is the same meal as cochinita pibil. 

Garnish – onions, chile de árbol, habanero chili. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos dorados – chicken, potatoes (VEGETARIAN), beef. 

The tacos dorados, or golden tacos, are deep-fried tacos with different fillings like boiled potatoes, beef meat, chicken meat, or another. What is special about the way they are served is the fact that they are offered rolled up like a cigar, and on top of them, you get sour cream, fresh lettuce, and white cheese. Depending on the size, they might be called taquitos dorados (small tortillas), tacos dorados (normal tortilla size), or flautas (long tortillas)

If you are a vegetarian, you can get an order of tacos de dorados "de papas". For the vegan, this one does not work, because it is fried and served with sour cream. 

Garnish – lettuce, sour cream, white cheese (usually Panela cheese). 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos de mixiote – beef, pork, sheep meat. 

Mixiote sounds very Mexican and it is. It uses an old method of slow cooking in a fire pit, like the barbacoa. Mixiote means mixed and they are a combination of beef, pork, and sheep meat. Perfect for the indecisive people who can’t decide on the type of meat they want. 

The meat is cooked with a variety of spices, and chillies, so in the end, you have very juicy meat. 

The mixiote tacos are popular in Mexico City, the nearby state of Hidalgo, and also Guerrero (Acapulco). 

Garnish – beans, avocado, nopales (cactus), sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat.

 

​Tinga tacos – chicken meat.

Tinga tacos are chicken tacos, from meat that is shredded to strings. Tinga means torn. What is great about them is that they are cooked with chipotle chilli, tomatoes, and onion and have an amazing taste. It is a simple, yet delicious choice. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos de Canasta – pork, beef, beans, potatoes, chicharrón prensado.

Tacos de canasta or basket tacos are some of my favorite. You can see the cool guys, going all around the capital city on their bicycles, and selling you straight from the basket.

Canasta tacos are cooked on vapor for many hours, and that gives them their very soft touch.

Some say, that the tacos de canasta come from Tlaxcala state, but you can find them in many states including the capital.

You can find many different tastes:

• Tacos de canasta de frijol – bean tacos with onion. These are 100% vegetarian and even vegan.
• Tacos de papas – boiled potatoes tacos with onion. Another vegetarian and vegan option!
• Tacos de chicharrón – tacos from the fried skin of pigs, cooked in green or red sauce.
• Tacos de chicharrón prensado (compacted or pressed) – frying remains gotten from the bottom of the saucepots where the crunchy chicharrón is fried. These remains are fried again and pressed a little to compact them and remove some of the fat. It is dark brown when it is finally fried.
• Tacos adobados – beef tacos with onion and guajillo sauce
• Tacos de mole verde – chicken meat and green sauce.
• Tacos de picadillo – minced meat, boiled potatoes, and carrots with spices.
• Sauces – salsa verde (green sauce), or salsa roja (red sauce).

Tortilla – soft corn tortillas.

 

Tip: These tacos take a long time to prepare and go on sale from early morning. Buy them during the day, because in the afternoon, they might not be in their best condition and could be a health hazard.

 

​Guisados tacos – beef, pork, vegetarian (in some cases).

Tacos de guisado are tortillas with different prepared food inside. The traditional tacos de guisado are made of stew from meat and vegetables. Between the many varieties of these tacos, you could try the following:

• Rice and eggs.

• Nopales (cactus) and onions. This one is vegetarian and could be even VEGAN!

• Eggs with tomato sauce.

• Rajas (chilli) with cream.

• Picadillo – potatoes, carrots, and minced meat.

• Chicken with chipotle sauce.

Tip: Always ask what the guisado is. If you are a vegetarian, you might find very good meals. Even vegans might have a chance to eat.

Tortilla – corn or wheat.

 

​Chicharrón taco – pork meat.

Chicharrón is deep-fried pork skin, that becomes crunchy like chips. The most typical type of taco de chicharrón is prepared in green sauce (salsa verde). The chicharrón becomes soft and incredibly tasty. You can add onion and cilantro on top, to have a perfect culinary experience. 

This is one of the not-so-traditional meats, but I can recommend it with two hands! 

