There are many wonderful reasons to live in Los Angeles, but one of my favorites is the street tacos.
Street Tacos In Los Angeles
Los Angeles is full of ethnic enclaves and neighborhoods very different than the next. The diversity of food options is one of the key selling points of the City of Angels.
I often drive through a business improvement district of Los Angeles located in the San Fernando valley in LA’s Sun Valley neighborhood. The main street is Tuxford Avenue and it features a number of dumps, junkyards, scrap metal shops, and a large concrete quarry.
For years, two sisters from Mexico set up a taco stand on the side of the road and offer freshly-made tacos. They have no permits or health inspectors, they just set up shop for a few hours in the afternoon.
As much as I enjoy “Mexican” fast food, there’s noting like freshly grilled tacos with al pastor (pork), carne asada (beef), or pollo (chicken). But best of all? The homemade roja (red) and verde (green) salsa.
For years I’ve searched stores (even Mexican-owned) grocery stores for authentic red and green sauce and have never been able to find it. This alone makes these tacos simply incredible.
As for authenticity, the ladies don’t speak English, accept cash only, and do not use flour tortillas, only corn. I’m sure someone can pinpoint these tacos to a certain region, but I just know they are the best of the best.
CONCLUSION
If I had to pick one food I would eat every day for the rest of my life, this would be a top contender. I’m thankful to live in Los Angeles for many reasons, but a primary reason is the street tacos. #yum
What is your favorite food in Los Angeles?
They look very tasty!
Thanks for the post.
Too many great choices in LA to pick a favorite, but I don’t usually go long before having a tarna wrap at Zankou, the slippery shrimp from Yang Chow or a Langer’s #19.
I enjoy Zankou as well!
It looks yummier and healthier than some airlines’ first class dishes. I would choose this over UA Polaris’ beef, fish, or chicken.
So would I!
I also live in Los Angeles, and while I love our fine dining scene, I have been eating at sidewalk stands and taco trucks for years, and have NEVER gotten sick or even felt lousy. You can eat very well for a few bucks in L.A., and the affordability of extremely diverse, incredible food is one thing that keeps me here.
I love the entrepreneurs across our ethnic communities, and those selling tacos and burritos to the masses work very hard and are always super friendly. Some of the food trucks have legions of Twitter and Instagram followers that would make any influencer jealous.
Agreed, you can’t find either mild or spicy homemade salsa like this in a store. My favorite is al pastor, as this is one thing you just can’t really replicate at home. Fun fact: The pork is marinated and then roasted on a vertical spit (a “trompo,” in Spanish), a technique adapted from Lebanese immigrants to Mexico!
One of the best things about street food scene is something that makes evening concerts at Hollywood Bowl enjoyable on so many levels: crowds of people that are a microcosm of Los Angeles. Every ethnicity and socio-economic background can appreciate to-die-for tacos. Thanks for highlighting this. Visitors to our city should definitely do a little research and indulge.
Interesting history on the Lebanese influence.
” I don’t like tacos”,said no Juan ever. The secret to a scrumptious salsa verde is to charr the tomatillos,poblano and jalapeño peppers and peel the skin off.
Agreed with all of the above. Also, for the best at home red & green sauce remedy I recommend these.
https://www.amazon.com/Herdez-Taqueria-Street-Sauce-Gluten/dp/B07GR99R94
How/ where do they wash the dishes, their hands? How do they keep the ingredients at a safe temperature? Looks like a recipe for gastro, IMO…
I hear you, but it’s worth the risk.
You should see the grill…you would be horrified by the pig snouts and other parts they dump into the pork tacos.
Beyond gross…
Ok, but do they serve freshly-squeezed orange juice only? Is the coffee barista made or from crap machines?
Also, some interesting reading for y’all…
“Tacos al Pastor: Your Favorite Mexican Food Is Actually Lebanese”
https://www.tastingtable.com/dine/national/tacos-pastor-history?fbclid=IwAR3t9C0oKoLYDPV9wNGvy309r1b3hTDTKHFn46X2Sxyvh25E143xpLV_rJ0
I make my fresh squeezed orange juice at home and head to Republik in Pasadena several times per week for flat whites! 😉
And all your Korean food in Los Angeles is as good as you’ll find anywhere and probably more choices than anywhere else except Korea itself.
If you like those tacos, you should really check out Mexico. They have great tacos there — especially Cabo.
Great article! Where is the exact location of this taco stand?
Tuxford Ave in Sun Valley.
Thank you!