Taco Takeover: Top Taco Spots in Adelaide
It’s a taco fiesta in Adelaide thanks to culinary stars like Mexican Society and Lucky Lupitas, and we’re here to give you all the tasty deets you need.
You can uncover more taco treasures in this article!
Mexican Society
Address: 140 Gouger St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8231 2626
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 5:30 pm to 9 pm
- Fri to Sat – 12 pm to 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm to 10 pm
- Sun – Closed
Mexican Society’s taco game is on point! They have barramundi tacos with some serious habanero kick and a crispy crumbed chicken taco that’ll have you swooning over smoked corn.
If you’re vegan, their roasted pumpkin tacos are a must-have. The order comes with a medley of black beans, avocado, and mango salsa goodness.
For the drinks, they have a classic margarita to wash the savoriness down, but we suggest trying the resto’s trademark Santa Rosa, a blend of Saint Germain, lemon juice, and egg whites!
Lucky Lupitas
Address: 1/163 O’Connell St, North Adelaide, SA 5006
Contact Details: (08) 8267 3082
Operating Hours:
- Mon – Closed
- Tue to Fri – 5 pm to 10 pm
- Sat – 12 pm to 2:30 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm
- Sun – 12 pm to 2:30 pm, 5 pm to 9 pm
It’s always your lucky day whenever you swing by Lucky Lupitas for a taste of tacos.
We love their taco de pollo—crispy and succulent chicken on a flour tortilla, generously drenched in chipotle mayo. The taco de cordero is also meaty madness, but this one has slow-cooked lamb with a creamy and salty avocado puree.
Their seafood tacos, taco de camarones, also hit hard, with fresh prawns pairing well with black beans and chipotle. Then, there are desserts to sweeten the deal—traditional churros and Nutella-coated chimichangas.
Salsa’s Fresh Mex Grill
Address: LG06/77-91 Rundle Mall, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8232 3971
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 10 am to 5 pm
- Fri – 10 am to 7:30 pm
- Sat to Sun – 10 am to 5 pm
Salsa’s Fresh Mex Grill is a go-to for Adelaideans who want tacos with slow-cooked meat. You’ll have tons of options with this spot, but the grilled chipotle chicken taco with veggies and cheese is the standout for our team.
Beef lovers should also swing by; their Mex beef classic taco is packed with well-marinated beef, veggies, and ranch dressing. If you’re more of a pork fan, their pulled pork with the same ingredients has your back (or taste buds, in this case).
The resto also prepares an unmissable fish taco featuring crispy flathead drizzled with tongue-tingling spicy sauces.
Taco Libre
Address: 243 Seacombe Rd, South Brighton, SA 5048
Contact Details: 0475 574 361
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Tue – Closed
- Wed to Sat – 5 pm to 8:30 pm
- Sun – Closed
Taco Libre brings Mexican street food-style tacos to the CBD. Their top-seller is birria beef taco, boasting slow-cooked beef smothered in a rich red sauce and topped with cheese.
You can’t miss their street taco too; it’s corn tortillas with onions and cilantro. This deal lets you pick your preferred meat—chorizo, cabeza (meat from an animal’s head), or carnitas (shredded braised or simmered pork)!
But for those craving a seafood fiesta, give their shrimp volcano taco a try. It’s a plate of crisp tortillas with shrimp, pico de gallo, cheese, and jalapeno mayo.
Masa
Address: 12 Fourth St, Bowden, SA 5007
Operating Hours:
- Mon – Closed
- Tue to Thu – 4 pm to 10 pm
- Fri to Sat – 12 pm to 11 pm
- Sun – 12 to 9 pm
Masa brings tacos to a whole new level with their gourmet style of cooking.
Their Michoacan zucchini tacos are no joke. The tortillas come dressed to impress with spring onion, smoked feta, sour cream, and manchego.
