50 States, 50 Tacos
In search of America's tastiest tacos, Food Network Magazine discovered that chefs will stuff anything into a tortilla: mac and cheese, hearts of palm, octopus. The magazine's taco team tried hundreds of tacos to come up with this list of the best in every state (and D.C. too!). Wherever you are, these picks are worth the trip.
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Kowaliga Restaurant: Alexander City, Alabama
This classic Southern taco is the best reason to visit Kowaliga. Another: Hank Williams penned "Kaw-Liga" about a wooden Indian that once held court here. $5; 295 Kowaliga Marina Rd.; kowaligarestaurant.com
Baja Taco: Cordova, Alaska
The salmon here is as fresh as you can get — it's caught nearby and served on a tortilla smothered with salsa, chipotle mayo and shredded cabbage. $5.25; 1 Harbor Loop Rd.; bajatacoak.com
El Guero Canelo: Tucson, Arizona
Hot dogs are the specialty of the house here, but the carne asada tacos are the reason lunch lines wrap around the restaurant. You get to top them yourself with veggies, avocado crema and three kinds of salsa. $2; multiple locations; elguerocanelo.com
Local Lime: Little Rock, Arkansas
These little winners are proof that a tiny taco can be big on flavor. They're packed with a mix of chorizo, caramelized pineapple and Jack cheese — and each one is gone in two bites. $10.50 for three; 17815 Chenal Pkwy.; locallimetaco.com
Kogi BBQ: Los Angeles, California
Mention "Korean tacos" in Los Angeles and locals will lead you here: Chef Roy Choi's caramelized short rib taco topped with chili-soy slaw started a citywide Korean taco trend in 2008. $2.29; multiple locations; kogibbq.com
Pinche Tacos: Denver, Colorado
Visitors drive from several towns away to dig into this pork belly taco: a thick slice braised in orange juice and vinegar, served with candied garlic and a side of dipping jus. $3.50; two locations; tacostequilawhiskey.com
Agave Grill: Hartford, Connecticut
You can order these blue corn tortillas with all sorts of fillings, but barbecue pork is the most loved. Fans say the tacos are as close to Mexican street food as you can find in Connecticut. $11 for two; 100 Allyn St.; agavect.com
Oyamel Cocina Mexicana: D.C.
Oyamel's team went south of the border for inspiration and came back with the key to tasty pork tacos: a 24-hour lime-and-orange-juice marinade. $4; 401 7th St. N.W.; oyamel.com
El Dorado Restaurant: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Mahi mahi is called dorado in Spanish, and that's the filling of the most-popular taco here: The fish is beer-battered and topped with a mayo sauce and cabbage. $3.75; 18766 John J. Williams Hwy.; eldoradorehoboth.com
Huahua's Taqueria: Miami Beach, Florida
Even past midnight, crowds form at this hot spot for the fried chicken taco with jalapeno cornbread croutons. $3.99; 1211 Lincoln Rd.; huahuastaco.com
Bad Dog Taqueria: Atlanta, Georgia
Get here early! Chefs make only about 75 of these off-the-menu tacos daily. They're strange but great: tomato-corn tortillas stuffed with four-cheese pasta. $9; 1579 N. Decatur Rd.; baddogtaco.com
Surf N Turf Tacos: Honolulu, Hawaii
You wouldn't think to put sushi fillings inside a taco, but it's a smart move: Tempura shrimp and spicy tuna are even better topped with pico de gallo in a corn shell. $5; two locations; surfnturftacos.com
Crooked Fence Barrelhouse: Garden City, Idaho
This unusual taco is a hit with Idaho's Irish population. Chefs serve traditional corned beef in a not-so-traditional way: beer-braised, on a corn tortilla. $9 for two; 5181 Glenwood St.; cfbarrelhouse.com
Birrieria Zaragoza: Chicago, Illinois
The menu proves just how much regulars love birria, slow-roasted, mole-marinated goat: It's one of the few things sold here. Place an order and you'll get a side of tortillas to build your own tacos. $10.50; 4852 S. Pulaski Rd.; 773-523-3700
La Chinita Poblana: Indianapolis, Indiana
All of the dishes at this fusion taqueria are Asian-inspired, and this one is the tastiest: curry-and-citrus skirt steak topped with avocado crema and fresh herbs. $3; 927 E. Westfield Blvd.; lachinitapoblana.com
Tasty Tacos: Statewide, Iowa
The Tasty Tacos chain has been around for 53 years, and this deep-fried beef taco — created by the owner's grandmother — has been a Hawkeye State favorite for decades. $2.95; tastytacos.com
Taco Republic: Kansas City, Kansas
