Cariñito Tacos NYC
Restaurant · Greenwich Village
86 University Pl, New York, NY 10003
Highlights
Michelin-recognized taqueria with Asian-inspired tacos, wine
Michelin-recognized taqueria with Asian-inspired tacos, wine
"Cariñito Tacos is from Mexico City, but you won’t find an al pastor taco with cilantro y cebolla on their menu. They fuse flavors from Asia into their tacos, like a pork belly Issan taco with toasted rice powder and mint. Get them while you can—this Greenwich Village residency in the old El Cantinero space will only be here for six months. They have a few New York exclusives, like a “What She’s Having” with pastrami and chinese mustard, and a Crunchwrap riff." - will hartman, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah, bryan kim
"Cariñito Tacos is only visiting from CDMX until later this year. But while it's in town, the Greenwich Village taqueria is one half of an epic one-two punch, along with Los Salvajes, the "friends only" bar on top. Downstairs, eat a few maximalist, Asian fusion tacos—like pork belly with hoisin—out of corn husk plates, on a makeshift Coronita-box table. Then climb the stairs, sip some mezcal, and dance to Bad Bunny." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah
"A Mexico City–born fusion taqueria operating as a summer pop-up, offering higher-end tacos ($7.50–$9) ranging from a Katz’s-style pastrami riff to Thai-influenced shredded pork belly with mint and rice powder served on a cornhusk; the best value is a Crunchwrap-style creation with Sichuan-spiced brisket and pork, Oaxacan cheese, avocado, fermented beans, and cabbage slaw — eaten at a standing counter or on the street, and definitely bring napkins." - Melissa McCart
"Cariñito Tacos is a Mexico City transplant, but the tacos here aren’t your classic al pastor. Everything at this Greenwich Village pop-up has some kind of Asian twist, like guacamole spiked with nam jim, or an Issan pork belly taco finished with rice powder, chicharron, and mint. Embrace the maximalist take, because these tacos, served mostly on moist corn tortillas, are delicious. And you can wash them down with beer, or a glass of whatever natural wine they’ve got open that night. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute There are no plates, only corn husks, and no outside tables, only tiny plastic stools with stacks of empty Coronita boxes. This is potentially treacherous for their glassware, but also sort of thrilling. If Cariñito feels a little temporary, that’s because it's only set to be in NYC until later this year. We hope that changes, because there’s no taco party quite like this one—especially on Thursday through Saturday nights. On those evenings, you can visit their upstairs mezcal bar for an epic post-taco one-two punch. Los Salvajes is technically for friends of friends only, but once you’ve had a bite downstairs, you might just qualify. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute Food Rundown Wine There's no list, just a bucket of bottles by the register. Tell them what color you'd like and they'll get you set up. photo credit: Kate Previte Cantones Our favorite thing here. Like peking duck in taco form, except swap the duck for chunks of fatty pork belly, top it with cucumbers and hoisin sauce, and swaddle it in the only flour tortilla on the menu. If you bring a taco purist to Cariñito, start here. photo credit: Kate Previte Issan Another must order. The Issan is also pork belly-based, but shredded pork belly this time, garnished with toasted rice powder, mint, and chicharron. photo credit: Kate Previte What She’s Having… Unique to this location, and a play on the famous When Harry Met Sally scene at Katz’s Deli, this taco’s base is smoked pastrami, which is topped with a sinus-clearing amount of Chinese mustard. This might be the wackiest combo on the menu, but it works. photo credit: Kate Previte Eggplant Laos For this veggie taco, they confit eggplant in nam jim and soy until it’s soft and dripping, and add a big handful of crispy shallots for crunch. We prefer it over the other vegetarian taco with smoky fried cauliflower. photo credit: Kate Previte Crunchy Wrap The sichuan peppercorn-spiced ground beef and pork—plus a commendable amount of Oaxacan cheese—set this Crunchwrap dupe apart from its fellow copycats. They cut it in half before serving, and finish it with an avocado cabbage slaw and pickled red onion, both of which brighten up all that meat and cheese. photo credit: Kate Previte Guaca Thai The not-so-secret ingredient in Cariñito’s guacamole is nam jim, which results in a punchier, more interesting guacamole than we ever thought possible. photo credit: Kate Previte Corn Ribs Slathered in curry butter and citrus mayo, these are fun to gnaw on in between sips of wine and bites of taco. photo credit: Kate Previte" - Willa Moore
"A pop-up from one of Mexico City’s best taquerias known for Mexican and Asian fusion flavors, running for six months and serving inventive tacos such as smoked pastrami with Chinese mustard and Thai shredded pork belly with pork chicharrones and mint." - Emma Orlow
