The taco trucks of East San Jose, many family-owned since the 1970s, serve carne asada and al pastor on hand-made corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and salsa roja.
East San Jose's Mexican community, which grew rapidly through farm-worker migration from the 1940s through the 1970s, brought the taquero tradition north from Jalisco, Michoacan and Oaxaca. Loncheras and taco trucks began appearing on Alum Rock Avenue and Story Road in the late 1960s, serving construction workers and cannery employees who needed fast, filling food. The trucks evolved into institutions: some families have run the same spots for three generations, and the spit-roasted al pastor preparation remains unchanged.
2 editor picks for East San Jose taco in San Jose, ranked by editorial score. All San Jose signature dishes · East San Jose taco across every city.
La Victoria Taqueria San Carlos ★ 3.8
Downtown · 140 E San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95112
La Victoria Taqueria in San Jose is open until 3am with its cult orange sauce on burritos and tacos, a late-night downtown institution since 1998.
Adelita's Taqueria ★ 3.8
South San Jose · 1896 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95124
Adelita's Taqueria is a family-owned San Jose fixture since 1998, with authentic Mexican dishes including a celebrated chile verde burrito made in-house.