We can’t get enough of tacos.
The highly snackable dish is simple, yet so versatile. Luckily for local foodies, the region’s authentic Mexican restaurants, fusion concepts, and farm-to-table establishments all contribute their own unique takes. At these hotspots, find classics like carnitas, al pastor, chicken, and barbacoa. Fish taco fans will adore options like catfish, mahi-mahi, and tuna tataki. Plus, mushrooms, cauliflower, and other plant-based twists are perfect for vegetarian diners. Without further ado, check out our list of can’t-miss taco stops.
P.S. Are we missing a spot? Email us here so we can add it.
Burrito Burrito
74 North Pearl Street, Albany
Why we love it: Vegan options
Currently operating out of its sister restaurant’s location at Wizard Burger in Albany, this spot has mastered plant-based taco fillings. Go for the duel decker taco combo and chow down on a flour-tortilla-wrapped hard shell taco stuffed with tofu “beef” crumble, queso, lettuce, and spicy ranch. Don’t forget to add a tasty side like chips and guac or fried pickles and a drink to make it a full meal.
Café Maya
2776 West Main Street, Wappingers Falls
Why we love it: Colorful ambiance
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In an unassuming parking lot off Main Street, you’ll find a Mexican hotspot that Dutchess residents adore. The restaurant’s house-made, soft corn tortillas are a pillar for righteous and authentic tacos. You can’t go wrong with the popular tacos de camaron—three deep-fried tortillas filled with shrimp, black beans, and pico de gallo, and topped with chile de arbol sauce and avocado. The Mexico City-style tacos (grilled chicken or steak, cheese, pico, guacamole, and cilantro) and tacos al carbon (two grilled skirt steak tacos rolled in a second layer of flour tortillas) are equally excellent.
Cancun’s
7483 South Broadway, Red Hook
Why we love it: Hand-made margaritas
Cancun’s is a family-owned Mexican restaurant in Red Hook that prides itself on using only the freshest ingredients. With all of the classics like al pastor, Cancun’s also offers a few fun varieties like bacon-wrapped shrimp, fajita, and classic Mexican tacos topped with mango and fresh cheese. Make sure you also take advantage of the lengthy list of margaritas, including the house margarita, which is Cancun’s own original blend of juices and tequila and comes in flavors such as pomegranate, mango, and passionfruit.
Casa Mexico
2529 Route 52, Hopewell Junction
Why we love it: Lettuce tacos
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One of the more recent openings on this list, Casa Mexico brings beautiful birria tacos to Hopewell Junction. All tacos are just $4 for a juicy, savory, and spicy snack. Customize them by style, filling, and shell. A few of the savory stuffings include chicken tinga, chorizo, carnitas, veggie, and more. In addition, choose a soft or hard shell, or swap the tortilla altogether for bib lettuce.
Casa Susanna
800 County Road, Leeds
Why we love it: The fresh corn masa
From its spot inside the hotel Camptown to its nods to the region’s historical Casa Susanna Community, there are lots of reasons to check out this buzzy Leeds restaurant. (Its chef, Efrén Hernández, is a recent James Beard Awards semifinalist.) Foodies in particular, though, will appreciate the eatery’s reliance on masa, which the team uses to whip up the specialty corn tortillas that anchor an ever-evolving menu of seasonal plates. If it’s on the menu, the breaded-and-fried pig’s head taco, complete with huitlacoche mole and fermented tomatillo pico de gallo, is a must-try.
Cocina Oaxaquena
513 Main Street, Poughkeepsie
Why we love it: Regional flair
For authentic Mexican flavors, head to Cocina Oaxaquena. This Poughkeepsie restaurant focuses on dishes from the state of Oaxaca. Here, options include everything from beef tongue and tripe—delivered in soft corn tortillas with onions and cilantro—to the taco chivo, stuffed with goat. Order them à la carte and save room for a tlayuda, a classic (and similarly tortilla-based) Oaxacan specialty made with pork lard.
