When my good friend Stacey Tokunaga moved down to Mexico City shortly after college we would have these phone calls where he’d be telling me about the people, the place and most importantly, the food. Because of these images he created for me I couldn’t wait to get down and see him, to sample the experiences which he’d had. We may have Mexican food up in the US but it is nothing compared to the real deal south of the border. Tacos are the one meal that stay in my mind from my trips to Mexico, and they are literally a lifeblood down there. When you visit Mexico, here is why you’ll fall in love with tacos. 

Snack or Meal 

The first thing that made me fall in love with tacos in CDMX was the way in which they are served, as either a snack or a meal. In the US our portions are often way to big and you can get full up pretty quickly. On the street corners of Mexico City however you can grab yourself two little taquitos for the perfect snack, small and tasty, not filling. Alternatively you can sit down and order a number of tacos and turn it into a meal. 

Versatility 

The range of tacos which you can buy down here is absolutely insane and you’ll do very well to them all during your trip here. For example you can have tacos al pastor which is marinated pork served from a spit, or you could have chuleta, longaniza sausage, chorizo, chicken, fish, beef, skirt steak and other delicacies like barbacoa which is lamb that has been slow cooked. There are so many styles and flavors of tacos that you can never get bored and because most places sell a mixture you can combine it all on the same plate. 

Cheap 

Generally speaking you are looking at paying around $0.50 for a taco on the street, and maybe $0.80 per taco inside a restaurant, super cheap for what you get. This is just one of the reasons why they are so popular here and why so many enjoy this food, because you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to enjoy it. 

Community 

Some of the funniest moments that I had in Mexico with Stacey was standing around the taco stand and hearing people talk, chat and tell stories. This is a communal place where people from all walks of life gather together and shoot the breeze. Food has a way of bringing people together and that is exactly what happens when you head out for tacos. 

Tacos are fun to eat, there is no standing on ceremony, load up on salsa, lime, onion and cilantro and go wild with these beautiful little packages of joy. You will fall in love with everything about tacos when you visit Mexico, and you’ll see just how different it is from what we have in the US.