Finding the best tacos can be quite a chore. There are too many taco places out there, and hunting for them may not be the most convenient thing to do.
So, if you want to skip to the good part and treat your taste buds to some delicious savory tacos, then we have just the right places to visit.
If you are in Miami only for a while and are looking for some of the best things to do in Miami, visiting these taco places and trying out their tacos should make it to your bucket list. You are sure to remember the taste of these tacos for a very long time.
What makes a perfect taco? Well, that’s a rather tricky question to answer. There’s a lot that goes into making a good taco. A fresh tortilla is a must for starters, which tastes so much better when it’s handmade.
The next thing on the list is protein or vegetables. Depending on the type of taco, the meat should be prepared with much care. Then comes the salsa and the toppings.
You can do so much with tacos, as there is so much room for creativity. Sometimes it’s a hit and sometimes a miss, but we can all agree that we love going back to the basics and the traditional tacos we’ve all grown to love at the end of the day.
The vibrant streets of Miami are home to some of the most delicious and award-winning tacos. A lot of locals and travelers alike flock to these places just to get a taste of these delicious tacos.
From Tacos al pastor to Carne Asada to Barbacoa and so much more, we have all that you need right here in the list of 6 restaurants and taco shops.
1. Coyo Taco
I know we are here for the tacos, but before you even get a taste of their heavenly tacos, the vibrant outdoor arrangement of Coyo Taco is bound to be a treat for your eyes. The settings and aesthetics of the place exude a cheerful vibe that naturally draws you in.
Located in Wynwood, but now has branches in several other locations, Coyo Taco is known for consistently serving some of the best traditional Mexican classic tacos such as Al Pastor and Carne Asada.
The Michoacana-style duck confit in Carnitas with red onion, cotija, and cilantro is bound to tickle your taste buds. You also cannot miss out on their Beef Birria which is stuffed with beef brisket, oregano, and cinnamon and served with broth, onion, cilantro, and lemon.
What’s more is that these variations are also available in burritos, quesadillas, and burrito bowls. Do grab a margarita to tango with your tacos.
What makes this taqueria so special is their resolve to only use fresh ingredients. Think ‘fresh’ when you think of Coyo Taco because this taco shop stays true to its philosophy of ‘everything fresh‘ and uses 100% natural ingredients.
As you place your order, the guacamole is prepared, while their signature hand-pressed corn tortillas are made from scratch, sticking to their authentic Mexican tradition. Their vegetables are fresh off the farm while their meat and seafood are naturally grown.
If you are planning to visit Coyo Taco, you have several locations to choose from as they have their taco shops at Wynwood, Brickell, Coral Gables, and Fort Lauderdale.
2. Caja Caliente
This amazing Taco shop located in Wynwood is the inventor of the famous original Cuban Tacos. Caja Caliente is owned by a family and first started as a food truck in 2016. Word of their amazing Cuban Tacos spread quickly when Caja Caliente opened their first station in Wynwood.
Now, Caja Caliente is open at its Coral Gables location and is bigger than ever. Their traditional family recipes have been passed down for over four decades and are loved by all.
Caja Caliente has been awarded the title of Best Tacos in Florida for their Lechón Tacos filled with marinated pork cooked to perfection, with black beans, pico, and cotija cheese.
They have other interesting tacos on the menu, such as Gator stuffed with Florida Gator, avocado, black bean pico, and Caja aioli. The Mahi Mahi and their shrimp tacos are also an absolute treat.
Surely you didn’t think that’s all they had on the menu. A wide range of drinks like a margarita, mimosa, and wine adds to that, from burritos to croquetas to empanadas.
Monica Mika Leon, who is the chef behind this amazing restaurant, decided to set out with her food truck to hit the streets of Miami to explore the place and introduce people to her food in the years before deciding to put down its roots in Coral Gables.
During the years of exploring, she came across different flavors and picked up ideas that she inculcated into her family recipes passed down for generations.
You will definitely be taking more than one trip to Caja Caliente because that’s just how addictive the food is out there.
3. Pilo’s Street Tacos
If you don’t look closely, you could miss out on this gem of a place in the heart of Brickell. The owner of this great taco place, Derek Gonzalez, started out this quick-service restaurant as he was reminiscing about his late Aunt Pilo’s amazing tacos, she made for him during his childhood days.
Pilo’s street tacos are known for their authentic and bold flavors as featured in their famous La Pilo Tacos filled with pork al pastor and sprinkled with some white onions and cilantro on corn tortillas.
Their Birria Taco is another favorite you won’t get enough of. It is filled with beef short rib stuffed with chihuahua cheese and topped with cilantro and onion.
Pilo’s Street also takes pride in their special homemade guacamole which makes an excellent side to the amazing food on the menu.