You won't have trouble finding Taco Republic — it's in a former gas station. The popular veggie taco is an Argentinian specialty: fried hearts of palm with a mayo-ketchup sauce and avocado. $2.95; 500 County Line Rd.; eattacorepublic.com
Holy Mole Taco Truck: Louisville, Kentucky
These aren't your everyday seafood tacos: Fried soft shell crab and kimchi are served in two steamed corn tortillas and drizzled with chipotle mayo. $5; Twitter for location: @HolyMoleTruck
Pho Bistreaux: New Orleans, Louisiana
This NOLA restaurant is known for its quirky multiculti mash-ups. The banh mi taco has all the fixings of a Vietnamese sandwich, but in a lighter (equally tasty) package. $5.50 for two; 1200 S. Carrollton Ave.; phobistreaux.biz
Zapoteca Restaurante y Tequileria: Portland, Maine
Lobster gets extra-special treatment here: It's steamed in beer, sauteed in duck fat and served in its shell next to corn tortillas. $12; 505 Fore St.; zapotecarestaurant.com
Tortilleria Sinaloa: Baltimore, Maryland
This spot is known for its homemade tortillas — the staff cranks out thousands daily. Regulars love them even more when they're stuffed with Old Bay-seasoned tilapia. $5; 1716 Eastern Ave.; tortilleria-sinaloa.com
The Painted Burro: Somerville, Massachusetts
You don't have to pick a side in the hard-versus-soft tortilla debate: This short rib taco, stuffed with three cheeses and roasted poblano, has both. $8; 219 Elm St.; thepaintedburro.com
Dos Hermanos Market: Ypsilanti, Michigan
The rotisserie chicken taco is a perennial bestseller at this authentic Mexican market, but you'll need to plan your visit: It's available only on weekends. $1.60; 412 W. Michigan Ave.; 734-487-8839
World Street Kitchen: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Even meat lovers have ordered seconds of this hearty veggie taco with pepita salsa. It's the brainchild of a former Iron Chef contestant. $6 for two; 2743 Lyndale Ave. S.; eatwsk.com
Babalu Tacos & Tapas: Jackson, Mississippi
Locals named the menu here "Most Innovative" in the weekly paper. A case in point: this pork belly taco with citrus-chipotle barbecue sauce and peanut slaw. $8.50 for three; 622 Duling Ave.; babalums.com
Port Fonda: Kansas City, Missouri
When Chef Patrick Ryan tried to get rid of his oyster tempura taco with jalapeno crema, regulars petitioned for its return. But you can get it only from March to September. $7 for two; 4141 Pennsylvania Ave.; portfondakc.com
Pescado Blanco: Whitefish, Montana
Chefs here call their food "Mountain Mexican," and this taco is a good example: crema-drizzled elk chorizo with arugula, mushrooms and caramelized onions. $12.50 for two; 235 First St.; pescadoblanco.com
La Choza Restaurant: Omaha, Nebraska
Many traditional pork tacos are topped with pineapple, but the fruit gets extra play at this Salvadoran joint: The pork is marinated in pineapple pieces, then put on the rotisserie to caramelize the juices. $1.75; 5133 S. 25th St.; 402-733-9554
China Poblano: Las Vegas, Nevada
Renowned Spanish Chef José Andrés has created an unusual, irresistible combo: lychee and duck tongue in a corn tortilla. $5.50; The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas; 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd.; cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
Mixteca Taqueria y Cantina: Durham, New Hampshire
This garlic-and-chili- marinated tri-tip taco gets an extra-special topping: wild mushrooms foraged from the woods nearby. $9 for three; 10 Jenkins Ct.; mixtecataqueria.com
The Taco Truck: Multiple Locations, New Jersey (CLOSED)
This taco quickly went from a special to a menu staple: Locals love the extra-tender short rib braised in a garlic-chile sauce and served in two corn tortillas. $5 for two; thetacotruck.com
Earl's Family Restaurant: Gallup, New Mexico
Navajo fry bread is a statewide favorite, and it tastes even better in taco form. Here, the puffed disks are piled with classic toppings: ground beef, beans and cheese. $13; 1400 E. Historic Hwy. 66; 505-863-4201
Tacos El Bronco: Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn's Sunset Park is full of great Mexican food, but locals gravitate here for flawless pork tacos served with roasted onion bulbs. The recipe comes from the owner's brother in Mexico. $1.50; 4324 4th Ave.; tacoselbronco.com
Cantina 1511: Charlotte, North Carolina
