In search of the best taqueria in NYC

For many New Yorkers tacos have become such a common food item that it can no longer be considered exotic or foreign. With so many authentic and delicious options in Manhattan, the descriptive ‘best tacos’ is no longer confined to taquerias in the Southwest. Finding the best tacos in New York, therefore, is no small task. The plethora of options range from authentic Mexican restaurants in Harlem to hip taquerias riding the foodie trends in the LES to the dozens of food trucks all over the city. On one side there are places like Empellon and La Biblioteca where renowned chefs serve gussied up tacos attached with an equivalent price tag. And then there are those ‘hole in the wall’ spots in Hell's Kitchen where tacos are treated just as they are in Mexico: simple, fresh, delicious street food. And this is not even including the outer boroughs!

One such obscure spot is Tehuitzingo in Hell's Kitchen. Located next to a bicycle shop, the Mexican deli looks more like a crummy bodega than a spot for some of the best tacos in NY. But walk in and at the back you'll find a tiny kitchen and a dozen or so bar stools along the wall. Order the chivo, lengua, or even try their sope but definitely get the carnitas. The pork is moist, well seasoned, and cooked with a little pineapple. It's unexpected but the combination works well. And they use two tortillas for each taco, something that even some of the better taquerias in the city fail to do. A couple blocks away is Tulcingo del Valle, big enough to be called a restaurant but with the same inexpensive and authentic tacos. But bringing unknowing friends to a deli in Hell's Kitchen produces a look of disbelief followed by that of satisfaction and is particularly gratifying. 

Go downtown and there are dozens of taquerias and Mexican restaurants to choose from. Tacombi is cute with its theme park like setting, Hecho en Dumbo is great for drinking, and with Dos Toros' arrival and subsequent expansion across Manhattan there's even a fast food taqueria that's a step up from the large chains. It's La Esquina in SoHo however, that should garner your attention. Open since 2005 it has a café, a taqueria that serves as a take out counter and a venue for a quick bite, and even a hidden brasserie. It’s definitely a hot spot for hipsters, foodies, and fashionable people but the tacos here are particularly well prepared and generously filled. If you're not the squeamish type then check out the lengua. La Esquina is by far the only place I've found to serve tongue in one big piece instead of chopping it up and it's topped off with pickled cabbage and nopal. In the same vicinity is Pinche Taqueria, a Tijuana spin-off with fish tacos that are worth a visit. Good fish tacos are still difficult to find in NY. It's either over cooked, flavorless, or simply dull and unremarkable. At Pinche the beer-battered mahi-mahi are fried and dressed with cabbage, onions and cilantro-mayo resulting in a light, fresh, and tasty fish taco.

And of course there's Cascabel uptown on both sides of the park. As mentioned previously on this column it may be a more fun drinking destination with its wrestling mask decor and irresistible margaritas than a straight out taqueria, and the tacos are more Western than authentic but the ingredients are fresh and the seasonings delicious. Try their camaron or chorizo tacos. Aside from the ones mentioned in this article there are many other taquerias waiting to be discovered. And quite a few of them will undoubtedly elicit praises that rank them as the best. So go and have fun checking them out!