Craft Taqueria
170 South Main Street, New City
Why we love it: The birria
Fun Fact: Last year, New City’s Craft Taqueria earned a coveted spot on Yelp’s list of “top taco” restaurants in the U.S. One likely source of its popularity? The restaurant’s birria tacos, which feature a distinctive combination of stewed local black Angus short ribs and oxtail. Accompanied by a blend of Mexican chiles, herbs, spices, cheese, and pickled red onions, the order also comes with a dip-ready beef broth. Sign us up.
Craft Taqueria earned a coveted spot on Yelp’s list of “top taco” restaurants in the country.
El Azteca Mexican Deli
97 Main Street, Poughkeepsie
Why we love it: Homemade agua frescas
If you’re looking for taco heaven, head straight to this outpost frequented by Marist College kids and foodies alike. Taco ordering is simple: choose between Mexican-style (cilantro, onions, radish, and scallions) or Texas-style (Monterrey cheese, lettuce, pico, and crema drizzle), then load up with your choice of meat. Plant-based options like soy chorizo and al pastor or vegetable mixes are also available. Tacos can be served in soft or crispy tortillas and turned into a meal with rice and beans. El Azteca cooks up a killer birria taco (a fried taco with stewed beef coupled with a rich consommé) as well.
El Cuñao Taqueria & Deli
233 Main Street, Nyack
Why we love it: Best-selling birria tacos
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If the 7,500-members-strong Nyack Eats Facebook group constantly raves about El Cuñao, you know it’s that good. The tacos are relatively inexpensive and the recipes are inspired by the owner’s native Mexican state of Guerrero. We suggest diving into a trio of traditional tacos—options include al pastor, carnitas, chorizo, and carne asada. You can stick with the popular quesabirria tacos with Oaxacan cheese or order tacos placero, a large, handmade tortilla loaded with rice, Mexican home fries, and chorizo.
Frontera Tacos & Tequila
340 Route 211 East, Middletown
Why we love it: Global flavors
Fans of fusion food know that marrying different culinary styles leads to creative (and delicious) dishes. Perhaps that’s why this Middletown restaurant, founded by four brothers from Jalisco, looks beyond its owners’ Mexican roots to serve bites like Korean tacos, bursting with soy sauce- and ginger-marinated skirt steak, alongside more traditional options. Want something more western? Give the French tacos—decked out with caramelized onions and a homemade hickory-smoked onion sauce—a try.
Gaby’s Café
141 Canal Street, Ellenville
Why we love it: Fresh guacamole
In the foothills of the Gunks, there’s a small, family-run Mexican shop that’s been a local stomping ground for over a decade. There are only six corn taco varieties to choose from, but they’re all amazing. For meat lovers, there’s the carne asada, carnitas, chorizo, or pollo asado. Pescatarians and vegetarians will enjoy de pescado (tilapia) or grilled vegetables. What makes these tacos special is the guac, house-made in a traditional molcajete and made spicy, medium, or mild.
Hudson Taco
27 South Water Street, Newburgh
Why we love it: The variety
Picky eaters, take note: There’s truly something for everyone at this riverside restaurant in Newburgh, where 15 taco options round out the team’s spin on Mexican street food. Try the savory cola pork carnitas taco, served in a gluten-free tortilla with cola sauce and pickled onions, or channel the eatery’s waterfront locale with the Deadliest Catch—blackened catfish with charred jalapeño mayo, avocado, and spicy greens. (Tip: you can get any taco wrapped in bibb lettuce.)
There’s truly something for everyone at Hudson Taco. The riverside restaurant in Newburgh offers up to 15 taco options.
Ice Cream Station
1391 Indian Fields Road, Feura Bush
Why we love it: For a sweet ending
Taco Tuesdays take on new meaning at this seasonal staple, which serves up its handmade soft-serve tacos for the occasion. Once you’re done mulling over the flavors, which run the gamut from black raspberry to fudge brownie, choose your favorite (plus three toppings) to fill a chocolate-dipped waffle cone shell.