A three-step process makes the duck filling in this taco super tender: The meat is cured, slow-cooked and then lightly grilled. It's drizzled with a tangy avocado-tomatillo sauce. $4.25; two locations; cantina15eleven.com
Mezzaluna: Fargo, North Dakota
Fans of this fish taco know it's what's on top that counts: a deliciously sweet-and-spicy chili aioli. The fresh flour tortillas, made by hand at a nearby market, are a bonus. $10 for two; 309 Roberts St.; dinemezzaluna.com
The Coop Food Truck: Columbus, Ohio
This sounds like a Turkey Day special, but lucky for us, the taco — turkey, duck and chicken meat stewed in a guajillo sauce and served with pickled red cabbage — is sold spring through fall. $7 for two; coopontherun.com
Elote Cafe & Catering: Tulsa, Oklahoma
This puffy tortilla gets only a quick dip in the fryer, so it's crisp on the outside and softer on the inside — perfect for holding a hearty mix of beef or chicken, sweet potatoes and caramelized onions. $8.79 for two; 514 S. Boston
Uno Mas Taquiza: Portland, Oregon
Ask staffers to name a favorite dish and most of them will say this chile-and-lime-seasoned octopus taco. It's a specialty of the chef's seaside hometown of Acapulco. $3.75; 2337 N.E. Glisan St.; unomastaquiza.com
Smoke Barbeque Taqueria: Homestead, Pennsylvania
This spot southeast of Pittsburgh makes only 10 types of tacos, and they're all amazing. The best one: smoked pork with apricot-habanero sauce and caramelized onions. $4.75; 225 E. 8th Ave; 412-205-3039
Fugo Food Truck: Providence, Rhode Island
The owners of this food truck are Dominican and Laotian, and their beloved taco was inspired by both backgrounds: perfectly crisp fried tofu and slaw in a corn shell. $6 for two; Twitter for location: @FugoFoodTruck
Cha Cha's Mexican Grill: Charleston, South Carolina
Pork lovers, rejoice! This flour tortilla comes with pig meat in three great forms: pork belly, braised pork and crumbled bacon. It also includes a scoop of black beans. $3.75; 1409 Folly Rd.; chachasmexicangrill.com
Cheyenne Crossing Store: Lead, South Dakota
For more than 30 years, regulars have had trouble finishing this loaded fry-bread taco by themselves. Luckily, it comes in a smaller "snack size." $7–$11; 21417 US Hwy. 14A; 605-584-3510
Mas Tacos Por Favor: Nashville, Tennessee
This joint took its popular fried fish taco and made it vegetarian-friendly — with fried avocado in place of fish, topped with cabbage, red onion and a spiced yogurt sauce. $3; 732 Mcferrin Ave.; eatmastacos.com
Good 2 Go Taco: Dallas, Texas
The name of this taco stands for Southern comfort, and is it ever! The oversize breakfast taco is stuffed with sausage, egg, biscuit crumbles and a peppery white gravy. $3.50; 1146 Peavy Rd.; good2gotaco.com
Taqueria 27: Two Locations, Utah
Chef Todd Gardiner put a new spin on veggie tacos with this combo. It's like a super-delicious salad (beets, pears and gorgonzola) on a tortilla. $6 for two; taqueria27.com
The Mad Taco: Three Locations, Vermont
You can watch chefs in the open kitchen smoke jalapenos and onions for this sweet potato-and-black bean taco. They also make more than a dozen hot sauces for the top. $8 for two; themadtaco.com
Fuego Cocina y Tequileria: Arlington, Virginia
The recipe for this slow-cooked brisket taco, topped with jalapeno and onions, comes straight from Mexico. The chef's sister serves it at her Mexico City taqueria. $7 for two; 2800 Clarendon Blvd.;fuegova.com
Tacos Chukis: Seattle, Washington
The owner recently expanded his space, but it's still packed with customers clamoring for this favorite: rotisserie pork topped with pineapple, onions, cilantro and guacamole. $1.90; 219 Broadway E.; 206-328-4447
Black Sheep Burrito & Brews: Two Locations, West Virginia
It's not hard to find a trout taco in West Virginia — it's the state fish — but here the trout is smoked and topped with a bourbon-bacon marmalade. $4.25; blacksheepwv.com
Cempazuchi: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Fried fish is a favorite dish in Milwaukee, and here it gets a Latin twist: It's breaded in blue cornmeal and served in a corn tortilla with lime slaw and chipotle mayo. $11 for three; 1205 E. Brady St.; cempazuchi.com
Rendezvous Bistro: Jackson Hole, Wyoming
The chef took a trip to Baja and came back with the idea for this winner: tongue covered in onion, cabbage, watermelon radish and pickled jalapeño on a tortilla. $9 for two; 380 S. Broadway; rendezvousbistro.net