Our team, though, prefers their lamb shank barbacoa tacos—a true treat for meat lovers. The lamb shank comes with a mint sour cream and fresh cucumbers, balancing out the intense savory profile.
Hispanic Mechanic
Address: 205 Glen Osmond Rd, Frewville, SA 5063
Contact Details: (08) 8338 6435
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Tue – Closed
- Wed to Thu – 5 pm to 9 pm
- Fri – 12 pm to 3 pm, 5 pm to 9:30 pm
- Sat – 5 pm to 9:30 pm
Hispanic Mechanic’s original taco lineup is a real fiesta flavor all taco enjoyers must taste. First on the menu is the KFC (Korean fried cauliflower) taco, a wild ride with a crunchy cauliflower filling, wasabi mayonesa, pickled veggies, gochujang, and more.
Next up is the Belly and Beans taco. This bad boy has seared pork belly, a zesty black bean salsa, shredded veggies, and pear-habanero mayonesa.
And for those who can handle the heat, snag their Habanero Happiness taco with slow-cooked beef brisket shredded to perfection and mixed with caramelized onion. The fiery kick comes from this meal’s habanero and pepper slaw.
La Popular Taqueria
Address: 226 St Vincent St, Port Adelaide, SA 5015
Contact Details: 0466 105 004
Operating Hours:
- Mon – Closed
- Tue to Fri – 5:30 pm to 9 pm
- Sat – 12 pm to 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm to 9 pm
La Popular Taqueria has traditional and classic tacos with some real street cred. Take the Conchita, for example—a flavorful and hearty meal with oven-braised pulled pork infused with achiote spice and crowned with habanero salsa.
If you’re more into grilled goodies, the carne asada taco should be your target. It has marinated beef grilled to perfection and dressed in hot salsa roja, a Spanish red sauce.
Vegetarians shouldn’t feel left out as well. La Popular Taqueria has hongos tacos with braised mushrooms cooked with garlic, salsa roja, and epazote herb (an aromatic herb with a flavor reminiscent of citrus and anise).
Mia Margarita
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Address: Unit 2/330 Seaview Rd, Henley Beach, SA 5022
Contact Details: 0422 254 850
Operating Hours:
- Mon – Closed
- Tue to Thu – 5:30 pm to 10 pm
- Fri to Sat – 12 pm to 11 pm
- Sun – 12 pm to 10 pm
Mia Margarita’s modern tacos mix new flavors with time-tested ones. First in line is the pollo frito taco—fried chicken with fresh lettuce, guac, and Veracruz aioli.
Their baja fish taco makes waves too. The highlight of this dish is battered flathead, made more flavorful by the kick of jalapeno slaw and the earthy undertones of smoked corn.
And we can’t forget the Mexicali crab taco, filled with bits of soft-shell crab. This dish also has red cabbage for that crunch and avocado amarillo mayo for a dash of creaminess.
Beefcakes and Shakes
Address: 567 Grange Rd, Grange, SA 5022
Contact Details: (08) 7089 0716
Operating Hours:
- Mon – Closed
- Tue – 5 pm to 8:30 pm
- Wed to Thu – 12 pm to 8:30 pm
- Fri – 12 pm to 9 pm
- Sat – 11:30 am to 9 pm
- Sun – 11:30 am to 8:30 pm
If you want tacos paired with milkshakes, Beefcakes and Shakes should be your first option. For tacos, start with their Mexican street corn—tacos matched with a mouthwatering homemade dip of grilled corn and five-blend cheese.
If that isn’t your cup of tea, how about a taste of their Southern fried chicken taco? The mix of Southern fried chicken tenderloin, cheese, and jalapeno sauce makes this one a savory and spicy flavor fiesta.
But if the spice levels get out of control, sip on their ice-cold Oreo milkshake, topped with whipped cream, Oreo chunks, and chocolate sauce!
