The 9 Best Taco Spots in Toronto, According to Our Team
A guide to the taquerias, counters, and restaurants defining Toronto’s best taco eating right now.
Puerto Bravo
Address: 1425 Gerrard St. E.
Price: $$
Order: scallop crudo, seafood birria, whole fish with tortillas
For us, Puerto Bravo is the top of the mountain for Toronto tacos and one of the best eating experiences on the east end. The Michelin Guide seems to agree, as Puerto Bravo has earned a Bib Gourmand designation four years in a row.
The depth of flavour here, from the salsas to the proteins, is unmatched. The scallop crudo with leche de tigre and salsa macha is divine, while the seafood birria brings a level of creativity and depth that makes it one of the city’s most memorable tacos.
Then there is the whole fish, served with tortillas and a sauce that rivals the complexity of a sauce you would find in a fine dining restaurant. Cooked-down shrimp, fish bones, chilies — we are guessing, because the owner will not reveal the generations-old recipe. Fair enough.
Itacate
Address: 998 St. Clair Ave. W.
Price: $–$$
Order: volcán, lengua, camarones
An absolute classic. Itacate gets busy, especially in the summer, and it is already on almost everyone’s list, so there is not much left to reveal. It deserves the hype.
The meats are excellent. The tortillas are perfect. The most popular taco is the volcán, with steak, cheese, and caramelized onion, but we lean toward the thick-cut lengua and the camarones, made with shrimp and tomatoes. It is one of the best shrimp tacos in the city.
The homemade drinks, especially cucumber and lime in the summer, hit exactly how they should once the salsas start kicking in. And those salsas do kick in.
Casa Sonora
Address: 1688 Dufferin St.
Price: $
Order: fish taco, asada
A lot of people call their favourite places to eat “holes in the wall” because we guess that’s a cool thing to say. Casa Sonora does not care about being cool. No social media presence. No attention-seeking. No performance. Just good food.
The fish taco is fantastic, and so is the asada. Squeeze into this six-person standing-room space and enjoy what tacos are actually about: no spicy margaritas, no influencer lighting, no forced vibe. Just old-school fare.
Balam
Address: 584 Lansdowne Ave.
Price: $
Order: birria, barbacoa, cochinita pibil, tamarind drink
Balam is a deeply underappreciated gem. Name another spot in 2026 where you can get a real $5 taco.
The flavours are big, the portions are generous, and the tortillas lean greasy and crispy rather than clean and soft. The owner takes a lot of pride in the birria, and for good reason, but our hearts are with the barbacoa and cochinita pibil. Many of them, please.
Also, do not sleep on the tamarind drink. It’s absolutely delicious.
Holi Taco
Address: 1636 Queen St. E.
Price: $–$$
Order: pastor, suadero, salsa marita
Holi Taco is true taqueria through and through.
The shop is built around speed and efficiency. No servers. The owner and his right-hand man chop up delicious bites and hand them over before you dress them yourself at the salsa bar.
Owner, Luis Valenzuela, will walk you through the salsas, including his point of pride: salsa morita, which he describes as an unblended mole. It is sweet, smoky, and deep.
The meats simmer together in a master pot before being chopped and thrown on the plancha. The broth gets poured over the pastor trompo, which is then cut thick to emphasize all that porky goodness.
Taqueria El Pastorcito
Locations: Multiple locations, including Bloor, Yonge, Danforth, St. Clair, and Kensington
Price: $–$$
Order: lengua, tripa, charred jalapeño
Pastorcito has become one of Toronto’s best taco chains, although “chain” feels like the wrong word for a place that has none of the dead-eyed energy of one. No fuss, all vibes. Service is fast, friendly, and consistent.
The standouts here are the lengua and tripa: greasy, indulgent, delicious bites that ask very little of you other than to stop pretending you came here for something light. Do not skip the charred jalapeño on the side.
This is where we want to be after a night out, curing whatever has gone wrong physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Los Compas
Address: 140 Spadina Ave.
Price: $–$$
Order: pastor, nopales, fresh-pressed tortillas
Los Compas is doing great things. Fresh, modern kitchen. Youthful staff. Fun, spacious dining room. It is well-branded without losing the deliciousness you usually associate with grungier spots.
The tortillas are freshly pressed, and the salsas are light, bright, and zesty. We love the texture and freshness of the nopales, and the meats are solid across the board, with pastor as the standout.
This place has a very bright future.
Birria Catrina
Locations: Multiple locations, including Roncesvalles, Kensington, Augusta, and Yonge
Price: $–$$
Order: birria tacos with consommé
When a spot only does one taco, you know they are not messing around. Birria Catrina started as a taco cart at Yonge and Dundas and has quickly become one of Toronto’s favourite taquerias.
The consommé is punchy and flavourful, but surprisingly balanced and not too heavy. It is delicious on its own, but once you submerge the tortilla, let it soak, and add a heaping pile of slow-braised beef, now you have one of the best bites in the city.
Comal y Canela
Address: 1692B Jane St.
Price: $$
Order: birria, consommé, shrimp tacos
Comal y Canela is old-school and fully lives up to the hype. It has received a lot of attention, and it deserves it.
The room is full of all walks of life, and everyone seems happy to be there. The staff and owners are warm, hospitable, and clearly proud of what they do. We salute them.
The go-to is the birria, which has built a strong reputation for good reason. The consommé was the richest of the bunch, which is exactly what we wanted. Give us all the fat and flavour, please.