TACO TALK - 405 Magazine
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Mexican food is as diverse as its namesake nation is large; it’s the 13th largest country in the world. And while it’s often viewed as a monolithic form, the cuisine is regionally specific: Aguascalientes, Baja, Cardenas, Durango, Jalisco, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Sonora and Yucatan, among others. All contribute something to the category we reductively lump under the banner “Mexican food.”

What they all share, though, is the taco – a dish that didn’t get its name until the late 19th century, but as Mexican food historian and Los Angeles Times journalist Gustavo Arellano likes to say: “Tacos have existed since there was a tortilla, even if they didn’t exist by that name. So they’ve been around since time immemorial.”

Oklahoma City is home to many examples of Mexico’s regional taquerias, and we have a strong tradition of Tex-Mex and gringo tacos. It’s impossible to catalog all the tacos in the city, but we made a delicious effort, and along with an introduction to some wonderful Mexican food pioneers, what follows is our overview and occasional deep dive into the 405’s taco scene.

Click below to explore OKC’s tour of tacos: