The Best Tacos in Portland, Oregon and Beyond

In a city where it’s commonly understood that much of the best food comes from trucks and carts, tacos stand firmly at the top of the heap. It’s a certainty that almost anywhere in the city and surrounding suburbs, a taco truck is within walking distance.

Over the last few years, Mexican food in Portland has only grown and diversified. Carts specializing in birria have parked in lots from Gresham to Hillsboro, while restaurants focused on contemporary Mexican cuisine have opened in the heart of the city. Meanwhile, the small mercados, panaderias, and taco trucks that have retained customers for decades largely remain open, packing carnitas and cabeza into small, house-made tortillas.

Whatever the future has in store, tacos are a highly resilient dish — built for travel, ingredient flexibility, and easy eating. So here’s a look at some of Portland’s finest tacos, from dripping guisados to super-crispy carnitas. This map focuses on spots underrepresented on some of our other Mexican food maps, so for more options in Gresham or birria spots, look for those via their specific maps.

— Additional reporting by Ron Scott.

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