SFGuide
8 New Taco Spots To Try Right Now
Your checklist to the new tacos that recently debuted in the Bay Area.
We get it, you probably have your go-to taco spots on heavy rotation. It is the Bay Area after all - and we have some pretty incredible ones (Taqueria Cancún, El Farolito, La Taqueria, La Santa Torta, El Gran Taco Loco, we see you). But if you want to add something new to your mix, we also have this guide. It has all the new(ish) taco spots that have opened in the last year or two in SF, Oakland, and other nearby cities, open for takeout, delivery, or dine-in.
The Spots
Al Pastor Papi
The pink taco truck has been a staple at pop-ups and food events around the Bay Area for two years. But Al Pastor Papi earns a spot on this list thanks to their quesadobo tacos, which recently debuted at Speakeasy taproom in Bayview-Hunter’s Point. The taco comes with a juicy, tangy adobo, melted cheese, chicharrones, calamansi slaw, and a side of vinegary consomé. If they’re sold out, don’t stress. Just order their delicious vampiro tacos with al pastor or asada.
La Grana Fish has been around since 2018, and this food truck recently found a new home at The Aloha Club in Oakland’s Fruitvale, complete with plenty of picnic tables and outdoor seating. And if you’re in search of a great fish taco (we always are), get here now. They’re light and crispy, and feature a red onion slaw and a mild chipotle aioli. But if fish tacos aren’t your scene, they also have vampiro tacos, tostadas, and a fantastic quesabirria, which you can get filled with nearly any type of meat.
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There’s been a ton of hype around Tacos El Patrón, and for good reason: Their quesabirria tacos are some of the best in the city. They’re also some of the meatiest, and are stuffed with cheese, onions, and cilantro, and covered with a thick layer of cheese. So get your nap bed ready. Nothing productive will happen after having two or three of these. If you’re in the East Bay, head to their original location in Pleasant Hill, which is also doing takeout and delivery.
The folks behind the Bay Area mini mole empire, Los Moles, opened a new spot in Albany called 5 Tacos & Beer. If you couldn’t deduce from the name, the restaurant features a frequently-changing menu with five kinds of tacos (like cochinita pibil, pollo con mole, or rib-eye), and plenty of beer. If you want to try them all, you can get five for $21.50, or 10 for $42.25. Order one and a side of handmade corn tortilla chips with guacamole for takeout, or enjoy it all with live music on their sidewalk patio.
Miguelito’s
Miguelito’s is a Mexican pop-up that’s been operating out of Abrazo in Russian Hill since May. Their street tacos come with carne asada, chicken, or carnitas, and are topped with cotija, pickled onions, and crema. They’re good, but the charred octopus taco with potato, citrus slaw, and a tasty chorizo aioli is what keeps us coming back. They’re open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 3pm, and Thursday to Saturday from 5-8pm.
Tacorea opened a second location in Chinatown in August. And checking out their new spot is a good excuse to try their excellent Mexican-Korean dishes. The kimchi burrito with spicy pork will always be our Tacorea standby, but we also recommend the carnitas or the Kanye asada tacos. Tacorea is open for takeout, and recently started offering delivery.
At this point, it should be very clear that we at the Infatuation SF love quesabirria. And the one we want all day, every day is at El Garage. They recently opened a new brick-and-mortar in Richmond, and are serving three quesabirria tacos for $12 or three birria tacos for $9. Since we also love spicy things, we always order it with a side of pickled habanero. To limit crowds, El Garage is asking everyone to pre-order online. You can do so starting on Wednesday for pick-up on Friday through Sunday.
