Letâs not burrito-round the bush: itâs been a bad year. Why not treat yourself to some spicy comfort food? Weâve already highlighted a lot of spots around town that can satisfy your south-of-the-border cravings. Here are eight more joints that will cheer you up, if only for the time it takes to devour your meal. Itâs always good to taco âbout your feelings.
Chicken Latino, 2100 Broadway Ave., Beechview
Chicken Latino recently flew itâs longtime Strip District coop to inhabit a bigger space in Beechview. While the spot is a go-to for authentic Peruvian eats, owner Shelbin Santos knows a thing or two about Mexican cuisine. Want to indulge? Order a giant crispy chicken burrito thatâs deep-fried. Counting carbs? Thereâs a naked version that ditches the tortilla.
Lucha Street Tacos, 3181 Washington Pike, Bridgeville
If youâre wrestling with what to eat for dinner tonight, get in the ring with Lucha Street Tacos. Bulk up with a Ridicula Carnitas Taco with slow-cooked pork, house-pickled carrots, hurricanrana salsa, crispy jalapenos and Lucha slaw all drizzled with BBQ mustard sauce and queso blanco. For an extra two bucks, you can double the meat. Sign up for the eateryâs rewards program to start earning free tacos, which, as we all know, taste the best.
El Sabor Latin Kitchen on Penn, 4100 Penn Ave., Bloomfield
This slick new space on the corner of Penn Avenue and Main Street is a culinary crossroads. El Sabor, which means flavor, specializes in Mexican and South American dishes with an American twist. First, choose from pollo asado, carne asada, carnitas, grilled tilapia, grilled shrimp, tofu or chorizo. Then decide if you want it wrapped Pittsburgh-style in a flour tortilla with lettuce and cheese or the Tijuana-way on a corn tortilla with cilantro-lime cabbage and queso fresco.
Tocayo Taqueria & Tequila, 810 Ivy Street, Shadyside
Feast your eyes on this beautifully decorated Shadyside taqueria. Chef Fermin Acosta, who created the menu at TOTOPO in Mt. Lebanon, has put together another solid lineup of Mexican apps, entrees and desserts. Taco fillers include everything from chicken, carnitas and fish to cauliflower, beets and octopus. You get two of them in an order â feel free to mix and match â with a house salad or a cup of soup.
Baby Loves Tacos, 4508 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield and Oakland
Baby Loves Tacos has two locations with an extensive menu. Owners Kat Muscianesi and Zack Shell also offer taco kits for at-home assembly. Order online at least two hours before you plan to feast.
BTOS Kitchen, 3001 West Liberty Ave., Dormont
New menu, new management, new paint job, same space. A longtime fixture on West Liberty Avenue, Mexi-Casa is now BTOS Kitchen. Youâll find old favorites, mixed with new offerings, including the siteâs namesake tacos served with onion, cilantro, lime, avocado salsa and one side dish. Meat lover? Go with the Alambre, two gut-busting tacos loaded with steak, chicken, sausage, poblano pepper, grilled pineapple and Oaxaca cheese. The eatery also upgraded its draft beer system and now offers frozen margaritas, which you can sip on their back patio.
Nauti Taco, 541-545 Beaver Street, Sewickley
This new fast-casual taqueria (brought to you by the folks behind The Slippery Mermaid sushi bar) specializes in beach-inspired eats. Take your tastebuds on vacation with Cabo Fish tacos featuring beer-battered cod, pickled veggies and smoky homemade Morita mayo â or the Florida Shrimp with shrimp tempura, avocado smash, tropical slaw, sweet-heat cream and toasted coconut. The patio is the perfect spot for drinking a Nauti Margarita in the sunshine.
Gordoâs Tacos & Tequila, 131 Shiloh Street, Mt. Washington
Thereâs big news on the local taco front. Gordoâs, a two-story bar and restaurant, is slated to open in Mt. Washington in November. They will serve Mexico City-style street food with an emphasis on braised and smoked meats and scratch-made corn and flour tortillas. Folks got a taste of Gordoâs goods when owner Brian Gorder opened a pop-up taco shop on Beverly Road in Mt. Lebanon. Heâs excited to sling tacos in his own kitchen.
