History

Mexican Americans migrated to Oakland from New Mexico, Texas and Colorado for World War II shipyard and railroad work. By the 1960s Fruitvale was a center of the Chicano Movement. Today International Boulevard runs taquerias, pupuserias and tortillerias for thirty blocks, with later waves from Oaxaca and Guerrero deepening the regional range.

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Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g pork shoulder, cubed
  • Fresh corn tortillas (24)
  • 1 white onion, finely diced
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges
  • Salsa verde and salsa roja
  • Salt, black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

Method

  1. Season pork shoulder with salt, pepper and oregano. Sear in a hot pan until well browned on all sides.
  2. Reduce heat and cook until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally.
  3. Warm corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan until pliable and lightly charred.
  4. Chop the cooked pork. Build each taco with two tortillas, pork, onion, cilantro, salsa and a squeeze of lime.

Tip from the editors. Use fresh masa tortillas from a tortilleria, not a bag of dry corn flour. The difference is everything.

Where to eat fruitvale taqueria tacos

Fruitvale taqueria tacos in Oakland

Tacos Oscar ★ 4.5

$ Street foodTemescal

Tacos Oscar in Oakland's Temescal serves Bib Gourmand tacos from a shipping-container courtyard. Chalkboard menu changes often; vegan and pork plates.

TryBraised pork shoulder taco

Directions

Tacos Sinaloa ★ 4.8

$$ MexicanFruitvale

Tacos Sinaloa on International Boulevard runs the East Bay's most-loved late-night taco truck. Every night until 1 a.m. Family-run since 1999.

OrderSuadero or adobada tacos at midnight.

TipThe truck cooks past midnight every night; cash only at the window.

Directions

Tacos El Ultimo Baile ★ 4.7

$ MexicanFruitvale

Tacos El Ultimo Baile in Fruitvale Public Market took its taco-truck queues into a brick-and-mortar. Tacos al carbon for ten dollars on flour tortillas.

OrderTacos al carbon with hand-pressed flour tortillas.

TipSub the corn tortillas; the flour version is what made the truck famous.

Directions

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