Tacos sin Carne

Reviewing vegan tacos from the Bay Area to Baja California

Tacos might be one of the greatest foods to ever exist. So simple, yet so complex. Just throw some meat on a tortilla, fold, and eat. However, the simplicity of this culinary phenomenon allows space for so much creativity, making every taco unique in its own way.

In my household, taco night turned our dining room into a battlefield. My father and brother waged war over who would get the last of my mother’s spicy chicken tacos after already devouring a tray of twenty. I, a pacifist by nature, always refrained from the fight, but I always understood tacos are sacred.

Unfortunately, meat consumption has historically been responsible for releasing tons of greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere while also requiring massive amounts of deforestation and water to keep up with the increasing demand of raising livestock. I’m prompted to ask myself: how do I balance my love for tacos with my need for a home planet?

Tacos without meat.

We do not need to sacrifice our love of tacos in order to be healthy and environmentally conscious. Vegan meat alternatives allow us to enjoy the food we love without increased health risks and environmental degradation. Many people argue that vegan meats are too expensive, at odds with longstanding culturally significant culinary traditions, or not tasty enough to replace real meat. While all these arguments are valid, some restaurants have overcome these issues and mastered the vegan taco. Forget the kale and sweet potato, blue corn tortilla, pumpkin seed garnished, $10 whitewashed vegan tacos. I want a taco that is juicy, but not oily. Chewy, but not dense or tough. Savory, but not too smokey. A taco with a flavor that is spicy, citrusy, fresh, and tangy on a tortilla that is warm, fluffy, and flame grilled. From the Bay Area to Baja California, I have tirelessly journeyed and consumed tacos day in and day out to compile a list of the best vegan tacos.

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La Venganza - Oakland, CA
4/5

I begin my journey in Oakland, California at a taqueria hidden inside an arcade bar. La Venganza offers tacos, burritos, nachos, tortas and tostadas with eleven different meats to choose from; including carne asada, pollo, and al pastor. The carne asada has an artificial smokiness that makes me feel like I fell face-first into a bonfire, and bit into a coal covered wood chip. The pollo is one solid piece of imitation chicken. The chicharrón and carnitas tacos are the saviors that carry me through this experience; spice and the smokiness dance around my tongue as dopamine fires throughout my brain. It’s almost too juicy, I think, as sauce runs down my fingers. These tacos are tangy, oily, spicy, and slightly crunchy on a sad, dry, little corn tortilla. Although these tacos are not the most realistic meat alternative, I experience a chewy and crispy texture — dare I say, better than real meat. After the meal, I devour a fluffy concha, reminiscent of a sweet cloud.

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El Cántaro - Monterey, CA
5/5

A two hour drive south of Oakland brings me to Monterey. I enter El Cantaro to a small dining room with yellow, green, and red walls. The menu beaming with blue light is overflowing with items between flashing videos of food. I stare at the outrageous menu in disbelief. El Cantaro offers nine types of vegan fillings, including steak, chicken, mushroom, potato, and fish. The sensory overload makes me feel like my head is going to explode. I look at the young women behind the cash register with eyes pleading, release me from this purgatory. With the waitress’s recommendation, I order the rancheros taco, a soy-free imitation ground beef.

This is the biggest taco I have ever eaten. I receive a ground beef taco nearly the size of my face, served on a steaming, soft flour tortilla. My first bite nearly triggers an out-of-body experience. How does this taco taste this good? This is the best taco I have ever eaten; it’s so juicy, yet not too oily. This unassuming vegan ground beef is surprisingly spicy and savory without being overly smoky and salty. It tastes fresh and citrusy too, like aromatic salsa.

Is this meat realistic enough to fool a meat-eater? Definitely not. Is it ten times better than any meat I’ve ever had? Yes. I end my meal with the most delicious flan and find myself wondering how I am lucky enough to exist at the same time as this restaurant.

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El Cocinero Restaurant - Los Angeles, CA
3.5/5

El Cocinero is a hometown favorite of mine. When my parents first discovered this restaurant in 2020, they became obsessed and brought El Cocinero home for dinner twice a week. It’s been a year since I’ve had it last so I am very excited to revisit. The vegan, takeout-only restaurant, located in a strip mall in Van Nuys, has six types of meat: asada, al pastor, chicken, carnitas, chicharrón, and birria. They also offer quesadillas, burritos, nachos, nacho fires, mulitas, and tortas. The carnitas, made of jackfruit, taste like they have been smoked over a woodfire grill. These tacos are not very spicy or flavorful but the appeal is all in the texture. The filling is chewy and tough—I believe people could mistake these plant-based alternatives for real meat. The addition of their refried beans and Spanish rice easily earns a five star rating.

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La Flor de la Vida - Tijuana, B.C.
4/5

After crossing the border into Mexico, I am starving. My hunt for vegan tacos lands me at La Flor de la Vida. I walk into a small grocery store offering vegan baked goods and blocks of vegan cheese as well as other various chips, crackers, and snacks. A whiteboard in the corner lists the prix fixe meal of the day: three carne asada tacos, cactus, beans, dessert, and a drink — all vegan for only $6. Their meat is charred and very chewy with a realistic beef flavor. These taste like authentic street tacos and come with a tangy, umami sauce that enhances the flavor of the meat. They are cheap, authentic, and satisfactory, earning four stars. Their other meat options intrigue me, so I hope to return to La Flor de la Vida the next time I visit Tijuana.

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Mojk Cocina Vegana - Ensenada, B.C.
3.5/5

I end my taco tour at Mojk Cocina Vegana, the only vegan taqueria in Ensenada. They offer six filling options: pastor, asada, chorizo, alambre, birria, and cochinita pibil. This is also the only restaurant that offers both corn and flour tortillas with the option of adding cheese.

Despite being one of the cheapest, these tacos are the second largest behind El Cantaro. Although I receive juicy and well-spiced fillings, these are the least realistic tacos. I find the texture too squishy to be meat, but the flavor is more complex than La Flor de la Vida and El Cocinero. These tacos get a three-and-a-half star rating for taste, value, and flour tortillas, which always get a higher ranking in my book.

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Every taco I consumed from The Bay to Baja California was delicious in its own way. I fully intend on revisiting each and every restaurant. Overall, I have to award my favorite vegan taco to — drumroll please — El Cantaro in Monterey, California. I urge you to go discover for yourself where the best vegan taco can be found. And you don’t even need to be vegan to enjoy. Nobody is perfect. Although I choose not to eat meat, eggs or dairy, I enjoy shrimp on a more-than-regular basis.

Our planet is changing, but we can change, too.

Whether it be voting for politicians that support environmental welfare, walking and biking instead of driving, or simply enjoying a delectable vegan taco the next time you’re craving carne asada, all we need to do is try our best. And with the tacos I have compiled on this here list, we don’t need to sacrifice flavor, authenticity, or a cow.

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Words: Shayla Madha

Photos: Christina Kan, Niko Frost, Shayla Madha

Design: Christina Kan