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With all due respect to the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas in general, the title for the area with the best breakfast tacos goes to Monterrey, the Mexican city from which Tex-Mex gets its biggest hits. Monterrey has long had a beef-centric culture and an affinity for flour tortillas, which it makes exquisitely thin. There, breakfast tacos are called tacos mañaneros, and while you’ll find plenty of egg-filled options, there’s so much more diversity to explore in the mornings, with guisados aplenty, tacos al vapor, and even tostadas. The fillings are fresher in Monterrey than other breakfast-taco hubs, and the city has the most delicious, high-quality flour tortillas—I’ve happily eaten them on their own. These are my must-visit spots when in the capital of Nuevo León, plus the taco joints in Texas that give similar—if slightly less singular—experiences.
Tacos Baby
Don’t let the cute name deter you. At the Terranova location of this small, 36-year-old chain, you can catch a glimpse of the city’s tallest landmark, the Cerro de la Silla (Saddle Hill). Its asado de puerco—tumbling cubes of pork in a red-chile stew rife with cloves, cumin, garlic, and cinnamon—awakens the senses, but it’s the picadillo, juicy and punctuated with cubed carrots, that I could slurp by the bowlful. Braver souls should order the tostada special, which is drowned in a hiccup-inducing salsa verde. For a picadillo that compares to Tacos Baby’s, take a trip to Dallas to visit tortilleria La Nueva Fresh & Hot.
Tacos de la Cima
Within walking distance of the Terranova location of Tacos Baby, in the Vista Hermosa neighborhood, Tacos de la Cima serves only tacos al vapor with four filling options: chicharrón, deshebrada (shredded beef), frijoles, and papas. The slick tacos are served in corn tortillas and maintain a tight, dowel-shaped form. The chicharrón and deshebrada feature a touch of spice, but it’s best to add the creamy, zippy salsa verde for extra heat. Garnish them with twists of shredded white cabbage for crunch. Tacos de la Cima has a high volume of takeout orders, which makes it crowded, but I recommend eating in the family-friendly dining room. The experience reminds me very much of Cow Taco, in San Antonio.
The interior of Tacos Baby. Photograph by José R. Ralat 
Breakfast tacos and salsas at Tacos Doña Mary La Gritona. Photograph by José R. Ralat
Tacos Doña Mary La Gritona
One of the two arguably most famous breakfast-taco carts in Monterrey is Tacos Doña Mary, which sits on the outskirts of the city’s Centro. It’s known as La Gritona, for its voice-raising, chastising owner. Facing her wrath is worth it for the asado de puerco, which has a head-reeling earthiness and a touch of comforting sweetness that demands seconds (if you can wait patiently in line). The rajas con queso isn’t the usual creamy guisado but rather thinly sliced jalapeños mixed with queso fresco. La Gritona yelled at me for lingering too long after taking my plate of tacos. I snickered. The tone evoked my abuela’s voice when I got into trouble. For the familiar, homy touch (without the chastening doña) visit Azteca Taco House, in suburban Houston’s Aldine neighborhood.
Tacos El Amigo Barbacoa 100% de Res
This Monterrey institution, with several locations across the city, specializes in just one item: beef barbacoa. It’s lean and silky and comes nestled in corn tortillas with nary a drop of oil. Add on the salsa Tlaquepaque. The dark salsa has a reputation for nearly unbearable spice, but at El Amigo, the signature ingredient—instant coffee—smooths out the dried chiles. In Allen, Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q’s tacos Tlaquepaque—offered as a rotating special—are the closest you’ll get.
El Compadre Taquitos & Tortitas
Puestos—or carts—can seem confusing to the uninitiated. It’s occasionally difficult to identify which crowd is waiting to order or waiting for their order. Just ask where the line (fila) ends and let the staff do the rest. The employee who takes your order will ask if you want your corn or flour tortilla toasted on the griddle. Say yes. The extra time on the flattop essentially turns your selection into a crispy taco dorado. The chile stem in the chile relleno taco is charred to the same black hue I imagine exists inside the marble crypts of the cemetery across the street, which gives the cart its nickname, “Tacos del Muertos.” For a similar array of guisados, visit Laredo Taqueria, in Houston.
Tacos Pancho
Line up for tacos al vapor on either corn or flour tortillas, stuffed with machacado, chicharrón, potato and egg, deshebrada, or any of the other many options. The dried beef of the machacado is finely mixed into scrambled eggs, while the chicharrón has a little spice and a slippery texture. Load up on condiments, such as cabbage, pickled vegetables, and salsas, at the bar in the center of the dining room. Tacos Mando Estilo Monterrey, in San Antonio, is its food truck cousin.
Tacos Piedra
The counters at this guisado-slinging rig are hot to the touch from holding vats of taco fillings, such as chorizo and egg and asado de puerco. Order at the eye-catching puesto located beside a multicolored brick wall, and take your breakfast tacos across the street to Tacos Piedra’s dining room. Get similar ladles of guisados at Kingwood Taco Shop, in Kingwood.
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