BEST Tacos in Puerto Escondido You NEED To Try! (Veggie Incl!)
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Looking for the best tacos in Puerto Escondido? You’re in the right place! We lived in Puerto Escondido for nearly two months, and spent most of that time trying and eating different tacos! The following list includes only the *best* tacos you need to taste (including vegetarian options).
Puerto Escondido is good for many things. Its incredible sunsets, endless activities, stunning beaches, friendly locals and laid-back atmosphere. But one of the best things about Puerto Escondido? The food!
From spicy tacos to classic carbonara, Puerto Escondido has all types of food a backpacker could dream of. But being in Mexico, we liked to keep things simple. Most evenings, we would head out for tacos. One, because they’re the cheapest food you can get in Mexico, and two, they’re by far the tastiest!
But before we begin, it’s important to know that there are five main areas in Puerto Escondido. If you’re visiting for the first time, it’s highly likely that you will be staying in one of these areas.
The five main areas in Puerto Escondido are:
- La Punta
- Centro
- Rinconada
- Bacocho
- Zicatela
The following list includes the best tacos in each of these main areas. Just be sure to check the address of the restaurant and the easiest way to get there from your accommodation.
So, let’s get down to the tastiest tacos in Puerto Escondido, so you can spend your time in the area eating tacos, rather than looking for them!
Best Tacos in Puerto Escondido
Wondering if there are vegetarian options available? Next to each heading, you’ll find a (V) for veggie options. It isn’t always easy to find vegetarian food in Mexico, so take note!
Other Puerto Escondido posts:
- Where To Watch The Sunset in Puerto Escondido (2022)
- 32 BEST Things to do in Puerto Escondido For First-Timers (2022)
- Best Hostels in Puerto Escondido For Backpackers (2022 Guide)
- Mexico City to Puerto Escondido (Backpacker Guide) 2022
Looking for the best restaurants in Puerto Escondido? I’ve got you covered! Check out my recent post: 25 BEST Restaurants in Puerto Escondido for Foodies! (2023)
1. The Fish Shack, La Punta (V)
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 10/10
💸 Budget: Low (£)
🥗 Vegetarian option: Cauliflower tacos fried in coconut, with others available
The Fish Shack is one of the most popular places in Puerto Escondido for tacos. It’s a chilled, laid-back small curb-side restaurant with loud music, friendly staff and a fun atmosphere. And best of all? It has some of the best tacos in the whole of Puerto Escondido.
If you’re a meat and fish eater, go for the fried shrimp tacos. They’re layered up with slaw, avocado, salsas, and lime laid on top of a fresh, tasty, soft taco shell. They’re a bit tricky to eat, but so worth it!
Vegetarian? Don’t worry, The Fish Shack has you covered. The cauliflower tacos cooked in coconut were some of the best tacos I’ve ever eaten in my life. Don’t ask me what they do to them, but they are incredible. Even if you’re a meat eater, they’re worth a try!
Still hungry? Order some of the classic Fish Shack fries as a side dish. They won’t disappoint!
📍You can find The Fish Shack here: Avenida Alejandro Cardenas S/N Entre, Heroes Oaxaqueños y, Brisas de Zicatela, 70934 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
2. La Chula Taqueria, La Punta
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 10/10
💸 Budget: Low (£)
🥗 Vegetarian option: None at this moment in time
La Chula Taqueria is like a street food van inside a modern restaurant with fun decor and a pool table. And the best thing? The tacos cost the same as the street food vans!
You can get three tacos al pastor (one of the most famous types of tacos in Mexico) for 45 pesos (£1.80/$2.20). This includes all the trimmings – pico de Gallo, salsa, lime… and a whole array of hot sauces you can try before you lather them onto your taco.
If you’re a meat eater, the menu is pretty extensive. There’s everything from pork, beef, chicken and sausage. If you’re looking for a recommendation, get the tacos al pastor. We may or may not have ordered six tacos each every time we visited.
📍You can find La Chula Taqueria here: Avenida Alejandro Cardenas S/N Entre, Heroes Oaxaqueños y, Brisas de Zicatela, 70934 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
What is ‘tacos al pastor‘?
A traditional Mexican dish is tacos al pastor (directly translated as ‘Shepherd’s Style’). This taco is chopped up kebab-like seasoned pork, which is spit-grilled and marinated. The taco will then be filled with cilantro, onion, tomato and even pineapple to give it that fresh and juicy taste. If you’re visiting Mexico, it’s a dish you need to try!
3. Pinches Tacos, Rinconada (V)
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 10/10
💸 Budget: Medium (££)
🥗 Vegetarian option: Vegetable tacos
Pinches Tacos is located on the Rinconada restaurant strip, and is without a doubt one of the best places to get tacos in Puerto Escondido. It may be a little pricier than some of the options on the list, but what it lacks in budget-friendliness, it makes up for in taste!
