7 Best Taco Spots in Roma Norte, Mexico City
Staying in Roma Norte and want to know where the best tacos are?
In such a popular neighborhood it can be hard to know which taquerías are worth visiting and which ones are overrated or just not good.
I live in Roma Norte and it took trying a lot of tacos over the past seven years to find my favorites.
From viral taquerías that are actually worth the hype to unassuming street tacos and local favorites, these are the taquerías that I come back to weekend after weekend.
This isn’t an endless round-up of all the taquerías I’ve tried in the neighborhood (we’d be here forever).
This is a list of what I think are truly the best tacos in Roma Norte – the spots I take my family and friends to when they visit and where I think you should go too.
From a classic, crispy taco al pastor at Taquería Álvaro Obregon to a one-of-a-kind taco at Tacos Los Alexis, these spots are worth every bite.
1. Taquería Álvaro Obregón
Tacos Álvaro, as we call them, is a Roma Norte institution.
This classic Mexican taquería has been around for decades.
If you want a more traditional taquería experience in Roma Norte, this is your place.
This taquería is open all day, but it starts to pop off on the weekends around midnight when people are hungry after the bars.
If you want to experience Tacos Álvaro at its best, go between 10-12 pm when it’s the liveliest, but it’s still good for dinner or lunch if you’re not a night owl.
I think Tacos Álvaro should be a must-do on your list of things to do in Roma Norte because, in a neighborhood that is constantly changing, this taquería stays true to its roots.
What to Get: They have an extensive menu filled with the staples but Jorge and I usually stick to tacos al pastor (their most famous taco) and tacos de lengua (beef tongue tacos).
2. Castacán
I’m a firm believer that some of the best places are the ones you stumble upon with little to no expectations.
That was the case with Castacán. I heard about it once in passing, so I added it to my list of tacos to eventually try, and boy was I blown away.
I took one bite of their taco de cochinita pibil, my eyes got real big, and I told Jorge that it was the best cochinita I’ve had in Mexico City.
The flavor and juiciness of the pork were unreal and the freshly hand-made tortillas were simply perfect.
It’s a newer Yucatan-inspired taquería that only opened a few months ago in 2024 in the space where I used to go to get things professionally printed by my old office.
Now it’s a cute, newly renovated taquería with cheerful tiles.
For a change from Mexico City’s tacos al pastor, head here to try a different regional specialty: the Yucatán’s famous taco de cochinita pibil.
The tacos are a little expensive (around $2.50 USD each), but for me, the flavor and the quality justify the higher prices. They source hormone and antibiotic-free pork, and the chicken is pasture-raised without hormones and antibiotics either.
Everything else on the menu, like the fresh agua del día and vegetable sides, were also delicious and comparable in price to any other taquería around of lower quality.
What to Get: My favorite by far was the cochinita pibil tacos, but Jorge preferred the Castacán tacos. They also have a third taco, Lechon & Castacán, so I’d recommend getting one of each to try for yourself. If you aren’t a fan of corn tortillas, you can order them in a torta (a sandwich). And wash it all down with a fresh agua de guayaba (guava water/juice).
I also tried the sopa de lima, a soup I normally love if done right, but I wouldn’t recommend theirs. It had very little flavor.
3. Street Tacos Gorditas Embarazadas
This street food stand makes my favorite taco de bistek.
Although the price of their tacos has doubled (like almost everything else in CDMX) since I moved here in 2018, they are still a budget-friendly option for breakfast or lunch.
It might seem strange to eat tacos for breakfast, but in Mexico City, it’s never too early for tacos.
If I’m in a rush in the morning or don’t have food at home for breakfast, these street tacos are one of my go-to favorite spots to have breakfast in Mexico City.
It’s also one of the few street food stands I’m not afraid to get sick from.
A tip that applies to any street food is the earlier in the day you go, the less likely the food has been sitting out long enough to go bad.
They are famous for their gorditas but also have plenty of other options like quesadillas, tacos dorados, and my favorite, tacos de bistek.
They’re on the corner of Valladolid and Puebla.
It’s a small 2-3 person operation and they run on their own schedule, but you can expect them from Monday-Saturday from 8am-2pm-ish.
What to Get: They’re known for their gorditas but those are a little too greasy for me. Jorge and I always get a taco de bistek con queso with nopales (a type of pico de gallo with sliced cactus).
4. Tacos Los Alexis
In 2024, the Michelin Guide took Mexico City by storm, and Tacos Los Alexis was awarded one of their Bib Gourmand prizes.
Unlike a Michelin star, a Bib Gourmand award celebrates more familiar and approachable food that strikes a balance between excellent cooking and affordable prices.