You can find it made with different sauces like the red one, chipotle, guajillo, and others. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Cabeza tacos – beef meat.

Tacos de cabeza, are made of the meat from a cow’s head. I know, some of you might directly skip this one, but if you insist on trying it, you will get small pieces of meat of chicks, cow’s ears, nose, and more. The only thing that you won’t find here is the tongue, which Mexican separates for another taco (taco de lengua). 

So, the head is slow-cooked, in a very big pot with many spices. 

I don’t like these ones, but they might be your favorite, who knows. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

​Lengua taco – beef meat.

If you read the last one, now you know where the cow’s tongue goes, to the lengua tacos. The meat of the tongue is a bit harder to chew and has a very specific texture. It is not for anybody’s taste for sure. For me, it was a one-time try, and honestly, the tacos de lengua were not bad, but you can get better at the same price. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos de panza – pork meat.

Tacos de panza are tacos from the belly of a pig. When you are trying less common parts of animals you always get doubts. The taste is strange, and not everybody likes it, me included. The panza (belly parts) are tough to chew and not very tasty. Such a meal is usually offered with a very strong hot sauce, which further kills the taste. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos de tripas – beef meat.

If you didn’t like tacos de panza, you will like tacos de tripas even less. The tripas are intestines of the animal (cow). The intestines are well cleaned, and then boiled for hours. After that, they are cooked in their own fat until they get to a rubbery texture. These tacos are also offered with a very hot sauce. 

I personally don’t recommend them. They just didn't taste good for me. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Pescado – fish.

The tacos de pescado are fish tacos. You can find them on every beach place. Cancún (Yucatán), Playa del Carmen (Yucatán), Puerto Escondido (Oaxaca), Acapulco (Guerrero), Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco), Los Cabos (Baja California), and others have their version of pescado tacos. Each place has a bit different method of preparation, but the most common is to fry the fish and add hot sauce. The garlic is also a very common ingredient, together with cilantro, lime, habanero chilli, mayonnaise.

The most common tacos de pescado are:

• Tacos de Marlin fish (Tacos de pez espada) – smoked swordfish tacos. Expensive, but delicious. 

• Tacos de filete frito de angelito – shark tacos.

• Tacos de cazón – small shark from Veracruz. 

• Tacos de bacalao – cod fish tacos. 

• Tacos de tilapia – tilapia tacos. You will find this one commonly written as filete, in the menus. 

• Tacos de magro – white fish taco. It could be any of the following acedia, abadejo, besugo blanco, coruxo, merluza, rodaballo salvaje.

• Tacos de atún – tuna fish tacos.

• Tacos de salmón – salmon tacos. These are a bit oily but very tasty.

• Tacos de bagre – catfish tacos.

• Tacos de mantarraya – manta ray tacos.  

Tortilla corn and wheat.

Tip: If you want to enjoy a fish taco, go to the beach. Yes, you can find fish tacos in the capital or any other big city like Monterrey or Guadalajara, but the fish won’t be as fresh as on the seaside. 

Also, evade the pescadillas (quesadillas de pescado) that you will see on every beach. The sellers offer them all day, and the sun can really damage them, and poison you when you eat. 

 

​Tacos de mariscos – sea food.

Tacos de mariscos unite all of the seafood – fish, octopus, calamari, oysters, etc. Many times, these tacos are a mix of everything that the restaurant has at the moment, so if you want to get more information, ask “¿De qué son?”. Mexico has a lot of seafood. It is on two oceans – the Atlantic and the Pacific. The garnish here is again lime, hot sauces, mayonnaise, onion, avocados, and more. 

There are plenty of choices and really fresh seafood. What you can see in the restaurants’ menus are:

• Tacos de ostiones – oisters tacos.

• Tacos de calamar – calamari tacos.

• Tacos de camarón – shrimp tacos.

• Tacos de pulpo – octopus tacos.

Tortilla corn and wheat.

 

Tip: Just like the fish tacos, evade seafood tacos if you see that the sellers or the restaurants don’t look like they are keeping the seafood in a proper environment. Eating bad seafood can lead to at least a few days of diarrhea, and that could easily ruin your fun beach trip.