If you’re a meat eater, try the arrachera tacos (steak), or if you’re veggie, go for the standard vegetable tacos. Both are served plain, as you take your plate up to the counter to layer on your own toppings. I think this is what makes Pinches so great!
Toppings include everything from coleslaw to spicy salsas, pico de Gallo and salad. Doing this yourself really adds to the experience, and you get to eat your tacos exactly the way you want them!
📍You can find Pinches Tacos here: Avenida Alejandro Cardenas S/N Entre, Heroes Oaxaqueños y, Brisas de Zicatela, 70934 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
What is ‘pico de gallo‘?
Pico de Gallo is one of the most common toppings you will find in Mexico. Served with almost everything (burritos, tacos, quesadillas, tlyudas…) it’s a type of salsa including ripe red tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime. Adding pico de Gallo to your tacos gives them a ‘fresher’ and juicier taste.
4. The Smoke Shack, La Punta (V)
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 10/10
💸 Budget: High (£££)
🥗 Vegetarian option: Vegetable tacos
We were only able to visit The Smoke Shack once, and wow do I regret it! If I’m honest, our best meal throughout our whole time backpacking Mexico was in the Smoke Shack. Yes, really!
The only downside to the Smoke Shack is the price. It’s a Korean, Mexican BBQ restaurant, and the extensive menu and delicious taste add up to a much higher price than most other places in Puerto Escondido!
However, I highly recommend checking them out, even if you only visit once or for a special occasion. It really was one of the best BBQ meals I’ve ever had.
The menu is ridiculously good, especially if you’re used to western food and you’re craving a good old-fashioned mac and cheese with tangy BBQ sauce.
One of the options is to order a platter of meat and sides. This is one of the more expensive options, but don’t be fooled, it’s still only for one person! If you’re a meat eater, I highly recommend the beef brisket, either on the platter or in a taco. It will not disappoint!
And it doesn’t stop there! Smoke Shack also offers a wide range of sides, which are just as good as the main meat. Make sure you try the fries, mac and cheese, jalapeno slaw and my personal favourite – the bacon and honey-covered Brussels sprouts. You’ll never look at Brussels sprouts in the same way again, I can assure you!
📍You can find the Smoke Shack here: Alejandro Cárdenas Peralta, Brisas de Zicatela, 70934 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
5. Casa de Los Abuelos, La Punta (V)
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 10/10
💸 Budget: Low (£)
🥗 Vegetarian option: Vegetable tacos
Casa de Los Abuelos is one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the whole of Puerto Escondido. Don’t expect anything fancy – it really does feel like you’re sitting in the garden of a family kitchen!
It’s the best place in La Punta for traditional, home-cooked, hearty Mexican food without any fuss. And the prices are low – some of the lowest in the whole area – so it’s perfect for budget backpackers!
For meat eaters, I recommend chorizo tacos or tlayudas. I know this is a post all about tacos, but I had to mention tlayudas as well, especially as the best ones we had in Mexico were in this restaurant! If you’re a veggie, there are also vegetable options. I had a vegetable tlayuda layered with Oaxacan cheese. Wow, is all I can say.
📍You can find the Casa de Los Abuelos here: Paraíso 807, La Punta Zicatela, 70934 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
What is a ‘tlayuda‘?
A tlayuda is a homemade traditional Oaxacan street food, so you’ll find them served in most Mexican restaurants in Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido. They’re a large, thin, crunchy tortilla, filled with an ingredient of your choice (meat, beans, vegetables, cheese), and of course salsas, pico de Gallo and everything else you’d like. They’re then folded over to be toasted on a fire, or fried. It’s a food you MUST try in Oaxaca!
6. Amoki, La Punta/Centro (V)
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 10/10
💸 Budget: Low (£)
🥗 Vegetarian option: Vegetable/vegan burrito
Ok, this one isn’t exactly tacos, as it’s actually the ‘House of the Giant Burrito’ in Puerto Escondido. But there was just no way I could leave it off the list!
The burritos in Amoki are incredible. They’re huge, for starters, and cheap! You can choose from a whole range of fillings (meat and veggie), and each burrito is layered with Oaxacan cheese and toasted to make it melt in your mouth.
And don’t expect any fancy dining at Amoki. It’s a small venue in a hut on the side of the road in La Punta/Centro, with a few wooden tables out the front for you to use. But this adds to the experience. It’s quick, easy, delicious and cheap, and undoubtedly has some of the best Mexican food in Puerto Escondido.
Just expect a bit of a wait if you want a table, those giant burritos are popular!
📍You can find Amoki here:
La Punta: Alejandro Cárdenas Peralta S/N, Brisas de Zicatela, 70934 Brisas de Zicatela, Oax., Mexico
Centro: C. Segunda Sur 35, Hidalgo, 71980 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
7. Sabina, La Punta
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 10/10
💸 Budget: Medium (££)
🥗 Vegetarian option: Some, but not tacos
Sabina was one of our favourite places to go in Puerto Escondido for lunch. They serve incredible homemade Mexican food, as well as having western options like pesto pasta and spaghetti bolognese.
