Austin and San Antonio get all the breakfast taco credit. Houston's breakfast taco game is quietly excellent and nobody acknowledges it because we have so many other food options.
Top tier:
- Villa Arcos (Navigation Blvd, East End) — THE Houston breakfast taco. Handmade flour tortillas. The carne guisada taco is the best in the city. Cash only. Open early.
- Laredo Taqueria (multiple) — The bacon, egg, and bean on flour tortilla is perfection. These are LARGE tacos. Two is a meal. $3.50 each.
- 100% Taquito (Airline Dr.) — The name is the review. The barbacoa on weekends sells out by 11 AM.
Solid options:
- Tacos A Go Go (multiple) — More upscale taco shop. The migas taco with avocado is their signature.
- Brothers Taco House (Navigation) — Right down the street from Villa Arcos. Competing for the East End breakfast crown.
The Austin comparison: Austin acts like they invented the breakfast taco. San Antonio knows they did. Houston doesn't care about the argument because we're too busy eating good food from 15 different cultures before 9 AM.
Source: Personal breakfast taco research, Houston Press, Houstonia
Villa Arcos carne guisada taco changed my life. I moved to Houston 5 years ago and this was the first meal that made me say "okay, I get it now."