SECTION VIII: Know Your Neighborhood Tacos Find a righteous taco purveyor near your work or home. TAC O S TACOS TIJUANA SOMEBURROS CALAFIA Just as his father did on Tijuana’s main drag, TAC O S H U IC HO East Valley institution makes countless com- Located on the West Adolfo Torres Jr. turns out exceptional street Family-owned standby won People’s Choice awards at the Arizona fort-food-favorite lists with braised chicken Valley’s own “Taco tacos, including the Valley’s best old-school Taco Festival in 2014 and 2015 by virture of satisfying longaniza and beef. Seven locations including North Row” – Thunderbird pastor – adobo-chile-marinated and crisp- (sausage) and air-dried cecina (cousin to Italy’s bresaola). Two Valley Scottsdale. someburros.com Road – this no-apol- edged. facebook.com/tacosaz locations including North Phoenix. tacoshuichoaz.com ogies taqueria goes HABANERO’S all in with succulent 101 True to the name, this Valley mini-chain brings cabeza (head meat) the heat with feisty blackened chicken tacos, and authentic al TAQUERIA OTRO CAFÉ delivered on capacious flour tortillas with a pastor carved from LOS YAQUIS The Valley’s best drizzle of cooling crema. Five locations includ- a spit. tacos-calafia. 51 Known as “Gay pork belly taco, the ing North Scottsdale. habaneros.mx business.site Tacos” for its walk- fatty baton of meat Thunderbird Rd. up location outside sweetened with citrus Charlie’s nightclub, glaze, charred from MERCADO Y 60 this food truck is the grill and spooned CARNICERIA CUER NAVACA known for two things: with spicy relish. JOE’S TACOS incredibly cheap ($1) otrocafe.com SoSco market and Three words: chicken and carne deli serves the Val- Grilled. Cheese. Olive Ave. asada tacos, and stay- ley’s best huitla- Shells. See page ing open until 4 a.m. coche tacos– a pur- 100. facebook. on weekends. Woot! plish, edible fungus com/joestaco 727 W. Camelback that tastes vaguely of TACO mushrooms. 2931 N. 87 GLOSSARY 101 Glendale Ave. Rd., Phoenix 68th St., Scottsdale, Tlacoyo Bethany Home Rd. 480-423-5552 MR. MESQUITE (tla-ko-YO) The party kids love this Old Town taqueria, A thick, oval-shaped Scottsdale which stays open until at least 3 a.m.every Seventh 20th Seventh Camelback Rd. 59th 17 (corn dough) tortilla night of the week, doling out chicken and stuffed with beans, St. Indian School Rd. Ave. steak tacos with a splat of creamy guac. B AC K YA R D cheese, chicharrón Ave. eatmrmesquite.com TACO St. (pork rind) and other Rd. Mazatlán natives goodies. Dating to 10 Ruben and Maricela pre-Colonial times, T ORTA S Alvarez literally began it’s the Neanderthal PAQUIME selling their delicious of tacos. Tortas, shmortas – the LA MARQUESA LOS TAQUITOS tacos al carbon with fiery orange salsa tacos are the alphas Get your goat at this The Valley mini- 87 SANTA MADRE out of their Mesa at this well-oiled Val- brand-new Jalisco- chain (four locations TACO SHOP ley mini-chain, includ- style spot, where including Sky Harbor) backyard 14 years The campechano University Dr. ing upscale iterations it’s smeared in chile is known for its exqui- ago. Three locations tacos, (battered fish and M I CA S A like tender ribeye paste, wrapped in site posole, perfect including Mesa. back- shrimp), are akin to Mexi- GUADALAJARA tacos with a tangle of agave leaves and escabeche (pickled yardtaco.com can seafood cocktail 202 Work your way to crispy chopped cab- roasted for 24 hours carrots) and crush- wrapped in a tortilla at the bottom of an bage. Five locations to make melt-in-your- able street tacos, this joint with Tempe and 60 extensive menu to including Avondale. mouth birria tacos. served on pliant corn Arcadia locations. discover nine variet- tpqfoods.com 1915 E. McDowell Rd., tortillas. ltgrill.com santamadretacos.com ies of tacos. Start with Phoenix MIDNIGHT the juicy shredded MARISCOS TACO beef (deshebrada) or ENSENADA Elliot Rd. You’ll find the best $3.59 buys a splurge the fish and shrimp. carne asada tacos in 21824 S. Ellsworth of the Camarón AL Gilbert at this street Ellsworth GIT Rd., Queen Creek, Gobernador, a spicy DI stand that sets up TRA! Chandler Blvd. 480-902-4065 shrimp taco bulging EX across from Dierks with minced onion, Peek into a day 202 Bentley’s Whiskey Rd. tomato, chiles, bacon in the life of the Row from 10 p.m.- and cheese. A squirt folks behind 2:30 a.m. Fridays and of mayo makes it even Joe’s Tacos at ESPO’S MEXICAN FOOD Saturdays. 339 N. more luscious. Four phoenixmag. The street tacos are dirt-cheap– you can get 10 for $10 on Tuesdays – Gilbert Rd., Gilbert, Valley locations. mar- com/web- but this Chandler institution wouldn’t have thrived for 60-plus years if the 480-450-8680 iscoensenada.com extras. PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: BY CRAIG OUTHIER; MIRELLE INGLEFIELD; DAVID B. MOORE PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: BY DAVID B. MOORE; COURTESY ADOBE STOCK IMAGES; CRAIG OUTHIER tacos weren’t super tasty as well. espos.co.