Best Mexican Restaurants in Toronto

If you’re here for anything but tacos, you’ve come to the wrong place. The menu is short and sweet, but still, how does one pick between the smoky barbacoa with jalapeño salsa and the flaky, beer-battered haddock with red cabbage? Sautéed mushrooms with double-smoked bacon and chili oil are a sleeper favorite too. Everything arrives fast and hot, and then, in a blink, it’s all over and you’re back outside, plotting your inevitable return. 

Is that the best lengua taco you’ve ever had? Is there a better birria in the city? You might find yourself asking a lot of questions at this casual fonda where it’s impossible not to over-order. This is food you crave on a regular basis served in an easy-going setting that doesn’t care how you’re dressed. Low-flung counter seats, sunshine-yellow napkins and cacti in every corner add to the charm.

Almost everything on this tight menu passes through the kitchen’s 26-foot-long wood-burning grill that actively roars and smokes. At the end of the line is a single chef at the earthenware comal, preparing tortillas from heirloom corn that is nixtmalized and ground in-house. Lamb barbacoa packed into griddled, blue masa tortillas and charred maitake mushrooms set in a crema poblana highlight the transformative magic of fire, while dry-aged amberjack aguachile flexes the kitchen’s delicate side. 

This itty bitty kitchen is the little engine that could, doling out the bold flavors of Tampico made with quality ingredients and executed with care. Salsa macha is made in-house. One dish worth ordering is the wera tostada, a riot of colors and textures. The crispy corn tostada is layered with mashed avocado and thin slices of octopus and shrimp tossed in a spicy macha mayo for a vibrant meal.

Bright colors and vivid artwork echo the upbeat mood here, but this isn't your typical taqueria. Instead, traditional and authentic Mexican dishes offer a surprise—they're completely meat-free. Black sesame tostadas with salsa macha negra and sikil pak are a perfect opener. Tacos made from purple corn are eye-catching, while braised hibiscus is a delicious substitute for the typical meat. Quesadillas are filled with a mix of softened roasted potatoes, refried beans, vegetarian cheese and crisped onions.