Alexis’ tacos are simple yet extremely flavorful. You can taste the quality of the beef in the carne asada and the taurino tacos perfectly combine a host of flavors from different meats, chiles, and vegetables.
Jorge and I had to order more (and pay more) to feel full compared to other taquerías on this list but it’s definitely worth a try as it’s currently only one of two taquerías in Roma Norte with a Bib Gourmand.
What to Get: To get a good taste of their menu, order a taco de taurino, costra de carne asada, and a taco vegetariano. I regretted not getting guacamole the first time, so you might wanna order a side of that too.
5. Taquería Orinoco
I find it so funny how viral these tacos went after the pandemic.
They opened years before Covid and nobody was talking about them back then.
But, with the influx of tourists and influencers coming to Mexico City after 2020, talk of these tacos spread like wildfire on social media.
They are pretty polarizing around here. Many of my Mexican friends don’t like them and think they’re overrated, whereas others (especially foreigners) go crazy for them.
I think some chilangos (Mexico City locals) aren’t a fan of these because like Tacos Atarantados, Tacos Orinoco are norteño-style tacos from the North of Mexico and maybe they prefer tacos al pastor that taste more familiar.
Whatever the reason is, it seems like you either love them or roll your eyes at them, but my guess is that you’re gonna love them.
They often have a huge line out the door with foreigners and locals waiting in line for juicy and flavor-packed tacos that I think are worth the wait.
Jorge and I are both team Orinoco. Their menu is limited for a taquería, but the flavor of their pastor (or trompo as they call it) is unlike any other around.
Taquería Orinoco is one restaurant that I always take my friends and family to because it’s always a crowd-pleaser. Most of the time they ask to go back a second time because they like it that much.
At this point, it’s such a famous taquería that you can’t come to Mexico City and not try them.
What to Get: Our favorite things on the menu are the tacos de trompo (what they call al pastor), the campechana, and the agua de jamaica con guayaba.
6. Tacos del Valle
After months of passing by this new taquería with its relentless lines, we finally waited our turn to see what the crowd was all about.
We waited at least half an hour (which isn’t bad for a Friday night) for a bar stool in the cramped but cute taquería.
We tried several things on the menu and were really impressed by the carne asada and homemade corn and flour tortillas. These are easily the best tortillas on this list!
I would pass on the tacos de trompo next time. They’re much better at Tacos Alvaro or Tacos Orinoco.
The prices were very reasonable and the portion sizes were generous (even for us with big appetites).
I’m not sure how often we’ll go here just because of the wait time and the limited seating, but the carne tacos were seriously good and unique.
What to Get: The Tijuanita, Gringa, and Pirata with carne asada were to die for.
You can taste the freshness in the meat, tortillas, salsa, and guacamole. It was perfection. Order at least one taco with a corn tortilla and another with a flour tortilla to taste just how good they both are.
7. Tacos Atarantados
Tacos Atarantados is the new kid on the block.
They just recently opened their Roma location but they have 6+ locations in their hometown of Monterrey that have been around for years.
These tacos are different from your typical Mexico City tacos – they are estilo norteño, meaning they are northern-style tacos.
I’ve only been a couple of times because they are so new to the area, but everything that I’ve had was delicious.
They have a great selection of tacos with different meats (like flank steak, lamb, and pork) and their salsas are hands-down my favorite of all the taquerías on this list.
It’s another Mexico City taquería that has gotten a lot of hype on social media recently, but I think it’s 100% valid.
Even my chilanga friend Gaby (who doesn’t like the similar Tacos Orinoco) loves these.
What to Get: I really like the cachetadas which are tacos with grilled cheese on a flour tortilla, or the order of trompo surtido, four signature tacos sliced fresh from the roasting spit. Oh, and make sure to try all the salsas.
Map of the Best Tacos in Roma Norte
Final Thoughts
Exploring the vibrant taquerías of Roma Norte is more than just a culinary experience – it’s an immersion into the neighborhood’s evolution and rich food culture.
Whether you’re drawn to the traditional charm of Taquería Álvaro Obregón, the Michelin-recognized Tacos Los Alexis, or the humble yet exceptional street tacos at Gorditas Embarazadas, Roma Norte offers a taco experience unlike anywhere else.
What do you look for when choosing which restaurants to try when traveling?
Want even more taco tips? Join my free Facebook group, Mexico City Things to Do, where I drop my latest foodie finds, answer your questions, and share what’s worth eating right now in the city.
Read More About Roma Norte
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- 9 Best Restaurants in Roma Norte, Mexico City
- 6 Best Taco Spots in Roma Norte, Mexico City
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