In 2020, the family started Pilo’s Tequila Garden at Miami’s Wynwood Art District which is the only Tequila Garden in the world. They serve the same menu as in the first location but added to it a vast collection of Tequilas.
No doubt, Pilo’s Street Tacos serves one of the best tacos, but that’s not all about this shop. Just a short while after Gonzalez opened the shop at the first location, his beloved Aunt Pilo who had Down syndrome, passed away.
Pilos has employed many individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, which are referred to as ‘Special disabilities‘ to help them achieve their dreams.
This restaurant does not just serve delicious tacos but also desires to become the largest employer of individuals having special abilities.
4. Taquiza
Taquiza is a restaurant located on the waterfront of Miami Beach that serves some of the best traditional tacos. Great tacos and excellent service. Can it get any better? Al Pastor, Carne Asada, Carnitas, you name it!
If you are at Taquiza, you have to also try out their beef tongue tacos braised in Victoria beer, charred onion, and bay leaf. You also cannot miss out on their Camaron tacos filled with juicy grilled shrimp on red cabbage slaw.
There may not be a lot of color in their food but do not let that deceive you because once you take a bite into it, the flavors will melt and explode into your mouth.
What makes this taco place unique is its signature handmade tortillas made with organic blue masa corn which are ground daily. They are so good that they now supply nearly half of the restaurants in Miami.
Taquiza has its restaurant running at both North Beach and South Beach. However, the North Beach location has proximity to the parking and the beach and is frequented by many.
Grab some margaritas or sangria, as you chow down on their delectable tacos on blue masa corn tortillas while sitting on the outdoor patio, looking at the beach at their North Beach location.
Make sure to order a side of Totopos, which is blue masa corn tortilla chips and some guac. You’ll thank us later.
5. The Taco Stand
The Taco Stand originated in San Diego where they opened their first taquerias. San Diego is famous for amazing Mexican food and this taco shop has brought these fresh Mexican flavors to Wynwood,
They serve their tacos in handmade corn tortillas and use only the freshest ingredients to make guacamole and salads daily from scratch.
Their Carne Asada taco is a favorite of many and perhaps it will soon become your favorite too. Think about it, fresh corn tortillas stuffed with flame-grilled Angus steak, garnished with some onions, salsa, guacamole, and cilantro. Who can say no to that?
Pollo Asado Taco is also another popular item on their menu which is a flame-grilled chicken taco, not forgetting their fish tacos like the Pescado Taco and the Baja Taco. You obviously can’t miss out on Nopal Taco made from cactus and melted cheese.
They also have burritos, quesadillas, and a wide variety of sides to choose from. While you are there, do try their Rosarito-style churros which are freshly prepared, and their Mexican-flavored popsicles.
There’s always a queue at the Taco Stand but that’s because their tacos are just that awesome. So don’t be frightened by the queue. It might take a while but it will be totally worth the wait.
Another good thing about The Taco Stand is that the prices on the menu are easy on the wallet. So, if you’re craving tacos and your wallet isn’t too happy, you could still afford to help yourself.
6. Bodega Taqueria y Tequila
Ever since Bodega Taqueria y Tequila started in 2015, it has been regarded as one of the best Mexican restaurants in America.
What makes this restaurant so famous is the unexpected and exciting twists they incorporate into everything, starting from food to the environment and the experience.
Bodega has received much love for its delectable food items like Carnitas, Carne Asada, and Barbacoa but anyone who has ever eaten at this Mexican restaurant will bet on their life that their Al Pastor tacos are an absolute craze.
Roasted pork with perfectly charred pineapple and red onion, sprinkled with some cilantro and salsa. Just what could go wrong with that combo stuffed in their fresh tortillas?
Tacos are not all that the restaurant has got going on. They also serve amazing burritos, chips & dips, and sides. In addition to that, their frozen margarita never fails to complement their tacos.
Wouldn’t it be perfect to just take a seat at their picnic table on the curbside or at a high-top inside, sipping on their frozen margarita while munching on their mouthwatering tacos?
Speaking of margaritas, did you know that there is an Alice-in-Wonderland hole at Bodega? Well not technically, but yes, behind a meat locker door in the restaurant, is a speakeasy that awakens at night.
If you’re someone who loves nightlife, you’ve got to take a trip to this little Havana that brims with award-winning tequilas and cocktails and is a hub for musicians, locals, and travelers.
They also hold many events and late-night performances at different locations of the restaurant. Bodega is located at South Beach, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Aventura. They also have a branch opening up in Downtown Miami.
7. Final Note
So, If you have reached this far, what are you waiting for? You might as well hit the streets of Miami and treat yourself to some of the finest tacos in the city.
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Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
