Where the border eats: rolled tacos, desert agave, and green chile.
Free cancellation on most tours, with live prices on the partner's site.
El Paso sits at the crossing point of two nations and three states, and its food reflects that geography with rare specificity. The border Tex-Mex here reads differently from what San Antonio or Dallas call Tex-Mex: rolled tacos submerged in tomato broth and blanketed with shredded cheese (Chico's Tacos), brisket machaca worked into eggs, and red and green chile sauces rooted in New Mexico's Hatch Valley rather than the Gulf Coast. L and J Cafe, open since 1927, anchors the city's oldest culinary identity on East Missouri Avenue. Downtown has pulled in a new wave of chefs and concept bars: Ambar Restaurante at the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park holds over 1,100 agave spirits and grills over open wood; Anson 11 on North Oregon brings prime steaks to the historic core; ELEMI, the James Beard semifinalist taqueria now on the east side, makes tortillas from daily-ground corn. Five Points and Sunset Heights carry the local panaderia and taqueria culture. The Rio Grande and the Franklin Mountains frame a city that eats with intention, late, and always with salsa made in-house.
Day trip · 5 hours
Enjoy delicious wines in stunning vineyards without the worry of having to drive. Pick your own adventure on this pay-as-you-go tour to three boutique wineries of your choice.
Day trip · 5 hours
Enjoy a day of wine and beer tasting at 3 wineries and breweries in the Mesilla Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). Choose from a variety of wineries and brewerie...
Day trip · 4 hours
Come and enjoy the culture, food, music, and shopping in Mexico. Meet your guide at the border of El Paso and Juarez so you can start exploring Mexico and its culture ...
The plates that define eating in El Paso.
El Paso machaca uses brisket braised low-and-slow until fall-apart tender, then pulled into coarse shreds and either served dry or scrambled with eggs,.
Where Kiki's Mexican Restaurant, L and J Cafe
Where to eat Brisket Machaca with Eggs and Green Chile in El Paso →A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in El Paso.
L and J Cafe in El Paso, open since 1927, is the city's oldest Mexican restaurant, serving red enchiladas and house-made salsa from its East Missouri.
OrderRed enchiladas with chile de arbol salsa, or the green chile relleno
Kiki's on North Piedras Street is El Paso's canonical machaca address: braised brisket scrambled with eggs and Hatch green chile since the 1970s.
OrderBrisket machaca with eggs and green chile
Ambar Restaurante at the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park in El Paso grills over open wood flames, holding over 1,100 agave spirits behind a two-story amber bar.
OrderWood-grilled whole asado with handmade tortillas, or the fresh ceviche
Anson 11 on North Oregon Street in downtown El Paso runs two dining rooms: a ground-floor bistro for casual meals, and an upstairs room for prime steaks.
OrderPrime ribeye upstairs, or the bistro cheeseburger at lunch
Casa Pantera on Pershing Drive serves wood-fired contemporary Mexican in Five Points with premium beef and Oaxacan technique in an open grill kitchen.
OrderMesquite-grilled octopus or the tomahawk steak with agave-morita chile glaze
Cafe Central at 109 N Oregon St in downtown El Paso has operated since 1918 and holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, blending contemporary American.
OrderMiso Chilean sea bass or the grilled Angus tenderloin
The historic core along Oregon and Mills streets, home to century-old restaurants, the Hotel Paso del Norte, rooftop bars, and the 1918 Cafe Central building.
Best for: Fine dining, Cocktail bars, Steakhouses, Mediterranean
A neighbourhood crossroads with deep taqueria and panaderia roots, anchored by Kiki's Mexican Restaurant on North Piedras and Cafe Con Leche pan dulce nearby.
Best for: Mexican tacos, Pan dulce, Budget Mexican, Breakfast
A tree-lined neighbourhood above the university, where independent cafes, Salt and Honey Bakery, and neighbourhood bistros cluster near the UTEP campus.
Best for: Brunch, Bakeries, Cafes, Casual dining
The growing east side where ELEMI relocated to Eastlake Boulevard, alongside family taquerias, Mountain Star Brewing, and the Cielo Vista corridor.
Best for: Masa kitchen, Craft beer, Family Mexican
The oldest continuously settled community in Texas, home to Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and the Tigua people, with traditional bread baking and chile cultivation tied to the historic mission.
Best for: Pueblo traditional food, Tortillas, Mission culture
The agricultural northwest corridor along the Rio Grande, known for the Sunday farmers market at Mesa Plaza and fresh produce from the Mesilla Valley.
Best for: Farmers market, Farm produce, Sunday brunch
Brisket Machaca with Eggs and Green Chile
El Paso machaca uses brisket braised low-and-slow until fall-apart tender, then pulled into coarse shreds and either served dry or scrambled with eggs,
Upper Valley
The agricultural northwest corridor along the Rio Grande, known for the Sunday farmers market at Mesa Plaza and fresh produce from the Mesilla Valley
A sample of El Paso hotels from our booking partner, who list 14,091 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.
Super 8 by Wyndham El Paso Airport
Located in El Paso, Super 8 by Wyndham El Paso Airport is in a shopping district, within a 15-minute walk o...
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Motel 6 El Paso, TX - Southeast
With a stay at Motel 6 El Paso, TX - Southeast, you'll be centrally located in El Paso, within a 10-minute ...
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The Gardner Hotel El Paso
A stay at The Gardner Hotel El Paso places you in the heart of El Paso, within a 10-minute walk of Southwes...
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Red Roof Inn PLUS+ El Paso East
Located in El Paso, Red Roof Inn PLUS+ El Paso East is in the suburbs, a 4-minute drive from Del Sol Medica...
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Americas Hotel El Paso Medical Center
You'll be centrally located in El Paso with a stay at Americas Hotel El Paso Medical Center, within a 15-mi...
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Hotel Indigo El Paso Downtown, an IHG Hotel
A stay at Hotel Indigo El Paso Downtown, an IHG Hotel places you in the heart of El Paso, within a 10-minut...
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Quality Inn & Suites El Paso I-10
A stay at Quality Inn & Suites El Paso I-10 places you in the heart of El Paso, within a 10-minute drive of...
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Also compare: Holidu in El Paso from USD 65/night · LateRooms in El Paso · Expedia in El Paso
Stays are listed by our booking partners, not editor picks. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in El Paso, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
Peak food season: September through November for chile harvest season and festival season. March through May for comfortable outdoor dining and farmers market peak.
Local dining hours: Lunch 11:00-14:00. Dinner 17:00-22:00, later on weekends. Late-night spots run to 02:00 on weekends. Taquerias open early, some from 07:00.
Tipping: Standard 18 to 20 percent at sit-down restaurants. Food trucks and counter service: tip jar present but not obligatory. Bartenders expect $1 to $2 per drink.
El Paso's signature dishes include Chico's-Style Rolled Tacos in Tomato Broth, Brisket Machaca with Eggs and Green Chile, Hatch Green Chile Relleno, Red Enchiladas with Chile de Arbol Salsa, Heirloom Corn Masa Tacos. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.
TableJourney editors map El Paso by district. Downtown, Five Points, Kern Place, East El Paso are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.
Editor picks in El Paso include 1700 Steakhouse, Cafe Central, Ambar Restaurante, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.
TableJourney covers 1 editor-picked food tour in El Paso, with what each shows you and how much to budget.
TableJourney's El Paso dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.
