The best Mexican restaurants in Melbourne

It’s largely acknowledged that La Tortilleria does the best Mexican in Melbourne. With its primary colours paint job and Frida Kahlo murals, it’s a lush oasis in an otherwise drab patch of Kensington. Since launching in 2013, they’ve cemented their role as Melbourne’s premier tortilla makers, so even if you haven’t made it to their shop, chances are you’ll have sampled some of their goods around town (the Happy Mexican and Mesa Verde use the crew’s authentic corn tortillas). Come straight to the source for a sumptuous feast of chilaquiles – fried tortilla strips topped with piquant salsa roja, cheeses and smooth crema – and tacos filled with achiote-spiced pork, corn-battered fish or vegan chorizo with roasted potatoes. In proper Mexican fashion, they double-layer their tortillas for extra stability. Plus, everything is gluten-free, and plant-based meat substitutes are aplenty, so everyone can join in the fun.

Birria quesatacos – that is, tacos where beef brisket is braised for hours in a rich, bright red stew, the tortilla itself is fried up with Oaxacan cheese, and a spicy consommé is made for dipping – are traditional to the Mexican state of Jalisco, but many Melburnians encountered them for the first time on the menu of food truck Dingo Ate My Taco. Oscillating between 417 St Kilda Road on Thursdays and Collingwood’s Mill Brewery from Friday to Sunday, the food truck has gained a cult following for its birria – but it’s also one of the few places you can enjoy Mexican corn fungus and beer-battered fried avocado in a taco. With co-founders Katherine Simkins and her husband originally from Austin, the Tex-Mex influence is strong.

Sparsely decorated with bright pops of colour synonymous with the Mexican flag and jaunty Latin music playing from within its confines, new Johnston Street eatery El Columpio is bringing a slice of homestyle cooking to an oft-underappreciated quarter of Fitzroy. 

Tortas and Tacos has livened up a strip traditionally associated with late-night shenanigans – think live music institution Old Bar and afrobeats club Laundry – but things remain tough for restaurants bold enough to set up shop in a stretch that can only be described as having bad ‘feng shui’. Vegan pinchos bar Follies shuttered after only a year and a half, citing the cost-of-living crisis. Doncaster Chinese vegetarian import Vegie Mum survived a far bit longer, but it too is shutting its doors at the end of this month. But not all is lost for those looking for a bite in the vicinity – not if El Columpio has anything to do with it. 

Established by chef Ricardo Garcia Flores as part of a dream to introduce Melburnians to the family heirloom Mexican dishes he grew up with, El Columpio has a short but sweet menu. If you arrive before midday, you’ll be treated to a breakfast menu that comprises tamales and chilaquiles. Arrive after midday and the menu is identical, no matter if you arrive at 1pm or 8pm – expect the traditional Mexican soup pozole, a selection of tacos and a few sides. Weekend specials round things off – when we visit, it’s tacos de barbacoa estilo Hidalgo, one of the most famous exports of the state north of Mexico City, which sees lamb wrapped in agave leaves and slow-cooked in an underground pit. 

El Columpio’s pozole is a warm and nourishing bowl of chicken and pork soup – we went for the mixed option on our waitstaff’s recommendation. Shot through with the herbiness of oregano and a sumptuous heft courtesy of the hominy kernels, the soup is artfully topped with radish rounds and lettuce, further enhancing its properties as an antidote to fast approaching winter. For some welcome crunch, housemade tostadas drizzled with a sour cream crema are there for some textural contrast between spoonfuls. Don’t forget the squeeze of lime over the pozole. 

The vegetarian taco presents nopales (thick, oval stems of prickly pear cactus) interspersed with mushrooms, tossed in a piquant green tomatillo sauce. Heat-filled without being overwhelming and with a beautiful interplay of textures between the mushrooms and the green bean-like strips of nopales, the taco has an added earthiness from refried beans and diced onions. 

A bowl is typically placed underneath barbacoa to catch its juices, becoming a consommé. Steeped in the deeply savoury flavours of the lamb, the consommé that arrives alongside the tacos de barbacoa estilo Hidalgo is a revelation. Light and thin yet incredibly aromatic, it recalls a Southeast Asian oxtail soup – fresher than the heavier goat or beef stew that typically accompanies birria tacos. As with birria, you dip your taco in the consommé but if you’re a fan of slightly higher-than-usual levels of saltiness, it’s equally a treat drunk like a soup. Spoon up the carrots and chickpeas that have sunk to the bottom, drenched in the umaminess of the broth. 

Hot sauces are a staple at Mexican restaurants but dare I say this as a spice fiend who’s never happy unless her mouth is slightly on fire: El Columpio’s flavours are so delicately well-balanced that a strong hot sauce would potentially drown out the complexity of what’s at play here. 

Whatever you do, don’t skip dessert. Doused in a golden caramel syrup, the flan napolitano is firmer than you’d expect but in an entirely pleasing way – bouncy and bubbly-like. 

