Nixta Taqueria
Restaurant · Chestnut ·
Inventive tacos & tostadas with duck carnitas & beet tartare
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Inventive tacos & tostadas with duck carnitas & beet tartare
"Backed by Michelin, James Beard, and Food & Wine credentials, this East Austin taqueria has grown from a neighborhood joint into a national destination, where chef Edgar Rico builds dishes around local ingredients and nixtamalized heirloom corn from Mexico, and you can linger in a lush garden patio splashed with colorful murals. You’re not an Austinite until you’ve had the duck carnitas taco ($10)—that’s law—made with seared duck legs cooked low for 16 hours; the earthy corn tortillas balance the rich, fatty, decadent meat while a citrus salsa adds a bright pop. The tuna tostada ($15) layers citrus- and tamari-cured yellowfin over avocado and chipotle aioli, finished with microgreens and a little furikake—it’s sharp, creamy, crunchy, and a little messy. The enchilada potosina tacos ($9) showcase Rico’s creativity: a potato-and-chorizo purée, duck-fat refried beans, shredded cabbage, and salsa are tucked inside a tortilla that’s worked into the masa, a delightful homage to San Luis Potosí, where his family is from. With counter service, beautiful scenery, and patio dining, long dinners over bottles of wine with large parties are the peak experience. The small, tailored menu rarely changes, but every Thursday through Saturday there are two nightly seatings for a $95 tasting menu that puts the restaurant’s innovation on full display (book on Resy). Out front on 12th Street, a community fridge and pantry lets locals stock or take what they need." - H. Drew Blackburn
"Earned a Green Star for sustainability and forward thinking gastronomy." - H. Drew Blackburn
"Recognized with a Michelin Green Star for nearly all‑local sourcing — except the heirloom corn, sourced from a fifth‑generation Oaxacan family and used for its in‑house tortillas — this Mexican restaurant also appeared on the Bib Gourmand list, its second honor of the evening." - H. Drew Blackburn
"Nixta Taqueria might best be known for their nixtamalized blue corn tortillas and their very delicious duck carnitas taco, a mainstay of their menu. What sets Nixta even further apart is that a lot of the menu leans vegetarian and sometimes even vegan. A lot of flavor gets coaxed out of vegetables here—we’re especially big fans of the roasted cauliflower taco with romesco, as well as the beet “tartare” tostada with avocado crema and salsa macha that’s almost too pretty to eat. Almost. What to get: Duck carnitas taco; Cauliflower taco" - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
"Migas tacos usually follow a basic formula that involves a ratio of eggs and tortilla chips to cheese and beans that all leads to a delicious outcome. Nixta uses the same formula, but with little enhancements along the way, leading to a breakfast taco that’s both familiar and entirely new at the same time. The beans are refried in duck fat, the tortilla chips are made from nixtamalized corn, the addition of chorizo adds a savory pop, and a bit of tangy avocado crema and queso fresco brightens the whole thing up. It’s a migas taco that plays by all of the rules, but also makes up its own—and we’re entirely OK with that." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
