If we're being poetic at Cocina Digital, we would be guilty of describing tacos as being stories wrapped in tortillas, layered with centuries of flavor, culture, and creativity, and not just something we eat.

If we aren't being poetic, we would say that tacos are the perfect anytime-of-the-day-or-night meal. Whether you wish to enjoy a taco from a genuine taqueria like the majority of Mexico does, or whether you are outside of Mexico and enjoy an Americanized version on the catchy “Taco Tuesday” weeknight, not many people can say no to enjoying a taco.

Originally Mexican, tacos have aced the street vendor menus throughout the world. Regardless of being sold by street vendors, tacos are also a Mexican chef's cultural chess move when he or she wants to create one to impress fine diners in Mexico City.

Whether you're grabbing a quick bite or sitting down for a gourmet meal, tacos adapt to every taste and occasion — they have no boundaries.

In this article, we go beyond the basics, looking into lesser-known taco types, answering quirky questions like ‘who really invented the taco?’ and exploring the cultural significance of tacos in Mexico and beyond.

We'll even stir some controversy into this article by mentioning Taco Bell. Yeah, we said it!

We'll take a quick look at taco as part of pop culture and yes, we even have some taco jokes! After all, who doesn't love taco jokes, right?!

Welcome to Iconic Foods & Dishes: Tacos, presented by Cocina Digital.

What Is a Taco?

Tacos involve using a tortilla and filling it with different things. That's it.

In that simplicity, there is much variety. Tacos may be served in soft or fried forms, hot or mild, with meat or without. A taco may be served with chopped onions, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, shredded cabbage, cheese, or even a little bit of lime.

Usually, tacos are prepared on corn tortillas. However, flour tortillas are also common, particularly in the north of Mexico and the southwestern United States.

The meat filling can be as simple as grilled meat and as complex as a slow-cooked stew with an array of spices.

However, tacos are usually small in size and are meant to be handheld. They are quick to make, easy to eat, and are popular among all socioeconomic classes. This is one of the reasons as to why they've gained so much popularity as both a street food and in home cooking.

Regardless of how they are prepared, tacos are popular because of one primary factor: they can be adjusted to an individual's or regional population's liking.

A taco does not have one specific way that it is must be prepared and that is what makes it so special.

Where Do Tacos Come From?

Tacos have long been one of the most popular foods. Still, many people ask: “where do tacos come from?”

The response brings us back to a distant past. Tacos date back long before Spanish colonization of the Americas, to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Native populations had already been producing a corn tortilla and using it to eat cooked meats, vegetables as well as chili based fillings.

The very word taco is thought to be the translation of the Nahuatl term, “tlahco”, meaning the middle. This was food put in between a tortilla, folded, and held up and eaten.

Spanish explorers wrote about how native people employed tortillas as eating utensils. Food historian Jeffrey M. Pilcher states that early forms of tacos were already consumed by the 18th century.

Tacos were first referred to in Mexican literature in the silver mining days when food was rolled in tortillas by the miners. These were referred to as the “tacos de minero” or “miner tacos”.

It was a convenient, quick-to-travel, no-nonsense meal, which utilized basic ingredients. Since that modest origin, tacos have embarked on a path of international popularity.

Who Invented Tacos?

In case you had a question about “who invented tacos” or “who invented the taco” you will find that there is no one individual who can claim credit.

Tacos changed their shape with time. Something closely resembling modern tacos was being consumed by native Mexican communities long before there was even a semi-official recipe.

But, the taco as a named dish began to enter the scene in the 18th century. Tacos turned into a quick yet relatively inexpensive meal served by miners in Central Mexico, to street vendors in Mexico City.

The introduction of Taco Bell in 1962 played a huge role in popularizing tacos across American households. This marked a shift from street food to mainstream cuisine.

Are Tacos From Mexico?

Yes, tacos are Mexican. They have a great connection with Mexican culture with their history as well as their flavors and traditions.

Despite being popularized around the world and thousands of different fusion variants of the taco created, it still remains one of the classic Mexican meals.

Every part of Mexico has a local preparation of them and even little towns can have their own varieties of tacos.

Popular Types of Tacos

Tacos come in countless forms, but each iconic variety tells a story. A story about migration, region, or absolute culinary creativity. Below are some legendary types of tacos and the fascinating tales behind them.

1. Tacos al Pastor: A Lebanese-Mexican Fusion

Tacos al Pastor is made by marinating pork with dried chillies, spices and pineapple.

The meat is roasted on a vertical spit (based on Lebanese shawarma) and is cut thin onto tortillas.

For their toppings, usually the most common items are onions, cilantro, and pineapple pieces.

2. Carne Asada Tacos: A Northern Border Favorite

Up north, near the U.S.–Mexico border, beef is king. That’s where carne asada tacos thrive, it is built around grilled steak, often cooked over mesquite wood for a deep smoky flavor.

Cattle ranching flourished in northern Mexico, and the carne asada taco became a symbol of backyard barbecues and casual gatherings. It's more than a meal, it's a lifestyle you could say.

