Mexican Food in San Francisco (2025)
Mission landmark where dorado-style burritos and tacos draw daily lines. Recognized as an America’s Classics winner by the James Beard Foundation and praised by local critics for its enduring community presence.
Chef Val Cantu’s intimate tasting menu reframes Mexican cuisine with seasonal Northern California produce. Awarded two Michelin stars and consistently cited by major outlets as a singular fine-dining experience rooted in Mexican heritage.
Homey Mexico City cooking from chef Isabel Caudillo, a La Cocina alum. Handmade tortillas, guisados, and rich moles earn regular love from the San Francisco Chronicle and neighborhood regulars.
Molino and tortilleria since 1953 powering the Mission’s tortillas. Come for masa, huaraches, and burritos; lauded by the San Francisco Chronicle for standout burritos and foundational neighborhood role.
Seasonal, sustainably sourced Mexican cooking from the Nopa team. Carnitas, totopos con chile, and horchata anchor a menu the Michelin Guide continues to recommend to locals and visitors.
Late-night destination for Oaxacan tlayudas, tamales oaxaqueños, and mole. Featured by SFGATE for its giant, crunchy tlayudas and celebrated by locals as a Mission standby.
The moment you step inside Taqueria Los Mayas, it’s clear you’re about to have a positive experience. This counter-service Mexican restaurant specializes in food from the Yucatán, and the menu here is, simply put, lengthy and exciting—they do everything from gigantic, made-to-order empanadas to seafood dishes to burritos and tacos with homemade tortillas. One thing that makes this spot so special is you can’t go wrong with whatever you order. The other reason is their tender cochinita pibil and poc choc, which you should get on the tostada-like panucho—a fried, bean-filled tortilla topped with meat, cabbage, and pickled red onion.
Beloved trompo al pastor returns as a downtown brick-and-mortar through the city’s Vacant to Vibrant program. Covered by the San Francisco Chronicle; expect classic tacos, tortas, and bowls made for a quick Union Square lunch.
The burritos at this Mission taqueria are longer and thinner than most of the burritos in the city. But we’re not complaining as they’re exceptional. Order a grilled chicken or carnitas super burrito to-go. The meat is perfectly cooked every time, and they come with a generous heap of guacamole and sour cream. This is the Mission-style burrito of your dreams.
Mesquite-grilled meats and halal beef birria in handmade blue-corn tortillas. Named on the Chronicle’s best restaurant lists and discussed widely for its bold birria, grilled asada, and salsas.
