Please Note: Some of the dishes on this crawl have most likely changed as some restaurants provide seasonal options. Nevertheless, each location is sure to have a tasty alternative.
From the authentic flair of 'Mexico' restaurants sweeping the city, to the infamously hard to find Lucky Taco food truck - Mexican fever has really dominated Auckland's food culture for the last few years. What better dish to experience authentic flavours than the humble taco. Though it may seem simple, the taco has taken on many forms and flavours.
Although solo missions are great, food crawls are a social experience so bring a group of mates to enjoy it with and share your photos and thoughts with the rest of us, using #aklfoodcrawl on Twitter and Instagram.
While most Kiwi's experience with tacos were the crunchy shell Old El Paso taco kits Mum would buy from Pak'nSave when she was feeling culturally experimental, they're now a staple item at any respectable Mexican food venue, and provide the perfect platform for chefs to show off their creative flair in the kitchen. Tacos are also the only item on the menu that you can reasonably eat 5 or 6 of in a day without stuffing yourself full of rice.
Gathered below is our curated food crawl of 5 Auckland Mexican food joints and our recommendations of which tacos to eat at each location. Tacos use only the best of fresh ingredients so the options available may differ depending on the time of the year.
Total crawl time is approximately 5 hours - 1 hour total travel time and around 4 hours of eating if you take it easy. You can probably cram it under 2.5 hours if speed is your agenda but it is better served slower and with great company.
The Crawl
On this food crawl you will visit 5 different Mexican restaurants; The Flying Burrito Brothers, Mexican Specialties, Mama Loco, Mexicali Fresh and Mexico.
Flying Burrito Brothers
Newmarket
Location: 65 Davis Crescent, Newmarket, Auckland
Dish: Pulled pork tacos with slaw and pickled onions
Price: $16 for 2 or $22 for 3 same-filling tacos
Website: http://www.flyingburritobrothers.co.nz
Our first stop on this amazing day out is the beautifully decorated 'Flying Burrito Brothers' situated in the heart of Newmarket. Most of the locations on the crawl serve various types of Mexican drinks and this is no different. You can start out the journey with a nice authentic beer but make sure not to fill up too much on the drinks, the tacos are the star of the show.
Our choice of taco from this location is a pulled pork taco with colourful slaw and pickled onions to top it off. These tacos are definitely some of the larger and generous of the crawl with a considerable portion of pulled pork on top. With a twist of lemon and a steady grip you are ready to go.
Located just off the main street, it's a great quiet location
The pork holds such a great amount of flavour while staying tender and juicy. The slaw gives it just the right amount of body to really have a filling impact and just a bit of a bite of the pickled onions balances out the spice with a bitter kick. If you are doing this crawl with a few other people it can be a bit of a battle to hold back from eating more than one but just remember there are many other mysteries on this tour. Jump in the car and you are off to Ellerslie.
Mexican Specialties
Ellerslie
Location: 92 Marua Road, Ellerslie, Auckland
Dish: Spiced chicken tacos with avocado and corriander
Price: $15 each
Website: http://www.mexicanspecialities.co.nz
These guys are the real deal.
Located in the side streets of Ellerslie lies a true gem of authentic Mexican cuisine. Though you should check their website for their minor opening hours, this is one stop you do not want to miss.
Fresh produce and amazing decor
Turning up at this little venue which from the outside looks like a little mom and dad cafe can be a bit weary but once you walk in those doors you will see what this place truely holds. Menus chalked on boards and authentic ingredients lining shelves near the counter, it is definetly a sign of great things to come.
There are 3 taco options; beef, chicken or prawn. That's all. I couldn't fault a single one. On our crawl we decided upon the chicken as it best paired with the other tacos for the remainder with the crawl. These tacos are a little more dear than the other locations at $15 dollars each so we decided to have half a taco each which still gives an deep flavour profile. While waiting for your meal to arrive, have a look at the authentic produce which line the walls, each item more exotic than the next.
Once it arrives at your table you will be overwhelmed by the amazing aroma. These taco are wrapped much more like a burrito but that just best holds the flavour inside. You may notice the red specks doning the top of the taco.
That is the secret ingredient which lifts the taco to the next level.
The seasoning is a flavoured salt aptly named 'Magic Powder'. Chilli and lime infused salt has the right kick of salty, spicy and sour all in one small taste which gives a flavour explosion.
Once you take a bite of the taco, your mouth won't know what hit it. Succulent chicken, sharp coriander, creamy avocado and a spice profile that cannot be beat. Simple ingredients executed perfectly.
The chicken is cooked using the very ingredients available for purchase at the counter so be sure to stock up on some amazing produce before moving on to the next location. Be sure to come back for the other meals they have to offer as every single one is as good as the next. Now for just a quick drive down to Sylvia Park.
Mama Loco
Sylvia Park
Location: Sylvia Park, 286 Mt Wellington Highway, Mt Wellington, Auckland
Dish: Lamb tacos with poached pear and chimichurri sauce
Price: $13.90 for 2 tacos
Website: http://www.mamaloco.co.nz
Mama Loco is a spot that can be easy to miss when you are in the heart of Sylvia Park but is not a location to skip on this crawl. Located just on the outside of Sylvia Park, Mama Loco has a charm from inside to outside that stands up with the other restaurants nearby.