 

​Tacos de chapulines – grasshoppers tacos.

Yes, you read this one right. Mexicans eat grasshoppers! They put them in tacos, add some delicious sauce on top and enjoy a crunchy snack. I have tried these ones and I really like the taste of the grasshoppers. For me, they are like chips with salt and lemon. 

Funny story with these tacos de chapulines. One Time I ate some from a food truck in Mexico City and I sent a picture to my grandmother in Bulgaria. She got extremely shocked by the grasshoppers. She told me that if I am so poor that I am eating insects already, it is time to come back.

She said that she will buy me a ticket and cook me whatever I desire!

Garnish – onions, cilantro, avocado, sauces.

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

Tip: If you don’t feel brave enough to try, just close your eyes and imagine they are deep-fried potatoes. 

 

​Tacos de maguey – maguey worm tacos.

Sure, why not? If Mexicans eat grasshoppers, what could stop them from eating worms too? The maguey worm eats agave plants. This is the reason that you can see these tiny worms inside tequila and mezcal bottles. The Mexican thought, if the worms eat just agave and we already put them inside our drinks, why not put them on our pans? They deep fry the maguey worm with spices and lime and serve it inside a tortilla with guacamole sauce. 

It is not for anybody’s taste, but if you are passing through Oaxaca or Jalisco, it won’t kill you to try tacos de maguey. 

Tip: If you like alcoholic drinks, you can get a shot of tequila or mezcal to get the courage to try the worm tacos! 

 

​Tacos de escamoles – insects eggs tacos.

The escamoles are insect eggs, mostly ant eggs, and people called them the Mexican caviar. It sounds really strange to eat ants eggs, but you can imagine that there are a lot of proteins inside them. They are prepared with spices and butter and are considered an expensive delicacy.

I have tried them, and I can say that you mostly taste the spices, and the eggs feel just like a small exploding ball inside your mouth. Try, if you want to brag that you have tried everything, otherwise, there are far more delicious options for tacos.

 

​Tacos de ahuatle, huevos de mosco – mosquito eggs tacos.

Ahuatle or huevos de mosco are eggs of mosquitoes, the annoying insects that bother you while you are trying to sleep. Eating their eggs inside a taco could be nice revenge! I tried tacos de ahuatle in Xochimilco in Mexico City, and I didn’t like them at all. 

 

​How to choose the best Mexican tacos?

• Don’t buy tacos, or any other Mexican food inside, or near a metro station. The quality there is very low, and it is not worth trying. Yes, you can get a few tacos for less than 50 pesos, but that comes in a price of stomach pain, and hours in the toilet. Besides, you can get a very bad impression of what Mexico can offer. 

• Most taco stands and authentic small restaurants are fine. You can eat without worries about your health. If your belly is really delicate then go to a big Mexican restaurant or any of the restaurant chains like El Porton, Potzollcalli, Vips, Toks, El Tizoncito, or Sanborns.

• Try the chilli sauce, before you spread it all around your dish. Many times, the hot sauce could be really strong. Especially if it is chile de árbol or chile habanero. Try before, so you don’t cry later! 

• Don’t eat tacos de canasta in the afternoon. I am speaking here from experience. Once I ate some tacos de canasta de chicharrón and my belly was hurting for days! The taco de canasta sellers go out early in the day, and they don’t keep their tacos in a fridge. Just in a normal basket. Mexico is hot so you can get all kinds of intestinal infections. 

• Ask the locals. When you are visiting Mexico, you must get to know the local people. They are incredibly friendly and always ready to help a tourist. Ask them, which are their favorite taco places, and in many cases, they will be happy to show it to you. 

 

​Conclusion.

Wow! There are so many types of Mexican tacos out there! My favorite are tacos al pastor, especially after leaving a nightclub. But also I love tacos de bistec, tacos campechanos, and tacos de cecina. It is a shame that you can’t find true tacos outside of Mexico. 

 

Now that you can finally understand the menu in a Mexican restaurant, which one are you eager to try? Don’t be shy, get your order now. And put some sauce on them! 

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If you want to know more about the tacos see this article "Everything you wondered about tacos, answered".