El Columpio’s minimalist yet charming interiors – plain white walls, patches of exposed brick – mirror the unpretentious food at the centre of it all. Served up on bright pink and neon green plates, the no-frills presentation belies the depth of flavour and subtle nuance of the dishes on offer. If you’re hankering for Mexican food that extends beyond a-dime-a-dozen iterations of a battered fish taco (as delectable as they are), pay El Columpio a visit. 

Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.

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The CDMX team have brought a truly special dining experience to Lygon Street, with genuinely mood-lifting eats and drinks, sunny service and authentic Mexican street flavours difficult to find elsewhere in the city. Our verdict’s in: these are the best damn tacos in Melbourne, and we know exactly where we’re going for lunch next weekend.

North Melbourne institution El Sabor has history behind it. Born and bred in Mexico City, Cesar Duran took over El Sabor after opening one of Melbourne’s first tortillerias, El Cielo, in Airport West in 2012. El Sabor’s menu features your usual suspects like quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas and chilaquiles but also spotlights more homestyle dishes like black beans soup steeped in chicken broth and cream as well as alambres, a popular Mexican staple where grilled chicken, beef or tofu (the last a speciality of El Sabor’s plant-friendly menu) is topped with capsicum, onions and mozzarella. The expansive two-storey venue has two distinct moods: noisy and vibrant downstairs, with intricately wallpapered interiors, an ornate chandelier and a more formal register upstairs. 

Planning a trip to the Yarra Valley? If you're after a wine and dining experience that's a bit more out-of-the-box, No.7 is the place to book. Unique for the region, the kitchen is dishing up some of the tastiest Mexican-influenced fare in the state – best enjoyed via the set menu option at $80 a head. Tuck into share plates like tlayuda (a traditional Oaxacan-style tostada) topped with camote, chickpea, baked ricotta; saucisson with guindillas peppers; chicken asado skewers with nectarine salsa; and chilli peppers stuffed with charcoal zucchini, manchego and pesto.

If you have an affinity for Mexican food and agave-based spirits, then make the trek up to the very top floor of Curtin House where you'll find Mesa Verde. This Mexican eatery is home to one of Australia's most extensive ranges of tequila and mezcal and offers a menu that blends traditional Mexican food with native Australian ingredients. 

Fun, flavour-packed tacos, cocktails and craft beers are the order of the day at this Fitzroy favourite. Long beloved for its perennially cool vibes (think turntables spinning soul and reggae) and cheery staff, it's an idyllic destination for easy, street-style Mexican dinners with friends, blind date nights and everything in between. And what to order? The fish tacos are popular, but it's the zesty lil' mushroom bad boys that have stolen this writer's heart. 

Skirting the periphery of the city in the often-forgotten pocket of West Melbourne, the brightly adorned Hello José has become known for its boozy brunches – a $65-per-person deal that encompasses two hours of bottomless beers, bubbles, sangria and tacos. But what it’s lesser known for are its exquisite chipotle chilli chicken wings; take your pick from tangy- or sweet-coated wings served to you by the sixes. The house-pressed soft corn tortillas are handmade to order, and vegan taco lovers are well catered for with cactus enveloped by tomatillos and black beans as well as a plant-friendly iteration of chorizo that swaps out fatty sausage meat for well-spiced, minced cauliflower.

Balaclava’s beloved local Si Senor Art Taqueria – now with an outpost in Hampton – is a feast for the senses. Having recently moved from its cavernous 2013 site that used to be a former Chinese takeaway spot, Si Senor now sits a few blocks away in a much larger venue on 219 Carlisle Street. Large custom artworks and murals backdrop your enjoyment of ten different varieties of tacos (classics like battered flathead and chorizo sit alongside the more unusual grilled prawns and smoked lamb shoulder), while the covered backyard is ideal for Melbourne’s ever-changing weather. Happy hour remains firmly a feature of the present at Si Senor if you arrive before 5pm – think $14 Margaritas and $6 Coronas. 

An opening that set Collingwood abuzz in 2016, Hotel Jesus comes courtesy of Mamasita’s Matt Lane and Nick Peters. First things first: this Smith Street stalwart is designed to be fast and fabulous, so don’t expect sterling table service. Instead, tick off a selection of tacos, crunchy tostadas and punchy ceviches. Top picks include grilled slabs of queso fresco, the bright citrus-cured scallop ceviche, and the Mexico City staple of volcanoes – crisp corn tortillas curled at the edges and heaped with toppings that range from adobo lamb to pibil fungi. To drink, knock back mezcal rhubarb sour (a staff favourite), the salt-rimmed house Margarita or a smoky Negroni with the addition of infused vermouth. PSA: the sun-drenched, white-tiled space is eye-wateringly bright – best wear your shades if you’re nursing a hangover.

South of the border, the standout is Radio Mexico. Pull up a rickety chair on the footpath or slip into the thatched-roof cantina for top-notch tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas. At $7.50-$9.50 a pop, these are some of Melbourne’s pricier tacos, but you’re paying for generous, inventive toppings, such as the guajillo-marinated tofu with sweet-sour hibiscus flowers and garlic butter-grilled scallops with pork crackling. If you like your taco with a bit of extra crunch, order the costras: crisp tortillas with a grilled cheese crust loaded with slow-cooked pork and slaw. Extra love goes into the drinks, too, like the Herradura Margaritas with freshly pressed lime juice, and the cajeta caramel milkshake. 

