Following Birria’s Rise Across America

Birria, a Mexican stew with pre-Hispanic roots, is suddenly the hit dish of street food scenes in cities across America. But how did it evolve from its origins to Tijuana taco stands in the ‘50s, LA food trucks in 2015, and to now San Francisco, Austin, New York, and beyond? Why is it spreading now? And is birriaramen a delightful homage or a travesty?

This week on the Eater’s Digest podcast, Los Angeles-based food writer Bill Esparza takes us through the history of the birria de res taco, how it’s changed for various audiences, and how a younger generation of social media-savvy Mexican Americans fueled its success.

Then Eater D.C. editor Gabriel Hiatt joins us to explain the proposed loosened open container laws in D.C., and we discuss Michelin, Subway’s “tuna,” and more.

Listen and subscribe to Eater’s Digest on Apple Podcasts.