Tienda Santa Cruz
Mexican restaurant · St. Johns ·
Burritos, tacos, caldos, and baked goods from a market
Burritos, tacos, caldos, and baked goods from a market
"It’s well established that this tiny St. Johns tienda slings some of the neighborhood’s finest tacos. Standouts are the lengua, carnitas, and tacos al pastor, given some extra oomph with the restaurant’s garlicky, bright avocado salsa. Santa Cruz also excels at meats such as buche, cueritos, and cabeza." - Nathan Williams
"Recommended in the St. Johns area for caldos or burritos—an example of North Portland’s Mexican offerings." - Dianne de Guzman
"Hidden behind a small mercado in downtown St. Johns, Tienda Santa Cruz is a cult favorite for rich and porky carnitas tacos, burritos the size of a small child harboring a full half-avocado, and some bright-red caldos. But the true star of this hole-in-the-wall is the avocado salsa, so popular that the restaurant has set limits on how much anyone can take. Stop in and order some burritos to take to Cathedral Park, just down the street." - Rebecca Roland
"Hidden behind a St. Johns mercado and panaderia, this no-frills taqueria is known for its lime-laden avocado salsa, so beloved that the owners have set limits on how much one diner can take. The salsas are a welcome addition to the shop’s gargantuan burritos, straining to contain mounds of cabeza or carnitas. However, a bowl of the restaurant’s deeply rich and broody menudo is hard to beat, avocado salsa or not." - Krista Garcia, Eater Staff
"It's well established that this tiny St. Johns tienda slings some of the neighborhood’s finest tacos. Standouts are the lengua, carnitas, and tacos al pastor, given some extra oomph with the restaurant’s garlicky, bright avocado salsa. Santa Cruz also excels at meats such as buche, cueritos, and cabeza." - Nathan Williams, Ron Scott