History

The breakfast taco in Texas derives from the Tejano tradition of wrapping eggs and leftover proteins in a fresh flour tortilla for the morning meal. Dallas's version skews toward flour over corn and includes brisket as a distinctly Texan addition. Herrera's Cafe in Oak Cliff has served Tex-Mex breakfast tacos since 1949. The chef-driven iteration began with Resident Taqueria in the 2010s, which introduced house-pressed flour tortillas and slow-smoked brisket filling to the format.

Common allergens: Gluten, Eggs

Make it at home

Yield Makes 6 tacosHands-on 20 minTotal 20 minDifficulty Beginner

Ingredients

  • 6 small flour tortillas (8cm), warmed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 150g braised or smoked brisket, chopped
  • 100g diced potato, fried crispy
  • 2 tbsp lard or butter
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Fresh salsa verde or roja
  • Crumbled cotija or grated cheddar

Method

  1. Fry diced potato in oil until golden and crispy. Drain and season with salt.
  2. Warm brisket in a pan until just heated through.
  3. Scramble eggs in lard over low heat, stirring constantly, removing from heat while still slightly wet.
  4. Warm tortillas on a dry comal or griddle, 20 seconds per side.
  5. Build each taco: eggs, brisket, potato, a spoonful of salsa, and a pinch of cheese.
  6. Fold and eat immediately.

Tip from the editors. Low-and-slow scrambled eggs, still slightly wet when you pull them off heat, are what separates a great breakfast taco from a dry one. The brisket fat carries the seasoning; no extra salt needed if your brisket is well-seasoned.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat dallas breakfast taco

Dallas breakfast taco in Dallas

Resident Taqueria ★ 4.3

Chef-driven breakfast taco brunch$12-$20lake-highlandsTue-Sat 7:30am-9pmWalk-in

Resident Taqueria on East Northwest Highway is a chef-driven taqueria with the best breakfast taco execution in North Dallas: house-pressed flour tortillas, slow-smoked brisket, and a fresh-green-chile salsa made from scratch each morning.

Order: Brisket breakfast taco on fresh flour tortilla; smashed avocado with cotija

Tip: Opens at 7am daily, which makes it the best pre-10am option in North Dallas. The smashed avocado with cotija and the brisket taco are the essential order. No wait on weekday mornings.

9661 Audelia Rd, Ste 112, Dallas, TX 75238

Herrera's Cafe ★ 4.2

Old-school Tex-Mex brunch$10-$18oak-cliffMon-Thu 8am-10pm, Fri-Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 8am-10pmWalk-in

Herrera's Cafe on W Illinois Avenue has been serving Tex-Mex breakfast since 1949, making it the oldest continuous Tex-Mex brunch counter in Dallas. The huevos rancheros and breakfast tacos are unchanged from the original recipes and the red salsa is made from scratch each morning.

Order: Breakfast tacos; huevos rancheros with house red salsa since 1949

Tip: Cash preferred, card accepted. Go early; the line builds from 9am on weekends. The breakfast taco with chorizo and egg on a fresh flour tortilla has been the standard since 1949.

2853 W Illinois Ave, Dallas, TX 75233

Taqueria El Si Hay ★ 4.2

Street tacos$oak-cliffDaily 7am-10pm

Oak Cliff street taco institution where five tacos rarely cost more than $10, with bistek and chorizo fillings that regulars drive across the city to eat.

Order: Bistek taco; chorizo taco; carne asada; agua fresca

Tip: Cash preferred. Weekend mornings are the busiest time. Tacos run $2.50-3 each depending on filling.

2126 Fort Worth Ave, Dallas, TX 75208

Fito's Taco de Trompo ★ 4.2

oak-cliffUntil Approx 3am Fri-Sat; midnight weekdaysCash only

Fito's Taco de Trompo on Gaston Avenue is a late-night trompo taco stand where a rotating vertical spit of marinated pork produces $2.30 tacos until the meat runs out around 3am on weekends. Cash only, outdoor seating.

Try: Trompo (spit-carved pork) tacos, $2.30 each

Tip: Cash only; ATM not nearby. Get there before 1am if you want the full trompo still going. Order the trompo with al pastor sauce, onion, and cilantro on a doubled corn tortilla.

4117 Gaston Ave, Dallas, TX 75246

Revolver Taco Lounge ★ 4.6

Elevated street tacos, Purepecha$$deep-ellumTue-Sun 5pm-10pm, Mon closed

Deep Ellum's top taco destination. Regino Rojas nixtamalizes heirloom corn for house-made tortillas and serves Purepecha fillings: octopus, duck, short rib.

Order: Duck carnitas taco; octopus taco; heirloom corn blue tortilla short rib

Tip: Closed Monday. Counter-service format with limited seating. The new storefront on Elm St has outdoor seating; arrive by 5:30pm for the best availability.

2701 Main St, Dallas, TX 75226 Book →

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