5 of America’s most taco-obsessed cities

Almost everyone’s got a favourite type of taco. From the flame-grilled pork of tacos al pastor to Baja California’s tacos de camarones, this deceptively simple dish comes in thousands of combinations. The USA has developed an almost cult following for this humble eat – travel to some of these taco havens and you’ll have to agree.

Austin, Texas

Austin is all about live music and eating tacos – a dream destination if you’re a laidback music loving traveller with a salsa addiction. Whether or not this is the birthplace of the breakfast taco, Austinites love their tacos topped with fried eggs, cheese, and avocado.

Just east of downtown, you’ll find a fleet of taco trucks and family-run Mexican restaurants. The Heywood Hotel puts you in walking distance – or cycling distance, if you opt for their free bike rental – of many of the best spots.

New York, New York

It makes sense that a city as dynamic as New York has some of the world’s most boundary-pushing tacos. Food trucks dish out Japanese-Mexican tuna poke wonton tacos, while hole-in-the-walls draw the crowds for tortilla-croissant hybrids filled with lamb shoulder or roasted chickpeas.

You can find incredible Mexican and fusion taco joints all around the city, but the area around Chelsea and Washington Square Park has a wide selection of taquerias, with Los Tacos No.1 Chelsea Market Stall serving up (possibly) the very best. Chelsea Pines Inn, a cosy B&B in a townhouse less than five minutes’ walk away, is the perfect place to sleep it off.

San Antonio, Texas

Sights like the Alamo and the San Fernando Cathedral make San Antonio a historical hotspot, while the buzzing Riverwalk and El Mercado rope in the small-town charm. But what keeps people coming back is the taco scene. San Antonians often rank as the most obsessed in the country – and their Tex-Mex tacos are so good (and affordable), that you’ll be wanting them for every meal.

To find favourites around town, visitors should ask a local – food trucks with names like ‘Pimp my Taco’ and family-run spots on El Mercado are frequently mentioned as the best in the city. Don’t forget to try the puffy taco, San Antonio’s flash-fried tortilla, often topped with shredded chicken and cabbage. As far as places to stay, the inviting Omni La Mansion del Rio is near many a tasty taco joint, and its Riverwalk location means you can walk it off post feast.

Los Angeles, California

The City of Angels has more taquerias than you could visit in a lifetime. With stands and stalls scattered across every corner of this sun-baked sprawl, it’s a place where the food scene is always changing. Like New York, a growing population of top chefs mean there’s a lot of room for experimentation in the field – think Korean short-rib, North-African shakshuka, or duck with roasted pear and pistachios.

Head to the beach for crispy shrimp served with salsa roja and avocado, or food trucks around Silver Lake for battered fish with cabbage and pico de gallo. Yucatan-style restaurants serve tacos de cochinita pibil (marinated pork cooked in banana leaves), while celebrity chefs fry up flautas in top restaurants. The LA Hotel Downtown is in an ideal central spot for taco-hunting, only a few blocks away from the Mexican-style market on Olvera Street.

Miami, Florida

Miami’s food scene is owed to its international population who make the city so soulful and unique. Neighbourhoods like Little Haiti are rife with Caribbean comfort food, while Little Havana has a Cuban joint on every corner. But thankfully for taco lovers, Miami has embraced the tortilla with open arms. Korean tacos are filled with caramelized pork ribs and kimchi-style slaw, while southern comfort food finds its home in a fried chicken taco, topped off with jalapeño cornbread croutons and ranch dressing.

Great Mexican is dotted around both Miami and Miami Beach, with the glitzy area around South Beach a haven for both tiny taquerias and sit-down establishments. A stay at trendy Cavalier South Beach positions you strategically between the beach and some of the best taquerias in the area – and its classic Art Deco architecture doesn’t hurt either.

**The above cities were endorsed by Booking.com travellers for ‘Mexican Food’. The hotels were chosen based on their locations in neighbourhoods with a high concentration of taquerias – all the better for shuffling home after a taco tasting.