A beacon on the north side of Mexico City, La Bici is a living example of many taqueros’ dream: to work hard and build a taco empire. The taqueros began selling tacos from a bicycle (which gives the taquería its name) but worked their way up to a large, buzzing storefront on a corner lot in Satélite. Costilla and guisado tacos are among the best options, but whatever you order, be sure to check out La Bici’s well-stocked salsa bar, which includes more than a dozen different styles: pico de gallo, guacamole, tomatillo, roja, guajillo, habanero, and more. For locals who judge taquerías by the quality and variety of salsas, the secret to La Bici’s success is obvious.

La Pingüica’s pastor taco has been the same since the beginning of time. The tiny taco overflows with morita salsa, the meat is charred from the unruly fire cooking the trompo, and sweet caramelized onions cover it all. The whole taco almost falls apart, requiring you shovel it within seconds. The taquería has remained a beloved spot for more than 40 years, mostly frequented by locals and in-the-know visitors. Don’t be shy when ordering, since each taco is usually gone after two bites.

Walk around the San Rafael neighborhood, and you might smell El Paisa’s bubbling taco cauldron half a block away. The taquería makes a statement with their suadero en trozo taco: chunky slices of slow-and-low cooked brisket that land in tortillas carefully crisped in oil, all topped with a bright red tomato salsa. Order your taco “con todo” as locals do, and don’t miss the confit onion offered as a courtesy; it’s soft, sweet, salty, and everything good that an onion can be.

The most famous downtown taquería, Los Cocuyos keeps up an impressive operation 24/7 as diners gather on the short plastic stools on the curb at all hours. The shop specializes in suadero (brisket) and tripe cooked in a bubbly meat jacuzzi, as well as tacos de cabeza (steamed cow’s head). The Cocuyos technique is very basic; the tacos are cooked in lard confit seasoned just with salt, no herbs, and the master taqueros work patiently as they stir the cauldron, chop ingredients, and serve tacos until the pot is empty, usually around 3 or 4 a.m. Their tripe is one of the best in the city (soft yet crispy, oh so savory, never chewy), making Los Cocuyos an obligatory visit for any taco enthusiast. As of late, expect long lines around evening time.

Located in the financial district, taquería Gabriel specializes in tacos al carbon (charcoal-grilled tacos) and volcanes (served on a fried tortilla turned up at the edges) with grilled proteins like beef, adobada, suckling pig, and shrimp. The volcanes are especially great: charred, almost ashy tortillas, not quite as crunchy as a tostada, topped with a small mountain of meat and cheese melted over the top. One of a new wave of taquerías, Gabriel offers more flexibility than some other spots, allowing you to customize your taco with your choice of flour or corn tortilla or volcan, and the option to skip cheese.

Tizne was one of the early adopters of the taco as a multicultural vessel, reframing the dish through an international lens and inspiring a new wave of innovative taco shops. The offerings cover different culinary traditions, with ingredients and flavor profiles from China, Lebanon, Japan, and the United States. Despite the broad range, the entire menu is anchored in distinctively smoky character, nixtamalized blue-corn tortillas, and chile-packed salsas. The taquería is located in a small space in Roma, filled with tables to sit down and eat, though service remains rightly casual.

Mexican and Asian flavors meet in corn tortillas at Cariñito Tacos in Colonia Roma. Locals tend to label this place a hipster taquería, due to their smaller portions, toppings like microgreens, and interesting selection of wines. But don’t underestimate the taqueros, who produce deep flavors with combos like pork belly in soy sauce, or pork confit with tamarind and basil sauce, the most popular options on the menu. Somewhere between a street eatery and a micro-restaurant, whatever Cariñito is, it comes with a lot of hype.

For a full meal wrapped in a tortilla, Hola El Güero in Condesa is the right call. The shop is famous for its array of guisados (stews), which taqueros carefully scoop from a regiment of clay cazuelas onto double-stacked tortillas along with generous servings of rice or beans. Look for the steak in pasilla sauce, the chicharron in green salsa, or chile relleno, which comes with green poblano pepper or red ancho pepper. Hola El Güero is especially busy during the lunch hour.

Carnitas Paty has been a popular stop deep inside the Jamaica Market for more than three decades, and judging by the amount of business they do on any given day, they’re still at the top of their game. Any taco devotee will surely order a mixed taco, usually a combination of rib or lean pork meat with cuerito (confit pork skin), pork’s ear, or buche (stomach). Carnitas Paty is also known for their cold, refreshing tepache, a fermented pineapple drink with piloncillo. There’s plenty of seating in the market to enjoy your prizes, though the stools are usually full; just be patient and grab a spot when you see one.

The greatest meals at Los Parados come off the charcoal grill, where they cook all sorts of meats: arrachera (skirt steak), chorizo, pastor, chicken, pork chops, or some combination seasoned with onions, bacon, or cheese. The taquería is quite popular as an afterparty spot late into the night, and service is quick. Order your tacos, wait for your order by the grill, and take your meal to any available counter. The name of the taquería comes from the custom of eating tacos on your feet, which connoisseurs argue is the best way to indulge in the art of the taco.

The legend of Tacos Ruben’s is well known across Mexico City. A family-run taquería, this tiny street-side taco cart lures customers from all corners of the city for a taste of the famous taco especial, a combination of suadero, longaniza, and tripe. The tacos are generous, served on standard-sized tortillas (not the shrunken tortilla taquera that’s usually seen in taquerías). The service is extra friendly, though you might want to visit early because the tacos run out fast.

For night owls or early birds with a hankering for tacos at 3 a.m., Tacos Tony is here for you. The sizzling, steaming taco operation has been around for more than 15 years in a busy intersection in the Narvarte neighborhood. Chilangos revere the taquería for the spiciness of their guacamole, roja, and verde salsas, all kissed with habanero. The campechano taco is among the best in town, but other excellent options include their lengua (tongue) and chunky suadero, a thick piece of perfectly cooked brisket on a crisp tortilla.

For lamb barbacoa fresh from the oven, head to Los Tres Reyes in Mixcoac, an institution with over seven decades of experience that opens every Saturday and Sunday. The taquería is almost a religion, offering salvation in the morning to anyone who indulged a bit too much at happy hour the night before, all set to the tune of live Norteño music playing in the background. The barbacoa is sold by the pound as it comes out of brick ovens, and it should be mandatory to pair these tacos with a cup of the shop’s well-seasoned broth, the richest in Mexico City.

For more than 20 years, Los Milanesos has severed one of the heartier creations in the taco scene: two tortillas topped with a spoonful of refried beans and thick strips of beef or chicken milanesa (breaded steak) coated with a very spicy guacamole salsa. Los Milanesos really cemented their reputation with the ham and cheese milanesa, a massive, indulgent mess of melty cheese and thick slices of ham, all crispy and crunchy from the deep fryer. Los Milanesos is a street stand located on the sidewalk of a busy avenue; just look for the crowd.