Hijo de Su Madre

After learning he was prediabetic in his mid-20s, Gregory Owens decided to go vegan—and put his own twist on his mother’s Yucatecan recipes in the process. One thing led to another, and the self-taught chef founded Hijo de Su Madre as a food truck in 2019. Now, he and his wife Amber run this no-frills strip mall joint in West L.A., where you’ll find tacos made with flavorful jackfruit-based cochinita pibil, playful banh mi-inspired tofu and deep-fried Baja “fish” (quinoa-battered daikon radish). All tacos can also be made into heftier burritos or grain bowls, but you’ll likely want to save room for Owens’s other Yucatecan specialties, like mushroom-stuffed cabbage rolls, papadzules (egg-stuffed rolled tortillas) and sikil pak, a traditionally vegan Mayan dip made with pumpkin seeds. Owens also offers occasional one-of-a-kind tasting dinners—subscribe to Hijo de Su Madre’s email newsletter for updates.