Austin Breakfast Tacos: What They Are and Where to Find Them
If you ask any Austin resident to name their hometown’s most notable culinary achievements, their list will undoubtedly include one handheld dish for which the Lone Star Capital is truly iconic: the breakfast taco.
The city contains any number of restaurants and food trucks dedicated to this ATX classic, but certain neighborhoods boast an especially high density of excellent breakfast taco destinations, making them mandatory additions to any taco crawl itinerary.
First of all: what is a breakfast taco?
In the simplest possible terms, a breakfast taco is a tortilla wrap that includes eggs (usually scrambled), cheese (usually Monterey Jack or cheddar), salsa (either salsa roja, salsa verde, or a combination of both), and optional additions like bacon, potatoes, chorizo, or barbecue brisket.
Taco purists may object to this next rule, but in Austin, an authentic breakfast taco must come on a freshly-griddled flour tortilla.
Where can you find the best versions of this regional specialty?
Solid breakfast tacos can be found throughout Austin, but these four neighborhoods include some of the finest purveyors of this local treasure.
South Lamar
Stocked with top-notch restaurants and bars, but still relaxed enough to maintain a strong neighborhood vibe, South Lamar offers an excellent glimpse into Austin city culture. This South Austin neighborhood also features some of the city’s most highly lauded haunts for breakfast taco lovers.
Many Austinites claim that Veracruz All Natural makes the absolute best breakfast tacos in town—and it’s a tough position to argue against, since Veracruz’s migas tacos, loaded with scrambled eggs, crumbled tortilla chips, tomatoes, onions, Monterey Jack, cilantro, and avocado, regularly top citywide taco rankings.
South Lamar residents and visitors can snag a migas taco of their very own at the Veracruz truck in the backyard of Radio Coffee & Bar on Manchaca Road.
If you value the ability to fully customize your breakfast taco experience, then you’ll feel right at home at Papalote Taco House on South Lamar Boulevard. Here, all breakfast tacos include a tortilla base, scrambled eggs, and two mix-ins of your choice. Papalote offers a wide range of ingredient selections, from meats like bacon, chorizo, and chicharrones to veggies like cactus, poblano peppers, and mushrooms.
At local mini-chain Dan’s Hamburgers, which has a location on Manchaca Road in South Lamar, breakfast taco fans will find a simple yet perfectly executed take on this quintessential Austin dish. The Dan’s Hamburgers breakfast taco contains scrambled eggs, hash browns, and thick-cut bacon, all wrapped in a warm white-flour tortilla.
East Riverside
A South Austin neighborhood in the throes of major change, East Riverside now finds itself becoming a prime destination for young creatives and Austin newcomers seeking a conveniently located home at a reasonable price. But those who’ve lived in Austin for a while know that East Riverside has a long track record of excellence in the breakfast taco department.
The area’s most notable versions can be found at Rosita’s Al Pastor, a tiny counter-service spot renowned for its flawless potato, egg, and bacon tacos. All breakfast tacos at Rosita’s can be acquired for under 2 bucks each, making it one of Austin’s most affordable places to snap up a flavorful morning repast.
East Riverside Drive, the street that Rosita’s calls home, also hosts another great breakfast taqueria: Taco More, a local fave that serves breakfast tacos all day long. Don’t miss their classic egg, chorizo, and potato rendition.
Southwest Austin
Southwest Austin is generally considered a sleepy area of town, due to its distance from major hubs like Downtown Austin and East Austin.
However, breakfast taco aficionados should make the journey for one distinct reason: Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ. This celebrated food truck receives regular accolades for its smoked brisket, and patrons in search of a crave-worthy breakfast taco will find it in the Real Deal Holyfield, a version made with a flour tortilla, a fried egg, potatoes, refried beans, bacon, a choice of smoked brisket or pulled pork, and tomato-serrano salsa.
East Austin
The hyper-trendy neighborhood of East Austin contains plenty of new restaurants, bars, and pop-ups, but it’s also a place where longtime breakfast-taco purveyors still serve up their wares to locals and visitors alike. The East Austin outpost of Veracruz All Natural sadly closed last year, but diners can find other excellent examples of breakfast tacos throughout the neighborhood, particularly on the major drags of East Cesar Chavez and East 7th Street.
Open for breakfast and lunch since 1980, Juan In A Million takes great pride in its homestyle Tex-Mex fare, and its regulars appreciate the no-frills environs and the impeccable (and affordable) dishes, including its sizable menu of breakfast taco options.
Juan In A Million’s signature offering is the Don Juan El Taco Grande, a griddled flour tortilla stuffed with a “secret combination” of eggs, potatoes, bacon and cheese.
Like Veracruz, hip East Austin Mexican joint Tamale House East specializes in “migas” breakfast tacos with tomatoes and onions mixed into the egg scramble. But, in a truly Texan twist, Tamale House East ladles creamy queso on their migas tacos, resulting in a cheesy, gooey, and indulgent A.M. treat.
Joe’s Bakery on East 7th Street bears many similarities to Juan In A Million, largely because both establishments are family-owned and have held court in East Austin since the early 1980s. Also, both restaurants serve highly-regarded breakfast tacos; at Joe’s Bakery, guests can order tacos in varieties like barbacoa, picadillo, and sausage and egg.
If you’re in a more DIY mood, you can order a massive “breakfast plate” like the Huevos a La Mexicana (scrambled eggs, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, beans, and bacon), which come with two tortillas, allowing you to make your own tacos.