Tacos are one of the most versatile foods around. Throw fish on ‘em. Try beef. Like Korean? Bulgogi tacos, coming up. They’re portable, customizable, delicious, and taking over Virginia. From food trucks to sit down restaurants, you’ll thank us for the taco suggestions below.
The Boka Tako Truck on Cary Street in Richmond, Virginia, is a fast-growing taco conglomeration. With three trucks, two carts, two restaurants (Boka Grill and Boka Tako Bar), you’ll never be too far away from your favorite Boka concoction. Choose between Asian, American, and Mexican style, then a protein to make your own. Or go for one of the pre-assembled menu items. You might think of starting with one, but we’ll save you the embarrassment of going back for seconds: Get two the first time.
Gringo’s Taqueria in Virginia Beach, Virginia, at the Ocean Front is known for their delicious tacos and burritos. Everything they do is just plain good. The Gringo’s Baja fish taco, served in a soft flour tortilla stuffed with Pabst beer battered fish, cabbage, habanero cream sauce, and fresh salsa will make you a convert. Their pineapple chicken burrito is bliss in a tortilla. Check ‘em out.
Pelon’s Baja Grill claims the mantle of “most popular Baja style Mexican food restaurant in Hampton Roads.” The menu is primarily composed of burritos and tacos that don’t stray too far from fan favorites, like fish tacos, grilled steak, chicken, and spicy pork. But sometimes the best innovation is in serving consistently quality food. By this metric, Pelon’s succeeds.
Pico Taqueria is the go-to taco location on Chincoteague Island. The restaurant is family run and outdoors. Their unique menu is regularly changes as they try new combinations. We suggest starting with the Chincoteague Classic, filled with lettuce, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, crème fraiche and your choice of chicken, pork or beef, before going for the more adventurous Maddox, filled with cornmeal fried oyster, pickled carrots, daikon, tartar sauce, and thai basil. The prices are incredibly reasonable, so feel free to mix and match.
What’s the best taco topping? Success. And the District Taco, now with 10 locations and more coming soon, is chock full of it. What started out as two friends and a taco truck in 2009 has grown into a Northern Virginia staple. Their breakfast tacos are served all day, along with a lunch and dinner menu after 10 a.m.. Handmade chips round out any dish, along with a slew of premium toppings.
Don Taco and Tequila Bar in Old Town Alexandria is relatively new, but already wracking up awards. It is the Diners’ Choice Award winner, with praise from INADCMinute.com, The Old Town Post, and Alexandria Gazette. The tacos are served on a corn tortilla as opposed to a flour one, which makes all the difference. Choose from roasted chicken sriracha, pork belly, chipotle quinoa sweet potato tacos, or try the premium options, like lam chimichurri and sweet and spice mahi mahi.
The Soup and Taco serves authentic Tex-Mex style food. Tacos are served in two soft flour tortillas, and each comes with Pepper Jack cheese, jalapeno cream, Napa cabbage, pico de gallo, and cilantro. From there, you can choose from grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, chorizo, tilapia, shredded pork, or vegetables. Make sure to try one of the two daily soups.
Tuco’s Taqueria Garaje has a reputation for delicious modern Latin American food with ingredients grown on-site and a colorful, vibrant atmosphere with reclaimed wood textures. While the menu offers non-taco options, most come to Tuco’s for the tacos. First you choose a taco from one of nine options, then a style, and finally a tortilla. It’s all good, but the blacked tuna Pescado is great.
The Taco Shark Food Truck is a roaming truck with a menu that changes daily. The most frequent offerings include chorizo, barbeque pulled pork, sweet potato, ground beef, and vegetarian options, along with regular specials. Since the truck is constantly on the move and closed Mondays and Sundays, check their Facebook and Twitter feeds to track them down.
The Continental Divide has two locations, one in Richmond and one in Charlottesville, and a roaming taco truck. The taco truck offers beef brisket, carnitas, chicken machaca, fish, and black bean tacos, among other Mexican favorites. The sit-down restaurants are known for their beef tacos, delicious margaritas, and prodigious lines, so get there before 7 p.m.!