Top 10 taquerias in the Twin Cities
5. Taqueria La Hacienda
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4. Taqueria Los Ocampo
Think of a tortilla as a hand, and all the meat and onion and cilantro and salsa held inside it as a bouquet of protein, flavor, and spice. See, eating tacos is sort of like getting flowers, and it's spring every day at Los Ocampo. Don't worry, you can work your way up to tongue and tripe. For perfection, there's no need to even venture beyond the basics. The asada, ordered "Mexican-style," comes with a tight little pile of grilled steak, diced onion, and a bunch of bright-green cilantro resting cutely atop two soft, warm corn tortillas, flanked by lime wedges and a little spray of thinly sliced radishes. Don't forget the salsa. Tacos come with a bright, acidic, red chile salsa and a deceptively hot green tomatillo salsa that looks as unthreatening as a Shamrock Shake, but watch out! Arrange them with some onions and, look, it's a Mexican flag! (417 E. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612.823.5398. 895 Arcade St., St. Paul; 651.774.7623. 920 E. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612.825.4978. 1751 Suburban Ave., St. Paul; 651.256.2932)
3. Las Teresitas
There's nothing fancy about Las Teresitas, a cheap dive neighbored by a laundromat and gas station in south Minneapolis. The restaurant offers a range of delights (the enchiladas are amazing), but nothing beats chorizo, onion, and cilantro tucked into a four-inch tortilla. Chorizo, Mexican sausage, is modestly spicy and somewhat oily, but it's authentic Mexican fare that's hard to find done right in the Twin Cities. Lucky for Minnesotans, the owners of Las Teresitas have a long history of pleasing local diners, having once run Taco Moreles. Teresitas offers more conventional beef and chicken tacos to go along with exotic fare like chorizo and cabeza (head), and we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the restaurant's famous salsa bar -- the best appetizer option in town. (5748 34th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612.727.1783)
2. Maya Cuisine
Maya Cuisine has been open for less than six months, and already we feel confident placing them among the top five taquerias in town. The qualifications are many: the clean, bright, cozy, and welcoming space, the unbelievably friendly service, the ever-shifting array of taco filling choices, each more delicious than the last, and finally, but most importantly, the homemade corn tortillas--a rare treat indeed in the Twin Cities. All it takes is one look at the plump, randomly browned, pillowy discs to know that these aren't your average supermarket tortillas. And yes, they taste even better than they look. The chicken tinga tacos are vivacious and zingy, with real kick, and the various pork options couldn't be more succulent, tender, juicy, and satisfying. The salsa bar is fully stocked with a wide variety of toppings, including jalapenos, poblanos, salsas of varying heat, rich and creamy chipotle sauce, cilantro, onions, and lime wedges. (1840 Central Ave, Minneapolis; 612.789.0775)
1. El Taco Riendo
When Twin Citians need their taco fix, they tend to think of Lake Street. But you'll actually find the Cities' best tacos in that other bastion of ethnic eating, Central Avenue in Northeast. El Taco Riendo (The Laughing Taco) has been around for only a couple of years, but the unassuming little storefront has one of the largest selections of taco fillings anywhere. You can choose from a dozen types of meats--from popular carne asada, pastor, and carnitas to more exotic tongue and tripe --and top it with an array of salsas, guacamole, onion, and cilantro. But the star of the taco show is the tinga del pollo--succulent shredded chicken saturated in a smoky chipotle sauce with tomato and onions. The savory tinga carries a genuine spicy kick that adds a whole other layer of complexity to the dish. At just $2.15 each, this taco may not leave you laughing, but it will definitely make you smile. (2416 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis; 612.781.3000)
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El Taco Riendo
2416 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN
Category: Restaurant
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