After extensive restorations led by the Bodriggy crew, this historic boozer has returned to its roots as a grand, true-blue pub. On the food front, Chef Johnny Dominguez (Bodriggy Brewing Co, Vue de Monde) brings his Mexican heritage to the table with a crowd-pleasing menu of Latin American-inspired eats. Think 12-hour beef brisket torta with spicy pickles onions, chimichurri and birria broth; grilled market fish with moqueca sauce and crispy jalapeno; and a churro ice cream sanga for dessert. There's plenty of sides and if you're feeling indecisive, you can do a generous 'Feed Me' menu at $75 a head.

Head to the Collingwood end of Hoddle Street for something other than bumper-to-bumper traffic. Jalisco’s birria finds itself in a taco again on The Happy Mexican’s menu, as does ox tongue cooked in piquant pasilla chilli (lengua) and chicken breast roasted in a heady concoction of guajillo chilli and achiote sauce (pollo pibil). The inviting warm yellow interiors, decked out in the green, white and red stripes of the Mexican flag and bright blue shelves, is the perfect backdrop to enjoy daily alternating specials – think half-price tacos on Tuesdays, $12 burritos on Thursdays and $12 Margaritas on Fridays. 

Acknowledging the provenance of each item on his menu is important to Superchido restaurateur Daniel Pineda. CDMX – shorthand for Ciudad de Mexico, or Mexico City – is peppered across the menu, as are Jalisco, Veracruz and Yucatan. The relative newcomer to Seddon was started up by Daniel Pineda, a former engineer who fell in love with Mexican cuisine when he visited and who has spent his time since recreating what he tasted for the benefits of westsiders. Popular regional specialties like al pastor, birria and conchinita pibil are complemented by a drinks menu with the likes of horchata – both with and without rum – and cocktails that extend beyond Margaritas to include a fiery Paloma and super Iced Tea with Gin and Supermaté Soda.

The queues that snaked their way up to what used to be the iconic Recorded Music Salon have all but disappeared, but Mamasita remains a trusty go-to, particularly for those with sensitive stomachs who don’t want their Mexican with a side of a belly ache – there’s a dedicated FODMAP menu, and staff are well-versed at serving coeliacs and vegans. After all that time, we’re still digging the cochinita pibil tacos with meltingly soft, slow-roasted pork and burnt tomatillo salsa, the punchy tuna tartare tostaditas, and the perennial Mamasita bestseller of street corn slathered with chipotle mayo, salty queso and lime. The drinks offering has always been strong – the Tamarind Margarita alone is worth its salt (rim), but if the tartness of tamarind isn’t to your liking, take your pick from five other Margaritas, micheladas (Mexican beer with sangrita, lime and salt), wines and a healthy non-alcohol selection. 

Serving dishes inspired by the owners' travels through Central Mexico and the Yucatan, this colourful Northcote eatery (situated on what's been crowned the coolest street in the world) offers curious visitors a taste of authentic Mexican cuisine – without the exxy flight tickets. The seasonal menu spans both cold and warm dishes over the year, and as it's a street food-style establishment, your eats are best enjoyed straight out of the kitchen (note: it's dine in only and no takeaway). 

It’s hard to beat the buzz of Los Hermanos in Brunswick. Meaning 'the Brothers', this good-times taqueria is filled with rainbow-hued flags and tightly packed tables, though most of its seating is in the undercover rear courtyard – making it a perfect choice for our times. A short and sharp menu dishes out soft tacos with the standout fillings of smoky field mushrooms and maize-battered fish, and flautas – slender tortilla cigars filled with potatoes and your choice of either poblano peppers, chipotle beef or chipotle chicken. You’re either going to love the DIY guacamole or wish the kitchen had just mashed it all together for you. Call us lazy, but we lean towards the latter. There’s no such debate on the Margarita front – these salt-rimmed stunners strike the perfect balance between sour, sweet and downright boozy. If you’re in Fitzroy, visit sister outpost Little Hop for much of the same. 

An eye-catching red and white branded food truck – replete with limited seating in the form of bright scarlet stools – Frankie’s is less a roving food truck, more a permanent fixture on Smith Street. ‘Torta’ is the Spanish word for ‘cake’, but in Mexico, it’s synonymous with ‘sandwich’ or in Frankie’s case, a fluffy bun spread with butter and topped with miscellaneous proteins ranging from smoky grilled mushrooms to fresh fish crumbed in house – each finished with pickled onion, lettuce, avocado and coriander. There’s a relatively concise taco selection at three varieties, but keep your eyes peeled for specials like the bone marrow beef brisket and grilled chicken with pineapple and mango salsa. Frankie’s has been building on its alcoholic selection – you can supplement your tortas or tacos with the medium-bodied lager of Modelo Negra or capitalise on the seltzer trend of late by ordering the fermented pineapple beverage of canned Tepache.