There is nothing better than finding your taqueria. I'm referring to that moment when you fall upon that gem of a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant with carne asada that melts in your mouth, or chiles rellenos that makes everything you've ever tasted — ever! — pale in comparison. After living in the Midwest for a few years, I forgot all about the fervor people have for taquerias until I moved to San Francisco, a city where everyone you come across has a favorite go-to spot that makes their favorite inexpensive, unassuming Mexican fare. And when you ask anyone who loves Mexican grub where their favorite burrito lives, nine times out of 10, they've got an automatic answer lined up. No thinking required.
The politics of taquerias intrigue me; I'm a little more than curious about the requisites for what makes a taqueria truly epic. I get that it's personal, but here are five of the things people have shared as integral when falling in love with their taqueria for the very first time. See what they are when you keep reading.