La Cabanita de Oaxaca
763 Main Street, Poughkeepsie
Why we love it: Bistec tacos
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What if we told you a Oaxacan cocina is dishing out incredible tacos in a former, 85-year-old church? (Well… it’s true!) In this historic setting, try a few (or all 10) authentic corn tacos, like al pastor, birria, carnitas, chorizo, grilled shrimp, and sole fillet. You’ll find some other options that are few and far between in the Valley, including shredded chicken tinga in a chipotle and tomato sauce, slow-cooked beef tongue (lengua de res), marinated beef confit, and adobo-marinated pork cutlets (cecina enchilada). Every taco order comes with three tacos topped the authentic way—with fresh onion, cilantro, lime, and radishes.
La Casa Latina Mexican and Latin Restaurant
1 Brandow Alley, Catskill
Why we love it: Tacos borrachos
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Open five days per week, La Casa Latina is a hidden gem in Catskill that serves great tacos. Menu highlights include the fish and mango tacos and the tacos borrachos, made with flank steak marinated in dark Mexican beer. La Casa Latina also offers a variety of Mexican fare, including enchiladas, fajitas, burritos, and other plates.
Los Jalapeños
25 North Chestnut Street, New Paltz
Why we love it: The central location
Los Jalapeños has a wide selection of Mexican food, but its tacos are the real star of the menu. With classic options from chicken, shrimp, and steak to inclusive options like tofu avocado, the tacos here clock in at about $3 each and are served in a soft shell corn tortilla with diced white onion and cilantro.
Mexicali Blue
1571 Route 9, Wappingers Falls
Why we love it: Food Network-featured dishes
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Gluten-free, blue corn tortilla shells? Count us in. This funky, fresh, Southwestern-inspired spot has tons of accolades from Best of Hudson Valley nods to a short rib burrito that Food Network named one of the best in the country. But Mexicali Blue is most known for its fresh and delicious fish tacos, with stellar options like ahi tuna (teriyaki- and sesame-marinated tuna, cabbage, guac, and wasabi aioli), shrimp (grilled garlic shrimp, cabbage, raspberry aioli, and cilantro), and mango catfish (grilled Cajun catfish layered with coleslaw and herb sour cream).
PopoJito
46 Christie Place, Scarsdale
Why we love it: Mediterranean flair
Add Mediterranean flair to your taco fervor at this modern Scarsdale spot, which offers gluten-free and paleo-friendly options. Take advantage of the fresh seafood with options like grilled cod or crispy calamari and chipotle aioli. Landlubbers won’t be let down by the lime and garlic chicken or pulled pork with mango pineapple pico. Vegetarian options are also available. While dining in, treat yourself to the wide variety of margaritas.
Reconnect Foods
48 Eastdale Avenue North, Poughkeepsie
Why we love it: Tacos on the go
No time for a sit-down meal? You won’t sacrifice flavor for speed when you order tacos from Poughkeepsie-based Reconnect Foods, which dishes out varieties like chicken, mushroom, and pork belly from its cheery purple truck. Keep an eye out for the company’s full summer schedule, which includes Goodnight Kenny, Obercreek Brewing Company, and Taliaferro Farms.
Sante Fe
Tivoli, Kingston, Woodstock
Why we love it: Gluten-free options
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Since 1980, Sante Fe has been dishing out a small but mighty taco menu across the Valley. Four delicious but wildly different options will have you coming back to try them all. Start simple with the barbacoa short rib tacos, complete with adobo sauce, cilantro, sliced avocado, white cheddar, and tomatillo, or spice it up with authentic Oaxacan tacos—pulled achiote chicken and homemade mole poblano. Specials are constantly cropping up, and you might be lucky enough to score the Philly cheesesteak, blackened scallops, lobster, or fried shrimp with Thai chili drizzle on the menu.
Taco Dive Bar
55 Hudson Avenue, Peekskill
Why we love it: Non-GMO white corn tortillas
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We’re surprised that Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host Guy Fieri isn’t all over this dive just minutes from the Hudson River. The white corn tacos are small, making them perfect vessels for taste testing the whole menu. The classic beef is a customer favorite— ground beef with queso blanco, shredded romaine, and pico de gallo. Also worth trying: the fried, wild Gulf shrimp taco with jicama, mango, cucumber, red onion, and watercress and the blackened, wild-caught cod topped with citrus, fennel, cabbage, and salsa verde.
