Best Tacos In New York City
Craving some tacos? We've narrowed down some of the best in the city. From meaty masterpieces to flavorful vegetarian options, there's something for everyone to bite into. By Carly Petrone.
Campeon
9 E. 16th St.
New York, NY
http://www.campeonnyc.com
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Stop into Campeon for a Manhattan twist on classic Mexican dishes. Their taco menu is quite extensive – choose from seven mouth-watering options, including al-pastor, carnitas, Mahi-Mahi, pulled Mayan chicken, marinated pulled brisket, grilled shrimp, and begetable. All are layered within delicious homemade tortillas and topped with authentic Mexican spices. Oh, and you might want to start out with their fried avocado petals – fresh sliced whole avocado lightly battered and fried and served with zesty Cholula ranch dip. Yum!
La Esquina
114 Kenmare
New York, NY
http://www.esquinanyc.com/info.php
La Esquina Taqueria is your go-to spot when you're craving a taco. Whether you're in the mood for fish, beef, chicken, or pork, this place has it all. Nosh on Pescado Estilo Baja (Tecate beer batter, red cabbage, guacamole, chipotle mayo on a flour tortilla), barbacoa (braised lamb shoulder, Mexican crema, queso fresco, and red onion escabeche), and cochinita pibil (pulled pork, shredded cabbage, habanero, pickled onions, and jalapeno). Add a side of platanos ,achos fritos (sweet plantains, salsa verde, and queso fresco) and a Mexican Coke, sit back, and enjoy.
Tres Carnes
688 6th Ave.
New York, NY
http://trescarnes.com
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Enjoy a combination of Texas' smoked meats mixed with the bold flavors of Mexico at Tres Carnes. They're busy creating tacos with some serious bite. The best part? You get to choose your toppings. From creamy smashed guacamole and spicy salsas to real cojita cheese and pink pickled onions, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Even vegetarians can nosh on their popular smoky roasted squash and smoked portobello mushroom tacos. Don't forget to add a dollop of cool crema for even more flavor. Check website for more locations.
Los Tacos No. 1
Chelsea Market
75 9th Ave.
New York, NY
http://www.lostacos1.com
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Walk into Chelsea Market and make a bee line for Los Tacos No. 1. This authentic Mexican corner stand is always bustling because it's seriously delicious. Order either a hand-pressed corn or flour tortilla and fill it up with your choice of carne asada, pollo asado, adobada, or nopal (grilled cactus). You can also pile up your choice of toppings after picking up your order (the charred green onions and cucumbers are a few of our faves). Wash it all down with some aguas frescas or a Mexican soda and call it a day.
Tacombi
267 Elizabeth St.
New York, NY
http://tacombi.com
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It's hard to go wrong with your order at Tacombi. Start your day off with breakfast tacos like the meaty huevos con chorizo or vegetarian huevos a la mexicana. Add a freshly pressed juice like the exotic pupura juice -- made with beets, strawberries, ginger, and orange -- or the healthy Verde juice – apple celery, kale, pineapple, lime and mint. For lunch, grab one of their unique tacos like the maiz y poblano taco (sweet corn, poblano peppers, and cojita cheese) or seared veracruzana fish taco (seared fish topped with a salsa of tomatoes, capers, olives, and cilantro.)
Tacuba
802 9th Ave.
New York, NY
http://www.tacubanyc.com
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Bite into your choice of tacos de arrachera (skirt steak, red jalapeno, peanut-salsa macha, and avocado), tacos pancita (grilled tripe, aji panka, sweet onion-mache salad, crispy potatoes), or hamachi "carnitas" tacos (duck fat poached Hamachi, guacamole-salsa verde, chicharron-sweet onion salad.) Wash it all down with their special Picoshito margartia ($13), which is made with spectacular ingredients like tequila blanco, pineapple, grilled celery, shishito peppers, lime agave, and a tajin rim.
Playa Betty's
320 Amsterdam Ave.
New York, NY
http://playabettys.com
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Have you checked out Playa Betty's yet? Head over to the Upper West Side and create a special Build Your Own Taco Platter! This deal includes four flour tortillas, chicken, beef, and baby shrimp fillings, along with traditional toppings like avocado and pico de gallo. Indulge in their sugary churro taco, a dessert not to be missed. This fresh-out-of-the-fryer churro is filled with Dulce Amore's Tahitian vanilla gelato, which mixes in perfectly with the shell's sugary coating. Don't forget to share your taco photos on Instagram with the hashtag #TopYourTaco (and tag @playabettys) for the chance to win a $100 Playa Betty's gift card.
Virgil's Real Barbecue
152 W. 44th St., New York
http://virgilsbbq.com
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You don't normally think of BBQ when you think of tacos, but Virgil's Real Barbecue is serving up a trio sampler on National Taco Day. They're combining Southern favorites with traditional Mexican flavors so you can nosh on everything from smoked pork to Texas beef brisket. Enjoy their hickory-smoked pork butt, topped with lime cream and citrus slaw, their Cajun-seasoned cornmeal crusted rock shrimp with creole remoulade, or the slow-smoked beef topped with chipotle mayo and citrus slaw. These are all served on white cornmeal tortillas along with blackened tomatillo and tomato salsas on the side. Of course, no one is stopping you from getting a side of mac n' cheese.
GUAC Tacos + Tequila
179 Avenue B
New York, NY
http://www.guacnyc.com
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If you consider guacamole to be the most essential taco topping, then definitely grab a seat at GUAC Tacos + Tequila. This space offers guests more than ten types of guacamole to go with their steak, chicken, or shrimp tacos. Check out their traditional guac, which is made with fresh tomato, cilantro macho, red onions, chile cerrano, and lime juice. There's even something for all of the bacon lovers out there. The fried golden bacon guac comes with chopped bacon, tomato, and chile cerrano. You can always get some queso fresco for the table, or opt for the guac sampler, so you can dig into the exotic mango, roasted sweet corn, or tradicional scampi flavors.
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Carly Petrone is the founder of Petrone on the Rocks, a lifestyle site about food, drinks, beauty, travel, and more. She lives in New York City.