Mexico City, Mexico
Taquería Los Cocuyos
This one-window stand has been home to a giant vat of slowly simmering meats and an array of unique tacos for almost 50 years.
Blink and you might miss Los Cocuyos, a single-window taquería in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico. But you won’t need your eyes to find this spot: Just follow your nose as the aroma of marinating meat dances down the street. Half the window at this small, nearly 50-year-old stand is occupied by a giant vat of bubbling sausage, tripe, and tender cuts of beef, slowly cooking to perfection.
Any order will suit you fine at Cocuyos—their suadero (brisket) tacos are particularly incredible—but for those wanting to sample something a bit more unique, the stand offers an array of fillings that you won’t find at just any old taco joint. Many options provide texturally delightful alternatives to the usual carnitas or chorizo, from tacos de sesos (brains), which have a creamy consistency that melts into the corn tortilla, to diced ojos (eyeballs), which offer a gelatinous punch. Other options include tacos de cabeza (slices of beef cheek or other parts of the face), chewy lengua (tongue), and longaniza (sausage).
Order your tacos con todo (“with everything”) if you want a healthy sprinkling of onions and cilantro. There’s a condiments station, as well, so you can load up on radishes, lime, and hot sauce.
Contributed by
Sam OBrien