The Taco Factory
40 North Street, Middletown
Why we love it: Traditional flavors
Hailing from the Zacatecas region of Mexico, Chef Fidelia’s mission is to serve authentic Mexican cuisine. Purists will delight in the traditional styles like steak, chicken, and pork barbacoa, while vegans can take on the bean and vegetable option. With soft-shell snacks just under $4 a pop, it’s Taco Tuesday every day at The Taco Factory.
Taco Project
Yonkers, Tarrytown, Bronxville, Pleasantville
Why we love it: The taco of the month
This Westchester-based, fast-casual restaurant is pumping out fresh, yellow corn tortillas that are truly extraordinary. They dish up Cal-Mex style tacos—served two tacos at a time—with your choice of chicken, chorizo, fish, steak, and more. We’re especially fond of the barbecue pulled pork (slow-cooked pork shoulder and caramelized onion), braised pork belly (sweet with pineapple glaze and pineapple salsa), and the more unusual tempura-battered shrimp topped with mango salsa and tomatillo sauce. If you like your tacos crunchy, an extra 50 cents will buy you hard shell substitutes.
“My favorite taco is our fried fish taco with red cabbage slaw, guaca salsa, cilantro, and radish. It’s dynamite — packed full of flavor and melts in your mouth.”
–Nick Mesce, owner of The Taco Project
Tinker Taco
54 Tinker Street, Woodstock
Why we love it: Plant-powered plates
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Chef-owner James Jennings loves to experiment with flavors. And his novel meat-free offerings—served, like his carnivore-friendly fare, on house-made tortillas—are no exception. Vegetarians can tuck into fried avocado or poblano-based tacos topped with queso fresco and crema, while vegans will love the “chorizo” made from ingredients like cauliflower, walnuts, and roasted guajillo peppers. If you don’t mind seafood with your veg, order the equally original taco de pulpo—chili-seared octopus with parsley chimichurri and red cabbage.
Tito Santana Taqueria
142 Main Street, Beacon
Why we love it: Vibrant setting
Colorful and lively, this taqueria has indoor and outdoor seating and a selection that includes the main proteins (chicken, pork, steak, fish, shrimp), plus some vegetarian options like portabella mushrooms and tofu. A dinner special Wednesday through Friday means you can (and should) throw in an order of Mexican street corn.
Truck
391 Old Post Road, Bedford
Why we love it: Farm-fresh fare
It’s all about local ingredients at this establishment, named in part for its location on Route 22—commonly used by truckers to transport fresh goods from area farms. Chef-owner Nancy Allen Roper makes a point of incorporating regionally harvested ingredients into her roster of northern New Mexican bites, including tacos. Case in point: the grass-fed brisket taco, served up with horseradish crema, barbecue sauce, house-made slaw, and nutty beluga lentils.
Upstate Taco
4293 Route 209, Stone Ridge
Why we love it: The mula
A trip to Mexico inspired married restaurant-industry vets Mauricio and Sasha Miranda to launch this Stone Ridge standout, where the menu prominently features mula—a traditional dish (and a Hudson Valley rarity) that shares characteristics of both a taco and a quesadilla. Served between a pair of stone-ground corn tortillas with melty queso Oaxaca, Upstate Taco’s varieties include chicken, steak, and veggie. Sample them with the restaurant’s signature pico de gallo, salsa verde, or salsa roja for extra flavor.
Tacos With a Twist
Go beyond authentic and try these out-of-the-ordinary options.
BULGOGI BEEF TACOS
Crazy Bowlz, Kingston and New Paltz
Thin, marinated slices of beef sandwiched between soft- or hard-shell tortillas, with mango salsa, lettuce, sour cream, and cheese.
CHAPULINES TACOS
La Charla, New Paltz
Oaxacan-style, sautéed grasshoppers (you read that right) with avocado mash and salsa verde on corn tortillas.
