6 Best Taco Restaurants In Kelowna
Taco lovers, you guessed it…welcome to our list of the 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna!
Tacos are universally agreed upon as one of the best dishes on planet earth. Pizza is up there, no doubt. But who doesn’t love tacos? Flour or corn tortilla, deep fried or fresh, folded or rolled, with cheese or without, we don’t discriminate when it comes to the versatile taco. No matter which form they take, the answer is always the same: “I’ll take three!”
Our advice? Save yourself the airfare. You can enjoy authentic Mexican tacos right here in Kelowna, and we’ve taken the leg work out of it for you. That’s right, consider your next taco night sorted. With so many incredible options, we’ve somehow whittled it down to just six. In no particular order, here are the 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna.
Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen
With several outposts across the lower mainland, you can imagine our joy on discovering Hugo’s was coming to Kelowna! Admittedly, you’ll find a lot more than just tacos on the menu here. Aguachile, chicharrones, sopes, and flautas accent the menu, but tacos are the star of the show.
You’ll have your choice of barbacoa, chicken Tinga, pork carnitas, carne asana, pollo asado, cauliflor, and nopales — in other words, name your filling and they’ve got it! Do yourself a favour and finish things off with their perfectly golden deep fried churros. Fabulous margaritas to boot make this one of our favourite spots on this list of the 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna.
Hector’s Casa
Widely considered one of the original Mexican establishments in town, Hector’s Casa has been serving the community since 1999. Founded by Hector and his wife Laurie, the restaurant is now operated by Mexican born couple Mario and Martha. Hailing from Veracruz and Mazatlan respectively, Mexican chefs Juan Perez and Juan Hernandez have a joint 50 years experience on the culinary scene.
All of the classics are up for grabs (beef, pork, chicken, vegetable), plus fish and prawn tacos. Plenty of other authentic Mexican dishes can be enjoyed, including their pan seared snapper or mixiote — a lamb leg steamed with banana and avocado leaves. With an inviting atmosphere that evokes the spirit of Mexico — lively music, vibrant colours, festive artwork — we’re sure you’ll agree that Hector’s Casa earns its spot on our list of the 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna.
YLW Tacos
If Mexico teaches you one thing, let it be that the most mouthwatering food comes from food trucks. Certainly, the folks at YLW Tacos are reiterating this point here in Kelowna, landing them next on our list of the top 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna. What began as a humble food truck nestled along the main highway, YLW Tacos now also serves up its delicious Mexican fare inside the District Mall on Bernard street.
We love their simple, straightforward menu setup: pick your protein, pick your format (taco, burrito, burrito bowl, quesadilla), and pick your toppings. Good food made easy. Best of all, you can expect generous portions! Whereas many other taco joints leave you wanting more, YLW delivers on more than just big flavour, leaving you properly satiated. We’ll raise a margarita to that!
Chilango Modern Mexican
If the flashy, larger than life mural adorning the restaurant walls doesn’t knock your socks off, than surely the flavours will at Chilango Modern Mexican, located right downtown on Bernard Street. Translating to “Native of Mexico City”, Chilango has also taken on a cultural meaning, describing the blend and fusion of food, drink, and styles from various parts of Mexico. “Tradition meets modern” is certainly en vogue, and Chilango is embracing it with dishes like their Chimmi Bowl, a blend of red cabbage, cucumber, avocado, and chimichurri served on a bed of Mexican red quinoa.
Their assortment of creative huaraches, essentially hand made Mexican flatbread with delicious toppings like pork hock confit, chorizo, chicharron and grilled pineapple, are sure to impress. However, if you’ve come for the tacos, you won’t be disappointed! Sous-vide sirloin, pork belly pastor, or crispy fried pescado baja are just a few of our favorites. Check out Chilango Modern Mexican to see why they earn their spot on our list of the 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna.
El Taquero
Ask anyone in Kelowna where to find a consistency delicious taco and chances are, they’ll point you to El Taquero. Next up on our list of the 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna, El Taquero prides itself on delivering Mexico City style street tacos in a fun, casual environment. With Izzy, their resident Taquero (or “taco maker”) at the helm, you can count on freshly made, high quality, authentic Mexican tacos evoking the true flavours of Mexico.
A quick perusal of their menu reveals many family recipes, like their sensational beef birria and pescado Veracruz. Our recommendation would be to opt for the mix n’ match — three, four, or five tacos of your choosing with your choice of delicious sides. For a tried and true taste of Mexico, visit El Taquero on your next taco night!
Latin Fiesta
Always Bueno, Always Fresco. Now that’s a slogan we can get behind. Next on our list of the top 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna is Latin Fiesta, conveniently located on Hwy 33 in Rutland. If you visit for one dish only, let it be their locally famous Tacos Dorados, deep fried tacos served with Mexican salsa, guacamole, feta cheese and sour cream.
A vast array of other authentic Mexican dishes grace the menu at Latin Fiesta, like enchiladas, the chile relleno platter, and their pupusa, a corn tortilla stuffed with braised pork, cheese, and beans. With a focus on delivering exceptional Mexican cuisine, Latin Fiesta is a staple on the Mexican food scene as it rounds out our list of the top 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna.
Taco ‘bout an amazing invention: a small, hand-sized tortilla topped with delicious fillings, absolutely made for devouring. Our love of tacos is evident, and this list goes to show that we should want for nothing when it comes to getting our taco fix here in the city of Kelowna. We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the top 6 best taco restaurants in Kelowna and that you’ll have your chance to experience one for yourself soon.
If you’re looking for activities and experiences while you’re staying in the Okanagan, we highly recommend checking out a Kelowna Winery Tour. You won’t be disappointed! Enjoy.
