Los 5 Puntos
Deli · Boyle Heights ·
Handmade tortillas, carnitas, chicharron tacos, salsa bar
Handmade tortillas, carnitas, chicharron tacos, salsa bar
"Great tacos are to LA what samples are to Costco. Without them, we wouldn’t feel at home. And few places make us feel more at home than Los Cinco Puntos in Boyle Heights. Step inside and you'll see rainbow-colored piñatas hanging from the ceiling as lunch crowds stroll around this multi-generational deli meets corner market. Unless you're here ordering dried chiles or Powerball tickets, head to the counter and load up. Their famed carnitas are impressive, but it’s the crackling chicharrón taco on a housemade corn tortilla with nopales salad and guac that always steals our heart." - brant cox, garrett snyder, jess basser sanders, nikko duren, sylvio martins, cathy park
"There are enough great taquerias in LA to fill a week-long taco crawl. But you’ve got a full itinerary, so head to Los Cinco Puntos first, a Boyle Heights landmark that checks two boxes at once: old-school LA charm and outstanding tacos. The correct order at this historic market includes carnitas and crispy chicharron, both wrapped in thick corn tortillas. Hit the loaded salsa bar, too. The pickled nopales are a counterpunch to the fatty meats, and the chunky guacamole is a shade of vibrant green that New Yorkers have only seen at the Gowanus Canal." - brant cox
"This decades-old market and deli in Boyle Heights is a neighborhood institution that sells everything from cheeseburgers to breakfast burritos to spices and dried chiles. You’re here for the tacos, though—and so is everyone else. Make sure to hit the excellent salsa bar, which is an attraction by itself: the tart, pickled nopales offer a counterpunch to fatty meats, and the guacamole is thick, chunky, and the color of Shrek so you know it's fresh. While their carnitas are excellent, the crispy chicharron is even better. Frankly, when corn tortillas are as thick and griddled as they are at Cinco Puntos, we’ll drive across the city to eat anything they’re wrapped around." - sylvio martins, garrett snyder, brant cox
"There are several reasons to spending time at this iconic butcher/grocer/deli in Boyle Heights. The chicharron taco is one of the best in the city, their flaky tortillas are worth braving I-5 rush hour traffic, and if you need to round out your at-home feast, there’s a fully stocked market on the premises, too. Just don’t forget about their tamales. Varieties include beef in red sauce and chicken in green sauce, but it’s the pork (a house specialty) that takes the cake for us—half a dozen for $16.99, a dozen for $30." - brant cox, sylvio martins
"You’ll find everything to make your own tamales at one of the city’s most established “Mexicatessens,” but upon seeing the impressive large-scale production amidst fragrant fumes of steaming masa, it’s better to leave it to the pros. Perfect for large orders, the beef in red sauce and the chicken in green sauce, are perfect sides to Mexican-American holiday meals, where turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and tamales belong together." - Bill Esparza
