Tucked inside an Eagan gas station, El Sazon is a family-owned operation serving some of the Cities’ finest tacos. Don’t miss the pork belly chicharrón taco, tender and fatty and crowned with purple cabbage, queso fresco, and salsa ranchera, all over a fresh smear of guacamole. Owners Karen and chef Cristian DeLeon’s have a second location opening soon in Tangletown.

Follow Nicollet Avenue all the way south to Richfield for a stop at Andale Taqueria & Mercado, one of the Cities’ most-loved taquerias. From the specialty menu, try the sopa de mariscos, made with crab legs, squid, and other seafood in a tomato-based broth, or crispy, golden chimichangas. Andale made an appearance on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2020: Guy Fieri endorses chefs and owners Fernando Mellado-Barboza and Jorge Rangel Castro’s al pastor tacos, their marinade made with dense blocks of achiote paste, guajillo peppers, cumin, and orange juice.

Colita, an upscale spot in Linden Hills by chef Danny del Prado, focuses on Oaxacan flavors and smoked meats, weaving subtle Tex-Mex influences into the mix. The tamarind Kansas City Ribs are topped with a tortilla crumble; the lamb barbacoa tacos prepared with anchovies. Marco Zappia’s cocktail list is citrus-forward and bright.

Petite León doesn’t serve strictly Mexican fare, but the influence from chef Jorge Guzmán’s native Yucatán is the thread that ties this menu together. Try the tostada with gem-like morsels of tuna, the spice-rubbed pollo al carbon, and the creamy, feather-light tamale. Petite León has a new brunch menu, too, featuring chilaquiles, churro rellenos, and an eggs Benedict with masa panisse and chorizo.

A bustling marketplace of more than 30 businesses, Mercado Central is a pillar of East Lake Street. A number of excellent restaurants are located here: Find gorditas and crispy corn empanadas at Cocina San Marcos; a juicy al pastor torta from Maria’s restaurant; fiery pozole from La Perla Tortilleria; or tamales from La Loma, mentioned below. Wander around the market for even more excellent eats.

Reputed to be the first restaurant to bring birria tacos to Minneapolis and St. Paul, Las Cuatro Milpas is a mainstay of East Lake Street’s food corridor. Chef and owner Hector Hernandez, originally of Mexico’s Zacatecas state, serves cups of hot lamb, beef, and goat birria stew — the birria and quesabirra tacos are a must, and the pizzabirria, loaded with generous amounts of cheese, is worth sampling.

Manny’s Tortas was one of the first tenants at Midtown Global Market — years later, chefs and owners Manny and Victoria Gonzalez, a brother-sister duo, are still serving juicy tortas on Lake Street. Try the Manny’s Special, a hefty torta filled with grilled steak, onion, mushroom, tomato, and jalapeño all grilled together, then topped off with ham and cheese. Save room for sweet arroz con leche and flan.

Luis Reyes Rojas’s restaurant, Pineda Tacos Plus, is a Lake Street favorite for tortas, tacos, and chimichangas. Highlights here are the tender al pastor and the cheese-capped alambres, though there are great breakfast burritos and egg-stuffed tortas, too.

A casual, industrial-chic restaurant in Minneapolis’s Northeast neighborhood by co-owners Jose Alarcon and Jami Olson, Centro is a great spot for a happy hour of oysters, margaritas, and tacos (think papas with escabeche vegetables, or cured cactus with mushrooms, kale, and caramelized onions). Chef Jose Alarcon also serves a notable brunch on Sundays: Come for the pescado tortas, the guava glitter rolls, and the passion fruit frozen margaritas. If you’re on the go, grab some masa cookies or chocolate mole cupcakes from the bakery.

Owner Isela Perez Pacheco first opened Maya Cuisine on Central Avenue in 2012: Stop by for elotes, pozole, and tacos. The restaurant has both cafeteria-style and sit-down dining options in a colorful, courtyard-like space — don’t miss out on the extensive salsa bar, or the popular Sunday brunch, which offers everything from tamales, buttered codfish, and sopa de mariscos to pancakes, French toast, and desserts.

El Taco Riendo is a mainstay of Northeast Minneapolis’s Central Avenue. During the pandemic, the restaurant was burned down in a fire — it’s since been resurrected in full form. Owner Miguel Gomez’s menu features standouts like massive chimichangas, crispy flautas, chile relleno, tacos dorados, and caldo de res, a red Mexican beef soup. Catch the lime green food truck out and about in the warmer months.

Owners Hortencia Reyes and Miguel Lopez opened Homi (a combination of their names) in 2010. More than a decade later, their son chef Miguel Lopez leads the kitchen, serving family recipes in a sunny, recently updated space on University Avenue. The whole menu — from the chille relleno to the empanadas to the fried beans — is made from scratch. Stop by on a chilly day for Hidalgo-style barbacoa de Borrego served with consome; menudo; or pozole.

Restaurateurs Armando Ocampo and Lilia Zagal first opened Los Ocampo in 2003 — today, the couple operates seven restaurant sites around the metro, from casual sit-down options like this University Avenue location to express cafes at Midtown Global Market and City Center. Try the pozole, the tripa tacos, or the huarache, made with a handmade masa cake and refried beans plus meat (Mexican sausage, lengua, chipotle beef, and more). Pair lunch with horchata or agua de jamaica.

El Burrito Mercado sits in a sun-drenched spot on Cesar Chavez Street in St. Paul. Since owners Tomas and Maria Silva opened in 1979, the restaurant and market, now run by daughters Milissa Silva-Diaz and Suzanne Silva, and granddaughter Analita, has become a pillar of Mexican cuisine in the Cities. For dining in, try the fluffy tamales or the molcajete Mexicano, which combines ribeye steak, chicken, chorizo, shrimp and vegetables in a hot stone mortar. Grab some panes dulces on the way out.