Trip Ideas
Texas Monthly’s List of Best Tacos: El Paso
Texas Monthly did the research so you don’t have to! Whether you want DIY carnitas to share, classic al pastor, or any number of high-end interpretations, here are some of the best tacos in El Paso.
Tender as your mama’s pot roast, the shredded brisket comes in a freshly fried tortilla that’s sprinkled with russet-hued seasoning salt. Cabbage ribbons and avocado wedges keep it interesting, while grated Muenster—a local substitute for Tex-Mex’s yellow cheese—gives it an El Paso signature.
Hours of Operation
Sunday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM Monday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Flores Meat Market & Restaurant
At this restaurant/butcher/tortilla factory, the options are many, but the taco that stands out is the copper-toned colitas de pavo (fried turkey tails). Crunchy and brightened by lime, cilantro, and onion, it’s a fun choice that’ll stretch your, ahem, wings.
Silky beef with a touch of gaminess sets Tony’s barbacoa apart from the mob of bakeries, mini-marts, tortillerias, and drive-throughs doling out innumerable pounds of the meat. At $6.99 for four tacos, it’s a bargain too.
Hours of Operation
Sunday: 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM Monday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Thursday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
“Alambre” means “wire,” and this mixed-meat filling is named for the skewer on which it was once traditionally cooked. Sofi’s version combines grilled beef, soft bacon, and sweet bell peppers (red, green, yellow) under a lacy cap of melted Muenster.
Hours of Operation
Sunday: 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM Monday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Thursday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Friday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
You might be put off by the idea of offal in a taco, but at this little hut, the tripitas—fried bovine intestine are as crisp as pork rinds and just as savory. Trust us.
Hours of Operation
Sunday: Closed Monday: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM Tuesday: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM Wednesday: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM Thursday: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM Friday: 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM Saturday: 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM
With its ornate Mexican tiles and hand-carved wooden sculptures of saints, Avila’s has been an El Paso institution since 1952, offering border cuisine favorites to multiple generations of local families. (Some servers have been on staff for more than forty years.) What keeps customers coming back? One item is the excellent picadillo taco: spicy ground beef studded with potatoes and chiles in a crisped-to-order hard-shell tortilla. It has snap but doesn’t crumble at the first or second bite, and the white cheddar, lettuce, and tomatoes that cap the meat aren’t frigid but served at room temperature (the lettuce is even crisp!). It’s a wonderful take on a Tex-Mex classic.
Hours of Operation
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 3:15 PM Monday: Closed Tuesday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM Wednesday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM Thursday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM Friday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Saturday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM