If you’ve been following Tasting Victoria for a while, you may already know that I, Amelia, founder of Tasting Victoria, am from Mexico. When I first arrived in Victoria in 2009 it was hard to find good and authentic Mexican food, but luckily, things have changed. Now there are a variety of options to choose from, whether you are looking for carne asada—which originated in northern Mexico—nixtamal tortillas—mostly made in the center of Mexico—or even Mexican brunch. While there are a lot of spots you can visit when craving Mexican food, these five restaurants are our top picks. We hope you enjoy their food as much as we do.

La Taqueria

La Taqueria is one of my favourite places for tacos—I am sure it is because I grew up in the north part of Mexico, and their food is very similar to where I am from. La Taqueria is a home-style Mexican restaurant, founded by Marcelo Ramirez in 2009 in Vancouver and. inspired by traditional street taco stands in Mexico. Using local, organic, and sustainably sourced ingredients whenever possible, the eatery offers tacos, burritos, and quesadillas with options of seafood, meat, vegetarian, and vegan fillings.

Recently, the restaurant began to produce its own organic tortilla; high in fiber, free of transgenics, free of preservatives, and made with 100% whole organic corn from the highlands near Atlacomúlco in the state of Mexico. La Taqueria currently operates six locations in BC, one of them in Victoria.

Must try: Any taco! Cabo, Asada, and Pastor are my favourites. You can’t go to La Taqueria without trying one of their margaritas.

La Taqueria Pinche Taco Shop@lataqueria766 Fort St.

Maiiz Nixtamal Tortilleria

Even though Maiiz just opened its doors in Victoria last year, it has become one of the local favourites. Their organic nixtamal tortillas are some of the best I’ve ever tasted, and I think we are lucky to have them in Victoria. They are made with stone-ground certified BC-grown organic corn, using chef Israel Alvarez Molina’s technique, inspired by the traditional Mesoamerican nixtamalization process.

Unlike the majority of tortillas in North America, Maiiz tortillas use corn kernels to make fresh nixtamal masa dough instead of factory-produced powdered mixes. This Nixtamalization process maintains the nutritional integrity, which preserves the flavour of the tortilla and increases the body’s ability to absorb those nutrients. Maiiz currently has kits to take home and serves food Friday to Sunday; like tacos, quesadillas, and tamales.

Must try: Their authentic nixtamal tortillas. We also love their barbacoa kit and their mole.

Maiiz Nixtamal Tortilleria@maiiz.nixtamal540 Fisgard St.

Tacofino

Tacofino strives to make you feel like you are recharging on a beach every time you enjoy their food; after all, it all started in Tofino, BC, in a surf parking lot. They are inspired by the bold flavours and BBQs they’ve encountered while visiting surf destinations all over the world. And of course, they love to support local farmers and the business is all about having clean meat and keeping the oceans happy.

They currently have 13 very popular locations, including the taco bar in Victoria, which is for now take-out only from a convenient take-out window.

Must try: Everyone loves their burritos—they are really good—but we are obsessed with their pork gringas, steak taco, and tuna taco.

Tacofino@tacofinolovesyou760 Pandora Ave.

Kattia’s Kitchen

Kattia’s Kitchen offers authentic Mexican food in a food truck that moves around town, offering tacos, burritos, and more. They also have keto-friendly and vegan options. After moving to Canada 10 years ago from Mexico, where she owned and operated various restaurants, Kattia went on to run successful restaurants in Sidney. Kattia’s high-quality food and great customer service has built her a large customer base over the years.

Must try: Chile relleno, cochinita pibil, crispy burrito, and her vegan options.

Kattia’s Kitchen@kattias.kitchenFollow on instagram for updates on location

Fuego Old Town Eatery

Mexican food is not all tacos and burritos. Mexican breakfasts are something else too. Fuego Old Town Eatery is doing a great job of bringing Victorians breakfast food that is close enough to an authentic mexican breakfast, including chilaquiles, huevos divorciados, molletes, and chimichangas. Fuege has been open for years and consistency is key at this eatery. Almost everything they serve is made from scratch, including their habanero hot sauce. Plus, they offer a great selection of gluten-free options.

Must try: We love their Fuego Benny. It’s not an authentic Mexican breakfast, but the fusion of this dish is incredibly good.

Fuego Old Town Eatery@fuegoyyj1435 Store St.

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