From floor to ceiling, everything is vibrant
The decor is inventive and the staff are inviting. Take a seat and browse through the various tacos and drinks they have available. At the time a particular drink, 'Lagerita' was available which we jumped all over. Agave nectar and Sol beer in a sugar dipped stein was an opportunity not to miss.
Our taco of choice from this location was a welcome change from our other menu items. While most locations offer the regular chicken, prawn or beef, Mama Loco went against the grain with a lamb taco offering. What intrigued us even further was the flavour pairing.
Succulent lamb, slaw, topped with a beautiful bell pepper chimichurri dressing and the unique item, poached pear. This taco was quite a step lower on the heat scale compared to the other tacos but it doesn't hold back on the flavour. If you are reluctant to try it, I urge you to give it a go as it lives up to a high standard. If you are looking for a little more of a punch, they have a selection of hot sauces nearby to liven things up!
If you are feeling a little peckish still after this taco, Mama Loco serves a delicious tortilla chips and guacamole but remember there are still a few stops left to hit up. Before heading out the door, grab a taco loyalty card and a few stamps to match as i'm sure you will be back for more in future. Head back to the car and make your way back to Ellerslie township.
Mexicali Fresh
Ellerslie
Location: 2 Robert St, Ellerslie, Auckland
Dish: Slow roasted beef tacos with whatever you like
Price: $6.60 each
Website: http://www.mexicalifresh.co.nz
This is a venue i'm sure you have all visited in the past. Serving the Auckland community for over 10 years, Mexicali has truly stood the test of time and become one of the favorites of many. While their tacos may not have such exotic names or ingredients, Mexicali is a great next stop as their food packs a punch.
While serving a wide variety of Mexican food, the tacos can certainly hold their own against other in the list. From the humble mince or bean taco to the chargrilled chicken or pulled pork, made just the way you like it. As a group, we decided on some of the regular mince tacos and some slow roasted beef tacos, with a cheeky little bit of guacamole to top it off.
Having an option of hard or soft shell is different experience from this venue. All of the other locations only serve on a soft shell so a crunchy crisp shell is a welcome change. Having decisions of the other ingredients for your taco filling is a nice change of pace also.
Mexicali delivers everything it promises, tasty food at an affordable price and friendly service. The slow roasted beef tacos are juicy and full of flavour while the mince tacos are a simple yet delicious meal. After eating, it's just a brisk walk to the final stop on our journey.
Mexico
Ellerslie
Location: 120 Main Hwy, Ellerslie, Auckland
Dish: Beef tacos with onion rings and pork crackling
Price: $7 each
Website: http://mexico.net.nz
We have reached the last leg of our amazing food crawl. 'Mexico' is a quaint and well decorated restaurant with a large variety of choices in authentic Mexican cuisine. Take a seat, browse through the menu and get ready for your final meal of the crawl. Well known for their sangrias and delicious fried chicken, you are in for a treat.
Our choice from this venue was a beef, alcaparra crema, onion rings, pork crackling and coriander soft shell taco. A beautiful flavour profile with great textures and crunchy pork crackling? What's not to love. Blackboards nearby showed the daily specials and a chicken mince taco piqued our interest.
We also indulged with Blanco sangria consisting of Sauvignon blanc, peach, passion fruit, apple, pineapple, ginger and lime for a refreshing end to the day. Throw a delicious guacamole, tortilla chips and the Auckland famous fried chicken with dipping sauces, surprisingly, we were ready for feast.
The drinks and food arrived quickly, met with great joy. The beef tacos live up to their expectations, being creamy, crunchy, juicy, spicy, aromatic and downright mouth watering. The chicken tacos were a flavour much different from any of the other tacos from the crawl. Coriander lifts the depth in each of the tacos for a very lasting taste.
Homemade tortilla chips and guacamole topped with peanut and fresh chilli was a welcome addition. Beautiful flavours and very well constructed, the dish was a refreshing palate cleanser. Mexico's fried chicken lived up to it's name in every single way. Crisp, flavourful, well seasoned, juicy, tender fried chicken with 2 creamy dipping sauces. If they had a fried chicken taco, I would choose it every single time.
If you are looking for a nice sweet end to the meal (and probably last meal of the day) we urge you to try their churros. Much different to the street food churros you are most likely used to, these are crisp and crunchy with a tasty flavour pairing. The dish arrives on a board with creamy milk chocolate and caramelized ginger pieces ready for you to dig it which I highly recommend. Well presented with a great taste to match.
With that, we have reached the end of the Auckland taco food crawl. If you are thinking about embarking on this amazing day of indulgence, we urge you to share this page on Facebook or Twitter and coerce you friends to join you. Though this could be taken upon oneself (with a very full stomach), this is a social outing and one to be enjoyed by all.
Below are buttons to share this page with friends and family. If you have any recommendations of locations or themes for our future crawls, please contact us at team@foodcrawl.co.nz
Most of all, enjoy =)
