Mission-style tacos are the doubled, soft, charred-corn-tortilla tacos served the length of 24th Street and Mission, with lengua, carnitas, al pastor, asada and pollo.
Where to eat it: 5 restaurants across 1 city.
The city's tacos draw on two distinct Mexican waves: post-1910 Revolution arrivals from central Mexico, who set up the early taquerias, and a 1970s and 1980s influx from Jalisco and Michoacan that brought al pastor and carnitas to the same blocks. La Taqueria on Mission, opened by Miguel Jara in 1973, treats the meat with restraint (no rice, no beans, doubled corn tortillas with a touch of cheese and avocado), and the room won a James Beard America's Classic in 2017. El Farolito on 24th, opened in 1980, runs the late-night standard. The taco here is not a tasting room project; it is a 24-hour ledger of immigration.
Common allergens: Dairy (if cheese added)
Tip from the editors. Use small 12cm corn tortillas, not flour; the doubled corn is structural and absorbs the rendered fat.
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.
La Taqueria in San Francisco is the Mission burrito and taco counter where a twelve-dollar lunch is the city's most-cited cheap eat, since 1973 with no concessions.
Try: Carne asada burrito or doubled-corn tacos
Tip: Get the dorado-style burrito; the kitchen sears it on the plancha for a crisp edge that costs nothing extra.
El Farolito in San Francisco is the Mission's all-night taqueria on 24th and Mission, with the super burrito al pastor the city eats at 01:00 every weekend.
Try: Super burrito al pastor
Order: Super burrito al pastor with everything, plus a Mexican Coke.
Tip: The 23:00 to 01:00 window has the fastest line of the night; arrive at 01:30 and the line stretches outside.
Tacolicious in San Francisco is the Mexico City-inspired taqueria on Chestnut Street in the Marina, with a Mission-style sister on Valencia.
Signature: Al pastor-ish chicken tacos, Carnitas tacos, Marina Girl salad
Order: A trio of al pastor-ish chicken, shot-and-a-beer braised brisket, and the guajillo-braised chicken.
Tip: The bar pours a sharp tommy's margarita; sit there for walk-in tacos before the dining room fills.
Taqueria San Jose in San Francisco is a Mission taqueria serving Jalisco-style cabeza, lengua and al pastor on doubled corn tortillas since 1980.
Signature: Cabeza taco, Lengua burrito, Carnitas taco
Order: A trio of cabeza, lengua and al pastor on doubled corn tortillas, with a horchata.
Tip: Half a block from the 24th Street BART; the new 2839 Mission space sits across from the original storefront.
Taqueria El Buen Sabor in San Francisco is a family-run Valencia Street taqueria at Valencia and 18th, serving the Mission since 1995 at sub-twelve-dollar prices.
Signature: Carne asada super burrito, Al pastor tacos, Tortas
Order: The carne asada super burrito with everything and a cold horchata.
Tip: Open 11:00 to 21:30 daily; busiest at 13:00, quieter for an early dinner at 17:00.
More cities are in research. Want mission-style tacos covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.