3. Carnitas Tacos: Rich, Festive, and Made for Sharing

Carnitas literally means “little meats,”but there's nothing little about the flavor. Originated in Michoacán, these tacos are made from pork slowly braised in its own fat until it's fall-apart tender. Traditionally prepared during festivals and family celebrations, carnitas are usually served by the kilo.

4. Fish Tacos: Baja's Gift to the World

In Baja California, tacos met the ocean and never looked back. Fish tacos are often made with battered white fish, cabbage, and creamy salsa.

They have been favorites of tourists visiting Baja California, particularly the port city of Ensenada, since the mid-20th century.

5. Quesabirria Tacos: The Instagram Darling

Imagine shredded beef slow-cooked in chile-spiced broth, stuffed into a cheese-filled tortilla, then pan-fried until crispy and served with the same broth for dipping. That's quesabirria, a fusion of birria stew and quesadilla.

6. Tacos de Canasta: Steamed, Stacked, and Street-Ready

Also known as basket tacos, these soft, pre-filled tacos are wrapped and steamed in a basket to stay warm for hours. Popular among office workers and students in Mexico City, they're a clever, on-the-go solution to busy urban life.

7. Lengua and Suadero Tacos: Tongues Are Meant for Eating

In central Mexico, adventurous eaters seek out tacos filled with lengua (beef tongue) or suadero (thin beef cuts simmered in fat). These aren't your beginner tacos, but they're beloved for their bold, rich textures and deep umami flavor.

Tacos Around the World

Tacos may have been born in Mexico, but they've long since packed their bags and taken up residency around the world, adapting to local cultures, tastes, and ingredients.

Tacos in the United States: Tex-Mex to Food Truck Fame

In the U.S., tacos evolved rapidly. From the hard-shell creations of Taco Bell in the '60s to the modern gourmet taco trucks of LA, tacos have become American comfort food.

Japan: A Minimalist Take

In Japan, tacos have landed in izakayas and street stalls, often reimagined with local flavors. Think about wasabi-infused slaws, tempura shrimp tacos, or even nori shells replacing tortillas. It’s East meets West, with a hint of umami.

Brazil: Tacos with a Twist

In Brazil, tacos are often loaded with local meats like picanha or chicken hearts and topped with farofa or tropical fruits.

Tacos are more of a novelty there, but when they appear, they're bold and festive, just like the culture itself.

India: Spices and Street Food Vibes

Indian chefs and home cooks alike have embraced tacos, often using roti or paratha as the tortilla and stuffing them with spiced paneer, butter chicken, or chickpea masala. It’s a match made in masala heaven.

Time to Pick Sides

Sadly, despite universal love for tacos, there are factions within the taco world who operate in the shadows and do nothing more than sow the seeds of discord in the harmonious taco universe.

You might think of them being to tacos what Loki is to Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) — just making problems.

We at Cocina Digital are not so petty that we're going to use labels such as “Loki” to refer to anyone. And why should we when we can all agree that the correct term is the “Taco Illuminati.” The intelligentsia.

And what is the Taco Illuminati, you ask?

The Taco Illuminati are those who blabber on and on about everything regarding what a “good” taco is, all the cultural rules about how to eat a taco — standing up or seated, whether it can only be with corn tortillas, and whether it is “al pastor” or “de adobada” for a favorite style of tacos .

You most likely have run into them.

They judge you for what sauces or garnishes you like with your taco, nothing is ever cooked to their satisfaction, no taco that they eat nowadays can compare to some taqueria in their hometown that probably never existed in the way that they describe it.

The Taco Illuminati can take a good time and treat it the way a baby treats a diaper.

Tacos in Pop Culture

Tacos are also a pop culture symbol. Taco-themed merchandise and Taco Tuesday memes have put this simple food in everyday lexicon.

The restaurants are battling over whose tacos are the best, food bloggers are sharing countless items on taco reviews, and even athletes such as LeBron James have come out and said that they love tacos.

National Taco Day is a United States food holiday that is celebrated annually on October 4th, but it is now reported to not be date-specific, but rather, the first Tuesday of October.

Why a Tuesday? Here's a hashtag to help you figure it out: #TacoTuesday.

These type of fun food holidays help tacos remain in the limelight of food culture among the generations.

Netflix premiered a well-received documentary called the “Taco Chronicles” (Spanish: Las Crónicas del Taco) that was about... you guessed it: tacos!

Each episode covered one of the many well known styles of tacos in Mexico.

Taco Humor

Tacos have also found their way into humor. From memes to jokes, tacos are a source of endless amusement. Here are a few taco jokes to lighten your day:

Why are tortillas such bad conversationalists?
They always tacover you!

Why shouldn't you trust tacos?
Because they always spill the beans!

What did the taco say to the burrito?
“You guac my world!”

Why doesn't anyone know Taco Bell's secret recipe?
Because they keep it under wraps!

A group of women with their sides aching from laughing so hard at telling each other taco jokes. “Ayy, amiga, I just sharted!”

From Tortillas to Traditions, Tacos Tell a Story Worth Savoring

Coming back to the question of where do tacos come from, well their exact origin may be hard to pinpoint, but their cultural impact is unmistakable.

From street stalls in Mexico City to food trucks in Los Angeles, tacos have earned their place as one of the world’s most liked — and iconic! — foods.