Sarah Ana Bobadilla, L34 Partner Agent
If you haven’t been following LA Taco, the independently owned and operated media platform introducing you to the best of LA’s tacos, art, music, and culture… please allow me to put you on game.
Founded in 2006, not only is LA Taco a James Beard award-winning platform known for their excellent coverage of all things street food, it’s also a publication praised for its in-depth reporting affecting working-class and immigrant communities in Los Angeles. Just last week, the Washington Post published a feature on the LA Taco newsroom and highlighted it as “a formidable media outlet” in an article titled, “Once it was mostly a taco website. Now it’s covering L.A. ICE raids.”
As a proud Angeleno, I’m also a proud LA Taco member. Membership not only supports these leaders in truly local journalism, but it also comes with my kind of perks: free tacos, drinks, concert tickets, exclusive collaborations, and much more. One of my favorite offerings? The LA Taco “Taco Map,” exclusively found on the LA Taco app, seen here:
It’s my favorite thing to reference at the start or end of a long day, when I find myself yearning for a comforting tamal or pupusa to tide me through in any (and every) neighborhood in the city. Vetted by the LA Taco team and fellow members, here are LA Taco’s top picks near our office on Figueroa St.
~Villa’s Tacos~
Highland Park #1 (5455 N. Figueroa St) and Highland Park #2 (6103 N. Figueroa St)
First and foremost, it needs to be mentioned that LA Taco hosts one of the city’s best events, TACO MADNESS. It’s an annual festival where your favorite taqueros go head to head to win the title of best tacos in LA. Villa’s Tacos is a three-time TACO MADNESS champion. Enough said.
~Burritos La Palma~
5200 Monte Vista St
Burritos La Palma has earned widespread acclaim for their incredible offerings of authentic Zacatecan burritos, famous for their handmade tortillas and traditional fillings like birria.
~Via Mar Seafood~
Location: 5111 N. Figueroa St
As one reviewer notes on the Taco Map, “The fish tacos, which can be grilled or fried in a mouth-watering batter, only scratch the surface of Via Mar’s diverse menu.”
~Simón~
5831 N. Figueroa St
With a tagline like “seafood meets creativity,” what’s not to intrigue you about Simón? Serving seafood tacos, aguachile, ceviche, barbacoa octopus, enchiladas suizas, and more: they take the hits and share them with a wink and a nod, there’s always a little twist to elevate each dish to an unexpected level.
~Tacos Ensenada~
6011 N. Figueroa St
You can’t ride with the LA Taco crowd if you judge a book by its cover, or a restaurant by its storefront. While Tacos Ensenada’s Highland Park location looks relatively unassuming from the outside, they offer a wide array of dishes such as tostada de aguachile, tacos de papa and papas con carne, tostada de ceviche de jaiva and tostada de marisco entero.
~Mariscos El Faro~
6139 N. Figueroa St
Take it from the Taco Map, “While not exactly a taco, closer to a fried quesadilla, the empanadas de camaron at Sinaloa-style mariscos spots are exceptional. The empanadas are handmade and stuffed with cheese, shrimp, and onions, then fried until crispy. Each bite oozes.”
A personal recommendation, not yet on the map:
~Carnal Cocina Artesenal~
5818 N Figueroa St
A new Oaxacan restaurant brought to you by the folks behind the Simón food trucks.
Every taco is a good taco in my book, but these selections are beyond exceptional!
Sarah Ana Bobadilla, L34 Partner Agent
