"There’s no shortage of exceptional taco spots in Oakland, whether you want to scarf down al pastor from a late-night truck like Tacos Mi Rancho or load up on crispy carnitas at Rico Rico Taco. El Paisa is the queen bee. The East Oakland spot—complete with picnic tables under a covered patio and a meat assembly line—is serving fall-apart lengua, perfect suadero, and juicy carnitas atop impossibly moist corn tortillas. Anticipation builds after you order as you watch staff chop and dress tacos a mile a minute in the kitchen behind the counter. Once you’re handed a steaming plate of tacos (with nopales and cebollitas, too), go feral at the salsa bar, which is loaded with options that range from mild to “send milk, now.” " - lani conway, julia chen 1
