Chicago Nabs 5 Spots on List of Nation's Top Tacos

The top-ranking Chicago taco comes from Birrieria Zaragoza

Chicago has been recognized among the top cities for pizza, doughnuts, cupcakes and now tacos.

Five area restaurants have been named in the Daily Meal’s list of “50 Best Tacos in America.”

The Daily Meal said the list comes after more than 200 of the nation’s leading food writers and “taco authorities” sent in the names of their favorite tacos in the country. They asked that nominations come from “brick-and-mortar taquerias” rather than trucks and carts. The list was narrowed down to 150 tacos, which were then voted on by a “panel of experts” to name the 50 best tacos.

The top-ranking Chicago taco comes from Birrieria Zaragoza in the city’s Archer Heights neighborhood. The restaurant rounded out the top 10 on the list thanks to its birria tatemada taco.

Just two spots down on the list, with a no. 12 ranking, was La Paz in the Maxwell Street Market.

Wicker Park’s Big Star ranked at no. 15 for its tacos al pastor and was followed by Frontera Grill, which ranked as no. 16 for its similar tacos árabes.

Finally, La Lagartija Taqueria’s shrimp taco put them on the list as no. 47.

The only other city named more than Chicago on the list was Austin, Texas, which had seven top-ranking tacos.

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