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Many of the most popular taco styles have long, rich, little-known histories. Explore some of them in this eye-opening, mouth-watering food adventure.
2019
Savory, pork-based al pastor tacos are a street-food staple of Mexico City. But they actually have origins that stem back to ancient Asia Minor.
If you like tacos, you likely know carnitas. But did you know its roots go back to the Aztecs? Take a trip to Michoacán, the world’s carnitas capital.
No matter the filling, canasta tacos are truly beloved. Get to know this street-food favorite and one of its most dynamic purveyors: Lady Basket Tacos.
From Tijuana to Hermosillo to Sonora to Downtown LA, carne asada reigns supreme. But the most flavorful meat is nothing without the perfect tortilla.
Every time barbacoa is prepared, it starts in the same place: a big hole in the ground. It doesn’t get much more humble -- or delicious -- than that.
With guisados tacos, it’s not just the meat -- it’s the stew. We visit with some of the most notable "stew taco" cooks in both Mexico and Los Angeles.
2020
Urban and nocturnal, the suadero taco is the perfect hangover cure. It's the Mexican cousin to American beef brisket, but with more spice and bite.
The cochinita pibil is a Mayan pit-roasted pork delicacy, passed down over the centuries and preserved, even after colonization, like a sacred ritual.
The cabrito, or kid taco, springs from a goat herding tradition that can be traced to Iran and Lebanon. It's now become emblematic of northern Mexico.
The American taco is, of course, an import — but much changed after assimilation! Distinguished by its hard or puffy shell, it's still delicious.
The convenience of the burrito — a good-sized flour tortilla tucked in at both ends so nothing wrapped inside spills — is from Mexico's northern states.
To dunk or not to dunk? To spoon or not to spoon? The crucial aspect of the birria taco is its broth, a sumptuous blend of goat meat juices and spices.
The best fish tacos come from the Mexican Pacific coast, with a nod to Japan for the crispy, tempura-like breading and emphasis on freshness.
2022
Mexicans arrived in Chicago at the beginning of the 20th century and won the heart of the "Windy City" with tacos: from carnitas and mole to birria.
Everything in Las Vegas is spectacular: the shows, the hotels, the casinos… and the tacos. Pastor, birria, carnitas and even Cheetos are on the menu.
The Big Apple is not an easy place for immigrants to adapt to, but it's worth it. People from Puebla and Oaxaca conquer New York with their tacos.
San Antonio has deep ties to its Mexican roots. The mix of cultural influences has resulted in beef barbacoa, pastor of sirloin and breakfast tacos.
Los Angeles has the largest population of Mexicans outside Mexico… that's why there are tacos of all types and sizes on seemingly every corner!
Dallas never stops reinventing itself, and its food is an example of this: octopus carnitas, lobster and brisket tacos are part of the city's unique menu.
The connection between Phoenix and Sonora is as strong as the desert's heat. The ingredients of this land, like mesquite and chiltepin, elevated the taco.
It doesn't matter which side of the Mexico-US border you're on: The taco is a conduit capable of transporting you home, to family or to a warm memory.
