Memphis Taco Guide: food trucks, street tacos, Tex-Mex and more
Eat your way through these Memphis-area taco shops for National Taco Day — or any time.
Three fried tacos pastor, with beans and rice and a serving of salsa and chips, is $10 at Maciel’s. (Joshua Carlucci/The Daily Memphian file)
Maciel’s makes Cal-Mex in Memphis
Seeking tacos in Midtown or Downtown? Maciel’s has locations in both Memphis neighborhoods serving tacos with bold flavor, including a crispy-shelled fried version. Maciel’s offers a few domestic beers, horchata and Mexican cola; both locations offer patio seating.
El Mero brings the breakfast tacos
El Mero breakfast tacos are available for $3 or $4 each, and can be paired with a Team Car Cafe latte. (Chris Herrington/The Daily Memphian file)
In Cordova, El Mero serves breakfast tacos from Team Car Cafe coffee shop in the mornings, before the restaurant proper opens for lunch and dinner. Coffee and other beverages are available during breakfast from the coffee shop; El Mero has a full bar with specialty mezcal and tequila drinks.
Evelyn & Olive has taco options
Evelyn & Olive offers a Jamaican take on fried tilapia tacos in the Edge District. The restaurant’s menu also has a vegetarian taco option with tofu, black beans and kiwi salsa. Evelyn & Olive has a full bar.
Find Gri’s pork tacos off the beaten path
Smoked pork in multiple forms — carnitas, costilla, oreja, to name a few — are served no-frills, street taco-style at the corner of Macon Road and Jameson Road, from Gri’s food truck. They do not serve alcoholic beverages.
The lack of initial adornment highlights the perfection of the rib tacos from Gri’s Carnitas food truck. (Chris Herrington/The Daily Memphian file)
Booya’s wins with blackened catfish tacos
The fish tacos at Booya’s come with options: tilapia or catfish, fried or blackened (or grilled, or tossed in Buffalo sauce) at this casual Collierville restaurant. There is a full bar with margaritas and patio seating.
Antigua offers Tex-Mex taco specials
In the former Pancho’s Mexican restaurant space off Summer Ave., Antigua serves all the Tex-Mex favorites with a large bar serving margaritas, beer and more. Folks who loved Crazy Cactus will enjoy Antigua’s menu — it’s essentially the same.
The fried fish taco come fresh with slaw and sauce at Elena’s Taco Shop on Summer Avenue. (Chris Herrington/The Daily Memphian file)
Pick up the flavor at Elena’s Taco Shop
Included in The Daily Memphian’s Summer Avenue food guide, Elena’s has fried-fish tacos, an array of salsas and carne asada fries to satisfy So-Cal Mex cravings. The two locations, one at Wolfcase and one on Summer Ave., are takeout only.
Line up for Taqueria Express No. 9’s street tacos
Also a part of the Summer Avenue food guide , Taqueria Express No. 9 serves street tacos to hungry diners who line up daily at the food truck. This truck offers horchata, but no beer or margaritas.
A sign that reads “tacos erryday” hangs on the wall at El Mero Taco in Cordova. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)
See the Summer Avenue food guide for many more Mexican and Tex-Mex taco shops in Memphis.