As delicious as the pesto pasta was, the tacos and burritos were also delicious. If you’re a meat eater, try the arrachera (beef) or pollo (chicken) tacos and burritos, as they put on a special ‘burger’-like sauce for taste. They’re delicious!
Plus, if you need good wifi, Sabina is the place to go! Sabina had the strongest wifi we could find in Puerto Escondido, and it’s the perfect place to take the laptop, and catch up on work whilst eating tacos. We ended up in Sabina for their co-working space almost every day!
Oh, and the staff in Sabina are some of the friendliest, kindest people you will ever meet. It’s a win all around for Sabina from us!
📍You can find Sabina here: Calle Héroes Oaxaqueños esquina con Guanajuato La punta, 70934 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
8. El Cafecito, Rinconada/Zicatela (V)
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 9/10
💸 Budget: Low (£)
🥗 Vegetarian option: Potato-filled tacos, vegetable tacos and more
El Cafecito is one of the best restaurants in Puerto Escondido for cheap, yet incredibly good Mexican food. There are two branches of El Cafecito, one in Rinconada, and one in Zicatela, both working from the same menu with the same prices.
Known for serving hearty, traditional Mexican dishes, El Cafecito was one of our favourite go-to restaurants when we lived in Puerto Escondido. Also serving western food like pesto pasta, burgers and carbonara, it’s an excellent choice if you’re with any fussy eaters!
If you’re a meat eater, I recommend the chorizo and potato-filled tacos. They’re served with rice and refried beans and served in a crispy taco shell (which is rare in Mexico!). But if you’re a veggie, there are also plenty of options like potato and cheese-filled tacos, or whole veggie dishes. Their menu is extensive, and there are lots of options to choose from.
📍You can find El Cafecito here:
Rinconada: Boulevard Benito Juárez 1, Seccion C, Local 11, Rinconada, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
Zicatela: Av. Del Morro S/N, Playa Zicatela, 71988 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
9. The Food Market, La Punta (V)
🌮 Overall score out of 10: 8/10
💸 Budget: Low (£)
🥗 Vegetarian option: Some options in different food huts
The Food Market is exactly what it says it is – a variety of food stalls under one roof. You can buy everything from Thai, fish tacos and tasty fresh gnocchi.
If you’re looking for tacos, the fish here is incredible. Served on a large wooden chopping board, the fish tacos are fried and full of slaw, salsas and tasty toppings.
However, if you’re a veggie, there are lots of options around. If you’re looking for something other than tacos, I recommend the fresh pasta stall. The gnocchi was such a welcome change!
The Food Market also serves alcohol, and shows large sports games such as a the football world cup.
📍You can find The Food Market here: LA PUNTA DE ZICATELA, CALLE ALEJANDRO CARDENAS, Brisas de Zicatela, 70934 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
What is the most famous taco in Mexico?
The most famous taco in Mexico is ‘tacos al pastor’. This is a traditional Mexican dish which can be directly translated as ‘Shepherd’s Style’. Al pastor is chopped up kebab-like seasoned pork, which is spit-grilled and marinated.
The taco will then be filled with cilantro, onion, tomato and even pineapple to give it that fresh and juicy taste. If you’re visiting Mexico, it’s a dish you need to try!
Is Oaxaca good for tacos?
Yes! Oaxaca has some of the tastiest tacos in Mexico. With fillings ranging from al pastor, to a variety of meats, fish and vegetarian options, Oaxaca knows how to make a delicious taco. Oaxaca is also known for its Oaxacan cheese, which is similar to mozzarella and string cheese (but tastier!).
Where to stay in Puerto Escondido
Before you book anywhere in Puerto Escondido, make sure you pick the right area. Have no idea about the areas in Puerto Escondido? Read this post first!
🛏️ Best hostel in Puerto Escondido for backpackers: Book here
If you’re a solo traveller and looking to party in Puerto Escondido, I recommend this hostel in La Punta. It’s known for its wild events and activities, has its own pool and isn’t far from the beach.
Getting around Puerto Escondido is easy, and if you prefer one area to another, taxis are cheap and widely available.
Best apartment in Rinconada, Puerto Escondido: Book here
Bungalow in Centro, Puerto Escondido: Book here
Apartment in Zicatela, Puerto Escondido: Book here
Best travel insurance for backpackers in Mexico
If you’re visiting Mexico as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.
Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.
I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.
If you need medical help at any point whilst in Mexico, you need travel insurance.
With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)
Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Mexico. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!
If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!
BEST Tacos in Puerto Escondido: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about the best tacos in Puerto Escondido.
When you’re planning a trip to Puerto Escondido, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t come across my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently backpacking Mexico with my boyfriend (read more here!), whilst creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Mexico content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
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Looking for the best restaurants in Puerto Escondido? I’ve got you covered! Check out my recent post: 25 BEST Restaurants in Puerto Escondido for Foodies! (2023)
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MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
