8 Tacos to Try Along the Texas Taco Trail

From puffy tacos in San Antonio to Brownsville barbacoa, retired TCDRS Communications Manager Gerald McLeod took a tour of Texas tacos to create this list of mouthwatering must-tries across the state.

Story by Gerald McLeod, retired TCDRS Communications Manager

 

Around Texas, tacos are universally loved. Here are eight taquerias* that illustrate some of the regional idiosyncrasies of the tortilla-wrapped comfort food.

San Antonio puffy tacos

The corn tortilla is placed in a deep fryer until it puffs up with air pockets, then bent into a U-shape and filled with a protein. Ray’s Drive Inn has a legitimate claim as the birthplace of the puffy taco. 822 SW 19th. (210) 432-7171.

Brownsville barbacoa tacos

The term barbacoa comes from the Caribbean style of slow cooking goat or beef. At Vera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que, the most popular menu item is the barbacoa tacos made with steamed beef cheek. 2404 Southmost Blvd. (956) 546-4159.

Port Aransas fish tacos

Chef-run Iries Island Food offers a variety of tacos on extra-large tortillas with a choice of 13 sauces. The grilled wahoo taco is outstanding, but the shrimp tacos are hard to resist. 200 W. Ave. G. (361) 749-2310.

Houston al pastor tacos

Shepherd-style, or al pastor, tacos contain seasoned pork topped with cilantro, onions and pineapple. Tacos A Go Go has a great lineup of tacos, but the tacos al pastor are exactly the right combination of sweet and spicy. 3401 W. T.C. Jester. (713) 681-8226.

Dallas breakfast tacos

Gas station food rarely garners much praise, but the tacos at Fuel City’s six 24-hour locations around the Metroplex are the epitome of a versatile and portable breakfast.

El Paso flautas and tortas

These first cousins to the taco are popular for their portability. Flautas are tortillas tightly wrapped around a protein, fried and served with a dipping sauce. Tortas are taco fixings between two slices of bread. Taqueria El Cometa began more than two decades ago in Juarez and excels at flautas and tacos. 1613 N. Zaragosa. (915) 222-8004. Vic’s Flautas y Tortas offers excellent examples of flautas and tortas, as well as other traditional Mexican foods. 201 S. Main St., Anthony. (915) 866-2778.

Lubbock homemade tortillas

House-made corn and flour tortillas are the foundation of the great tacos at Taqueria Jalisco. The restaurant is hidden on the north side of town, but well-worth the search. 221 Ave. Q. (806) 763-7605.

*As of the date of publication

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