A ‘taco issue’ was my idea, but in the end it’s been the most anxiety-giving experience of my Hilltop Views career. Even after a weekend of intense taco soul-searching, I’m still hesitant because there are just too many good tacos that I’ve fallen in love with in Austin. And because I’m too afraid that the tacos I didn’t pick will hear about it, I’m going to cheat.

Shout-out to the vegetarian mushroom taco at Papalote Taco House as well as the steak-and-bacon taco. Don’t worry El Chilito, your migas taco is still in my thoughts alongside Curra’s oaxacan coffee-dusted steak tacos. And last but not least, I’d like to give a big thank you to the chicken fajita a la mexicana add avocado on corn at Taco N’ Madre for all the moral support over the years.  

Finally, if you like fish tacos and sunny patios like me, go to Tamale House East. Though I like to think of tacos as simple $3-dollars-or-less pleasures, all the tacos at Tamale House East are mostly above that price range. But they’re also massive and so pretty when they come out: always topped with extra goodies like, in the case of the fish taco, pickled red onions, generous slices of avocado and extra sauce. Make sure you have plenty of lime; otherwise, you’re sitting pretty.