Tacos are an American food staple, right up there with hamburgers, pizza, and ice cream, and unlike some foods that have a day devoted to them (National Raisin Day?), these handheld corn or wheat tortillas folded around a filling of beef, pork, fish, or veggies, deserve the honor. Americans ate 4.5 billion tacos in 2016* so believe the hype!
Westchester has many restaurants serving tacos, but below are seven of the best bets to fulfill your taco cravings.
Sonora in Port Chester
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Tacos de squash with roasted butternut squash, kale, black beans, sweet plantains, and goat cheese.Chef/owner Rafael Palomino’s sophisticated Nuevo Latino spot off the village’s main drag has plenty of delicious main plates but really excels at tapas and small plates including four types of tacos.
Order This: Roasted butternut squash tacos with black beans, sweet plantains, and goat cheese
Prices: 3 for $10 or 5 for $15 (prices Oct 4 only)
Taco Dive Bar in Peekskill
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photo by John Bruno Turiano Situated near the Peekskill Metro-North and with outdoor seating facing Riverfront Green Park and the Hudson, this funky, newer addition to the county taco scene uses griddled stoneground white corn tortillas and local produce, plus has plenty of strong margaritas made with 100 percent agave tequila, agave syrup and fresh lime.
Order This: Smoked seared pork belly taco with a maple-balsamic glaze; seared and blackened mahi mahi with fennel, cabbage, and salsa verde.
Prices: $4.75 to $6
bartaco in Port Chester
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photo by John Bruno Turiano With a deck facing the Byram River, bartaco can be quite the social scene, especially during warmer weather. Fill out an order card and place it in the appropriate slot to signal a server you’re ready to chow down. It’s part of a 15-location mini chain that offers secret tacos plus happens to have one of the better tequila programs in the country.
Order This: Spicy chorizo; cauliflower with romesco sauce; slow-roasted pork with pineapple
Prices: $2.50 to $3.50
The Taco Project in Tarrytown and Yonkers
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The fish tacos at the Taco Project.Whether you go to the original Rivertown restaurant (with but 20 seats) or the newer and much larger location at Boyce Thompson Center in Yonkers, expect authentic tacos on your choice of house-made hard-shell corn tortillas or locally sourced soft corn tortillas.
Order This: Short rib; chorizo with crispy potatoes
Prices: $3.25 to $3.50
Halstead Taqueria in Harrison
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Expect local seasonal vegetables, fruits, and herbs, tender and soft 6-inch corn tortillas, fresh and seemingly homemade everything, and on-point traditional Mexican beverages such as horchata (rice water and condensed milk) and tamarindo (tamarind fruit, sugar, lime juice).
Order This: Grass-fed sirloin steak with roasted kale; grilled pineapple taco (special)
Prices: $3.50 to $5.50
Pink Panther Food Truck in Hastings-on-Hudson
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photo from facebook Nothing fancy just soulful, basic home-cooking from Chilean native Magdlaena Toledo. Her Pink Panther truck is parked south of Jackson Avenue on the Saw Mill River Road Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The medium-hot salsa is a highlight.
Order This: Chicken, pork, veggie, or beef taco
Prices: $2.50
Blockheads
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A NYC-based mini-chain (6 locations) that falls somewhere between fast-casual and fine dining, Blockheads serves fresh Cal-Mex cuisine, plus damn good margaritas, bulldogs, and other fun drinks.
Order This: Curried cauliflower and carrot; mango shrimp taco
Prices: $13.95 for two (comes with salsa verde, sour cream, and rice and beans or salad)
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