Mexican Street Food

Tacos are the national dish of Mexico, dating back to the Mexican silver mines of the 18th century, when the word taco referred to gunpowder that was wrapped in a piece of paper and inserted into rocks. It was used to excavate the preciou... READ MORE

The first, original plate of nachos consisting of tortilla chips, melted cheese, and jalapeños was made for a group of military officers' wives in 1943 in Piedras Negras, Mexico. The ladies of the US Army Air Force base went over to a resta... READ MORE

Burrito is a dish consisting of a wheat flour tortilla that is wrapped in such a way that it is possible to fully enclose the flavorful filling on the interior. The filling consists of a combination of various ingredients such as meat, beans, rice... READ MORE

Fajitas is a popular Tex-Mex dish made from marinated, grilled skirt steak that is served in a wheat flour tortilla. The earliest printed mention of the word fajita referring to food appeared in 1971, and ten years later it had become one of the m... READ MORE

Tamal is a Mexican dish dating back to the Aztecs, consisting of corn masa dough with a filling that can be either savory or sweet, steamed and wrapped in corn husks, leaves, or banana leaves. The tamales are traditionally accompanied by atole... READ MORE

Mexican tortas are luscious traditional sandwiches filled with delicious, mostly authentic Mexican ingredients. They are a unique Mexican creation, considering they are served in bread rolls, an ingredient that is not so often associated with Mexi... READ MORE

Originating from the Mexican state of Michoacán, carnitas is a flavorful dish made from pork (usually front sections or pork shoulder) that is braised, roasted, or slow-cooked in its own fat for a long time until fully tender and succulent.... READ MORE

Tacos al pastor is a Mexican dish consisting of thin slices of shaved pork from a rotating spit, placed on a tortilla and topped with onions, chopped coriander, pineapple chunks, chili, and salsa. The dish evolved from the Lebanese culinary tradit... READ MORE

Taquito is a Mexican-American dish consisting of a small, rolled, crisp-fried corn tortilla filled with various ingredients such as shredded chicken, beef, cheese, and vegetables. Although most people associate taquitos with Mexican cuisine, some ... READ MORE

Carne asada tacos are the first tacos in history. It is believed that the first tacos appeared in the 1500s, made with thin slices of meat cooked over hot coals. The meat was placed in a corn tortilla and topped with guacamole, onions, chili peppe... READ MORE

Gringas is a typical Mexican dish made with flour tortillas filled with al pastor marinated pork meat, cheese, and, most commonly, pineapple slices, although onions, chili sauce, and coriander can all be added to the dish according to the... READ MORE

Mollete is a traditional sandwich from northern Mexico consisting of a halved bolillo bread roll that is topped with refried beans, cheese, and tomato salsa. It can be found throughout Mexico in numerous coffee shops, restaurants, and str... READ MORE

Tostada is a Mexican dish consisting of toasted tortillas (hence the name) filled with various meats and vegetables. The dish is often topped with melted cheese, although there are numerous variations of tostada recipes throughout Latin America. I... READ MORE

Chalupa is a thin, crunchy tortilla whose form is reminiscent of a canoe or a cup. The shape is achieved by pinching and baking the masa dough, which is then fried and topped with numerous savory ingredients such as pulled pork, ground beef, shred... READ MORE

Cochinita pibil is a Mexican pork dish originating from Yucatan. Pork is marinated in a combination of annatto paste, bitter orange juice, and garlic. It is slowly baked and then shredded and served on tortillas, tacos, or on its own with shallots... READ MORE

Esquites is the name for popular Mexican street food that is usually consumed as a snack on the go. It is made with mature corn kernels, epazote, and salt. Corn is either grilled and shaved, or cooked with epazote, and it is then typically served ... READ MORE

Gorditas are thick tortillas from Mexico, made from masa corn flour and stuffed with a variety of ingredients such as meat, cheese, beans, nopal cactus, and salsa or guacamole. Due to their thickness, they can withstand some ingredients that a reg... READ MORE

Taco de canasta is a variety of taco that is extremely popular in Mexico City but originated in Tlaxcala, consisting of a soft, moist, steamed taco filled with anything from potatoes, shredded chicken, and refried beans to mole verde and grilled m... READ MORE

Tacos de pescado or fish tacos have origins in the Mexican region of Baja California. These corn flour tacos are filled with fried or grilled pieces of fish, vegetables such as cabbage or lettuce, and a topping of either sour cream or may... READ MORE

Although elote is a Spanish word for corn, it also signifies a popular Mexican street food consisting of corn on the cob that is coated with lime and mayonnaise, then rolled in crumbled cotija cheese and chile powder. Th... READ MORE

