Where to Find Ottawa's Best Tacos — From Birria Broth to Cricket
A curated selection from five years of reviews: slow-cooked barbacoa, fresh-fried shrimp, and thoughtfully prepared beef brisket at parking lot pop-ups and cosy eateries.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ottawa tacos bring variety and authenticity: beef brisket, pork belly, fresh-fried shrimp, and for the curious, cricket — a protein staple in Mexican cuisine with a nutty, earthy flavour. Spots range from parking lot pop-ups with simple toppings to cosy eateries with fresh tortillas and full tequila bars.
Ay Wey! Mexican Street Tacos, opened in fall 2025 by longtime Ottawa chef Juan Carlos Dominguez on McArthur Avenue, specializes in tacos al pastor featuring marinated pork slow-roasted on a vertical spit. Dominguez, a Mexico City native, offers four kinds of al pastor tacos including one with a special darker, earthier marinade, one with griddled cheese, and a vegan version made with soy. If pork isn't your choice, the beef brisket ("suadero") tacos are sublime and the chicken tinga tacos outshine dryer specimens around the city. These tacos are also halal. Beyond cocktails, regional Mexican dishes such as tlayudas and sopa tarasca speak to Dominguez's determination to present the authentic fare of his homeland.
Other standouts include spots serving house-made salsas that bring heat without overpowering, tender beef tongue, and birria served with a side of broth. Options range from hole-in-the-wall taquerias to sit-down places with more ambitious menus to trucks generally open from May through October.
Prices, portion sizes, and each taco's best qualities vary across the city's growing taco culture.