Couch Potato
Address: 199 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 7222 8127
Operating Hours:
- Mon – Closed
- Tue to Thu – 5:30 pm to 9 pm
- Fri to Sat – 5:30 pm to 10 pm
- Sun – 5:30 pm to 10 pm
Couch Potato is often praised for its eco-chic and laidback vibes, but this resto’s traditional and modern tacos also deserve the spotlight. You can’t go wrong with their chili beef taco, packed with flavorful beef and a rainbow of veggies for that extra crunch.
But if you’re in the mood for some finger-licking goodness, check out the fried chicken taco. It has tender chicken and veggies, all drenched in their savory and slightly spicy secret sauce.
If you want a Mexico plus Korea flavor duo, order the bulgogi birria taco. It has Korean bulgogi beef with cheese and veggies, delivering creamy, savory, sweet, and spicy flavors.
Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant
Address: 42 Melbourne St, North Adelaide, SA 5006
Contact Details: (08) 8267 4653
Operating Hours:
- Mon – Closed
- Tue to Thu – 5:30 pm to 9 pm
- Fri to Sat – 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm
- Sun-Closed
Zapata’s has mastered two things: margaritas and tacos. For the grown-ups, there’s Los Tacos—a gluten-free and veggie-friendly chow with beef, chicken, or frijole covered in tomato salsa.
The kiddos, on the other hand, can enjoy their kids’ tacos combo. This is a no-nonsense and flavor-packed duo featuring your choice of beef, chicken, or veggie filling, all cuddled up in a soft tortilla with lettuce and cheese.
And finally, the margaritas: they’re mixing a classic glass with tequila and lime. Remember to try the frozen lemon version too—a blend of Triple Sec, frozen lemon juice, and tequila.
Sazón
Address: 3/19 Grenfell St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8221 6966
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Fri – 7 am to 3:30 pm
- Sat to Sun – Closed
Tacos made fancy is the name of the game at Sazón. Get the party started with their Acapulco taco—beer-battered flathead fillets accented by shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and jalapeno mayo.
The earthy champiñon taco is another great pick here. This dish’s stars are roasted Swiss brown mushrooms and halloumi, enhanced by pickled cabbage and guacamole.
And, of course, there’s our fave, the super meaty carne taco with a smoky 18-hour slow-cooked beef. This one is lit up with lettuce, salsa verde, chipotle crema, avocado, and pico de gallo.
El Mexicano Kitchen & Bar
Address: 92 Gawler Pl, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact Details: 0439 539 530
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 11:30 am to 9 pm
- Fri – 11:30 am to 10 pm
- Sat – 12 pm to 10 pm
- Sun – 12 pm to 9 pm
Street-style tacos served in an opulent fine dining space is what makes El Mexicano Kitchen & Bar a taco royalty in Adelaide.
Our top pick here is their savory and sweet chorizo taco flaunting pan-fried chorizo, pico de gallo, salsa, and a drizzle of chipotle aioli. If seafood is more your jam, the prawn taco will steal the show with its deep-fried crumbed prawns and mango salsa fresca.
Complement these tasty tacos with their espresso martini. This rich concoction has white rum, zesty lime, refreshing mint, Kahula, a shot of coffee, caramel notes, and more.
Cha Chi’s Mexican Cantina
Address: 493 Portrush Rd, Glenunga, SA 5064
Contact Details: (08) 8379 7171
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Sat – 5:30 pm to 9:15 pm
- Sun – Closed
With rustic decorations and a lush indoor garden, Cha Chi’s has legit Mexican resto vibes. The same thing can be said with their classic tacos filled with crunchy lettuce and gooey cheese.
For the young foodies, their kid’s taco is a hit. It includes 2 chicken or beef tacos, available in hard or soft shells, and accompanied by chips and a side of tomato sauce.
And of course, what’s a taco without some fantastic dips? Cha Chi’s has specialty sauces, including zesty salsa, traditional guacamole, and creamy and spiced-up chili con queso.
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