CDMX TACOS (Soho)

"The Verdict: A standing-only Soho taqueria with the consistency of a ‘U Up’ text sender.  This little takeaway joint bears an uncanny resemblance to international taco pilgrimage restaurants Taquería Orinoco and Los Tacos No. 1. We’ve had good times here (inhaling a perfect, crispy-skin chicharron quesadilla while hypnotised by the glistening, rotating trompo), and we’ve had bad times here (a razor-thin tortilla weeping pineapple pieces). Go for lunch if you’re in the area and as there isn’t any seating, find somewhere nice to perch with your zingy al pastor number. " - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak, jake missing, heidi lauth beasley

"CDMX Tacos in Soho has an aesthetic that is best described as the sweet spot between a Shell garage and a minimalist's vision board. While neither of those things are likely to make you think ‘great tacos’, that’s exactly what you’ll find in this no-seating taqueria. Behind the counter, soft tortillas are handmade and a glistening trompo of steaming pork—complete with a pineapple crown—hypnotically rotates. The tacos are packed full of lemony grilled cactus and lip-sizzling salsa verde, but our favourite is the zingy, tender pork and pineapple al pastor. Go solo whenever you happen to be in Soho, or with anyone who won’t judge you for shamelessly licking salsa roja off your shirt." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, daisy meager, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley

"CDMX Tacos has an aesthetic that is best described as the sweet spot between a Shell garage and a minimalist's vision board. While neither of those things are likely to make you think ‘great tacos’, that’s exactly what you’ll find in this no-seating Soho taqueria. Our pick of the bunch is the crispy, slightly sweet chicharron taco, best paired with a guava Jarritos. Yes, there can be a long wait at peak times and the quality of the tortillas can be hit or miss, but in a city so deprived of good tacos, forgiveness comes easy. " - jake missing, rianne shlebak, daisy meager, sinead cranna

"This new Soho taco spot looks heavily, ehm, inspired by New York’s Los Tacos No. 1. The straightforward menu has a choice of al pastor, chicharron, asada, and nopal in either a taco or quesadilla.  We checked out CDMX Tacos and added it to the Hit List. " - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak

"CDMX Tacos has an aesthetic that is best described as the sweet spot between a Shell garage and a minimalist's vision board. While neither of those things are likely to make you think ‘great tacos’, that’s exactly what you’ll find in this no-seating Soho taqueria. Behind the counter, tortillas are handmade and a glistening trompo of steaming pork—complete with a pineapple crown—hypnotically rotates to the glee of hungry co-workers. Our pick of the bunch is the crispy, slightly sweet chicharron taco, best paired with a guava Jarritos. The quality of the tortillas themselves can be hit or miss—sometimes they’re soft and perfect and at other times, chewy or too thin to sufficiently support their superior spicy contents. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Despite bearing an uncanny resemblance to Mexico City’s Taquería Orinoco (and New York’s Los Tacos No. 1), some telltale signs remain that you’re smack bang in the middle of W1—a certain air of chaos as orders go missing and huffy Londoners who are annoyed by the long wait at peak times. And yet, we’re a city so deprived of good tacos that forgiveness and affection comes easy. Stop by solo or with anyone who won’t judge you for shamelessly licking salsa rojo off your shirt, and take your tacos to Golden Square for a moment where Soho’s chaos mutes to the simplicity of a paper plate and a chilled Modello. Food Rundown photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Chicharron Quesadilla We’ve got a real soft spot for this quesadilla because the crispiness of the pork’s skin and fried tortilla, combined with the moist pork belly and moisture of the white onions, really is a texture experience. It’s also available as a taco but you should opt for the quesadilla if you’re planning on taking it for a stroll—the fried cheese keeps it in tip-top condition. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Al Pastor Taco On our first visit for lunch, this was our undeniable demand-an-encore headliner. It was zingy, tender, and topped with juicy, generous chunks of pineapple. We’ve also had it circa 7pm and although it certainly still slapped, the pork was a bit drier due to its prolonged period of trompo rotation. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Nopal Taco A guacamole and salsa rojo-forward taco with a subtle, fragrant lemon flavour thanks to the cactus. Avoid adding too much additional salsa or lime juice to this one, as the moisture from the cactus already provides a certain degree of tortilla strain. It doesn’t travel well, so consume it a.s.a.p. Within four minutes (yes, we set a timer), we noticed that the tortilla was saturated and eating it created a mess. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Chips Y Guacamole The tortilla chips here have a great crunch and they avoid that pass-the-water saltiness that a lot of London Mexican restaurants lean into. The guacamole is also a winner but it falls on the chunkier spectrum. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Guava Jarritos A pink sweet soda gift to all who order it. Get one." - Heidi Lauth Beasley