4.27.2017

Taco Roundup #6 - California Central Coast Tacos SLO & Los Alamos 2017

Is it already the end of April? Ayiyiyi. Where does the Taco Time go? Rest assured friends, I have not stopped eating tacos. Nor have I stopped taking pictures of those tacos to the annoyance of all my friends and fellow customers. Does that count as an apology?

I spent a few months this winter up in San Luis Obispo. A lovely town. Very creative, very clean, a very well organized Tourist Board and a fair amount of mid-level Mexican food in every direction. I tried just about everything on Yelp and did not find any inspiring winners in the crispy taco category.

My favorite authentic street taco in the area was from Tacos de Mexico. They have two locations, but I preferred the location in nearby Morro Bay. Serious flavor and no nonsense service. They have a beautiful mural in the parking lot. The Chile Colorado taco was #($*(@)*#)@. Seriously.


A better than decent crispy taco required a drive South to Grover Beach. Technically in Oceano, Efren's Deli is a staple for those in the area and I enjoyed their tacos very much.



An honorary mention goes to Taqueria Santa Cruz. Fast, efficient, tasty, full of people, reliable, and popular in San Luis with the Cal-Poly crowd.

The most orgasmic food item I ate in SLO was ironcially a donut. The gluten-free donut at Bliss Cafe was a revelation. I tried multiple flavors (Hello Homer Simpson) and they were all so delicious, especially the Lavender. Their vegan food is great too. I didn't see any tacos on their menu but you never know. Hint, hint.

On the way back to LA, I stopped in Los Alamos. A mere 50 minutes S. of San Luis Obispo, Los Alamos has been growing for the last 3 years and is a delightful stop on any Central Coast foray.

Check out the list of the best local places at The Alamo Motel. Right down the street is Charlie's Restaurant. (They have a walk-up window.) The tacos are not necessarily the thang as they boast great burgers, but dang people, those crispy beef tacos were a tasty treat. Grab two of those and then stop at Bob's Well Bread Bakery for a Paris-worth almond croissant and you're good to go.


Fast becoming a weekend getaway for wine tasting from both SF and LA, I'm excited to see the Mexican food scene develop a little bit more in this scenic and relaxing part of California.

Taco Maven out.