Santa Barbara’s Best of Taco Trail
There’s certainly no shortage of places to score tacos around Santa Barbara, but only a few stand out among the many. Our rule of thumb: when the line is out the door it must be worth the wait. Not only do these hot spots have lines that snake around street corners, they all boast unique eats that are as Instagram worthy as they are tasty.
Read on to discover our favorite taco shops around Santa Barbara!
Mony’s
217 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara
This Funk Zone staple has become one of the best taco places in Santa Barbara. With almost 20 types of tacos and at least 8 unique salsas to choose from, patrons are able to customize their order every time they go. Mony’s also recently announced that their famous salsas, which previously you could only get as a side with your order are finally being sold to the public and sent home in a jar. Muy bueno!
La Super Rica Taqueria
622 N. Milpas Street, Santa Barbara
La Super Rica Taqueria is arguably the most famous taco shop in town. It opened in 1996 and the late Julia Child, famous TV chef and cookbook author, called it her favorite restaurant. She talked about it on TV–Good Morning America to be exact–and would talk to any food writer about how great the food was. Because of this, La Super Rica always had a line out the door. Our advice: show up early or risk waiting for up to an hour to get your order!
Corazon Cocina
38 W Victora Street (inside The Public Market) and 214 State Street (The Project), Santa Barbara
Corazon Cocina is taking Santa Barbara by storm! After gaining a massive following from their humble beginnings as a weekend pop-up restaurant, their first location in The Public Market has been a huge success. So, it’s no wonder they added a second location in the Funk Zone a couple years ago. Their menu at The Public Market location is exactly what you would expect to find from a street vendor in Guadalajara, while the menu at The Project takes a farm-to-table spin on things with offerings like sweet potato tacos that will knock your taste buds’ socks off. And keep an eye out for their newest eatery opening soon on Victoria Street! (The Project location on the fringes of The Funk Zone will be re-opening for dinner soon!)
East Beach Tacos
226 South Milpas Street, Santa Barbara
Tasty inventive tacos can be found on the menu at this quirky location adjacent to the East Beach Batting Cages. After working on your batting average, dine on tasty options like ahi poke, korean-style marinated steak, bahn mi pulled pork as well as Mexican and traditional styles. Other options on the menu include tasty items like The Beach Ball, a seasoned rice ball filled with spicy tuna, sea salt and sesame seeds and The Triple Play, an order of three tacos of your choosing.