Tacos al carbon is a taco style where meat is grilled over hot coals. It consists of a corn flour or wheat flour taco filled with a variety of grilled meats such as skirt steak, although any type of meat will do. The taco is additionally topped wi... READ MORE

Tripas or machitos is a popular Mexican dish consisting of pig or cow intestines. It is mostly used as a filling for tacos, so tripas can be found throughout Mexico, usually at taco stands, and especially in open-air markets called ti... READ MORE

Taco de camaron is a variety of taco filled with shrimps and various other ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, coriander, mayonnaise, or pico de gallo. Shrimp tacos originate from Baja California, and are often served with lime or lemon wedges o... READ MORE

Mexican enmoladas are essentially enchiladas covered in mole sauce. The enchiladas might be filled with a wide array of ingredients, but they are most often filled with chicken and crumbled cheese. The tortillas are first fried, dipped into the wa... READ MORE

Tacos gobernador (lit. governor's tacos) are Mexican tacos named after a Sinaloan governor. In order to prepare the dish, warm tortillas are filled with a combination of shrimps, grated cheese, coriander, onions, and tomatoes. The tortillas are th... READ MORE

Tlayuda is an Oaxacan street food dish consisting of an oversized corn dough tortilla smothered with asiento lard, refried beans, and quesillo string cheese. The term tlayuda refers both to the dish and the name of the large tort... READ MORE

Panucho is a Yucatan specialty consisting of a tortilla topped with refried beans, acting as the base of the dish. Other toppings are left for the cook or the customer to decide according to preferences. It can be anything from cabbage, tomatoes, ... READ MORE

Tacos Arabes is a traditional dish originating from Puebla. The pita-bread wrappers (pan árabe) are filled with thinly sliced cumin-marinated pork, spicy chipotle salsa, and a sauce consisting of yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, gar... READ MORE

Quesabirria is a popular Mexican street food dish, a fusion between birria (a traditional Mexican meat stew) and quesadillas. The dish originates from Tijuana and typically consists of large tortillas filled with birria-style cooked meat (usually ... READ MORE

Antojitos (lit. little cravings) refers to a variety of Mexican foods that are prepared in market stalls and on the streets. Due to the fact that formal, substantial meals are consumed in the mid-afternoon, most antojitos are eaten either in the m... READ MORE

Torta ahogada is Guadalajara's signature sandwich, a salted bun that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the interior, filled with pork, and submerged in a spicy salsa consisting of vinegar, cumin, and chile de árbol pepper. The ... READ MORE

Papadzules is a Mexican dish with Mayan origins consisting of egg-filled tortillas drenched in a sauce made with pumpkin seeds and epazote. The dish is usually consumed for breakfast on the streets of Yucatan, although it is also found in... READ MORE

Mulitas are sometimes described as "quesadillas on steroids". The Mexican dish usually consists of a crispy tortilla filled with chunks of grilled meat, cheese, and salsa or guacamole topping, although the fillings may vary from one food stand to ... READ MORE

Tacos de cabeza is a popular variety of tacos, especially in Mexico City, Sonora, and the Bajío. It consists of tacos filled with steamed and shredded meat of cow's head, combined with toppings such as red or green salsa, chopped onions, an... READ MORE

Enfrijolada is a Mexican dish consisting of fresh corn tortillas smothered with beans in their liquid. Fillings and toppings vary from one cook to another since this dish is popular throughout Mexico due to its nutritive value and inexpensive ingr... READ MORE

Tacos de lengua is a unique variety of a taco, filled with thin slices of cooked and grilled beef tongue and various other ingredients depending on personal preferences. Beef tongue is characterized by its tender texture, making it an ideal accomp... READ MORE

Tacos de adobada is a Mexican dish that's similar to tacos al pastor, but not the same. Both tacos al pastor and tacos de adobada refer to pork that's been marinated in a combination of spices, chili peppers, and vinegar. For al pastor, the pork i... READ MORE

Pambazo is both the name of a Mexican bread and the name of the sandwich made using that same bread. Its name stems from pan basso, a type of peasant bread reserved for the lower classes through history. The bread is commonly dipped in a ... READ MORE

Memela (or tetela) is a popular street food dish originating from the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is made from masa flour with the addition of refried beans, pressed together into a (usually oval-shaped) tortilla, then cooked on a hot gri... READ MORE

Torta Cubana is a Mexican sandwich filled with a variety of meats and sauces, a meal that is different from one vendor to the next. It was invented in the 1950s on Calle Republica de Cuba in Mexico City, when a cantina cook first started serving t... READ MORE

Danger dog consists of a bacon-wrapped sausage that is grilled until crispy, then stuffed into a bolillo roll and topped with a variety of ingredients such as beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapeño salsa, mayonnaise, and mustard. This u... READ MORE