A new guidebook by author W. Scott Koenig showcases 120 cross-border taqueria, with stunning photographs, information on taco culture, traditions, and trends with his new book “Taco Megaregion: The Essential Guide to San Diego & Tijuana’s Best Tacos.” A standout feature of Taco Megaregion is its focus on family-owned taquerias. Koenig shines a spotlight on the small, family-run businesses that are the heart and soul of taco culture.
“These establishments, often passed down through generations, offer a level of tradition and passion that’s hard-to-find at large chain restaurants and taquerias. There are no corporate tacos in this guide. Only the real, handcrafted flavors of our region,” he said.
Koenig said this came about by visiting taquerias in San Diego and Tijuana.
“It is an opinionated guide featuring San Diego and Tijuana as one taco megaregion. We share many cultural, business, and arts and culture ties. I wanted to create something different in this binational taco guide. As far as I know, it is the only binational taco guide ever published,” he said.
Koenig said for San Diego, the book is divided in four segments. Central San Diego, South Bay San Diego, North County San Diego, and East County San Diego.
“I got this idea back in April. I have been writing and blogging about food in Baja Mexico and San Diego for more than a decade. I had a lot of content already. There is not really a list of all the good taquerias in San Diego or Tijuana. I really wanted to showcase all these great taquerias and restaurants in one very easy to follow guide,” he said.
Much of the media you see today is paid media, said Koenig.
“You hear about three or four taquerias all the time, but you really do not hear about the mom-and-pop places. I wanted to give these smaller businesses a little bit of love and a little bit of publicity with this project as well,” he said. “There are a couple of regional chains in there, but none of what we call corporate tacos. They are the real, handcrafted tacos of our region. It was quite an experience doing the research for this book. My wife joined me for all the San Diego visits and some of the visits down in Tijuana. We ate a lot of tacos. I also have friends who live in Tijuana who took me around and helped me with my research by showing me their favorites. There are literally thousands of taco stands in that city. It is impossible to cover them all, but this has 60 of the best our of around 80 taquerias we visited.”
Koenig said he positioned South Bay as “ground zero” for San Diego tacos.
“Typically, the closer you get to the border, the better the Mexican food is. We have over 20 taquerias listed in South Bay. From ones that are known by many, to those that are more obscure. One of the best tacos I have ever had was in Chula Vista at a place called Taco’s Tiajuana. It is literally a food truck parked in somebody’s driveway in a residential neighborhood. There are many surprises like that,” he said, adding that another popup in Chula Vista is Tacos Barrios La Rosa, that appears in front of Frank’s Batteries on Main Street every Saturday and Sunday morning.
Koenig said there are 11 taquerias featured in East County.
“We have several in La Mesa. Tacos El Nino Santana on El Cajon Boulevard is a gentleman from Puebla, Mexico who makes really good street tacos. We have La Mesita Mexican Food on University Avenue which is excellent. East County is well represented. We have several taco shops and taquerias in Santee, a couple in El Cajon including Tacos El Gallo, which is one of about a dozen Tijuana taquerias who have opened shop north of the border with true Tijuana-style tacos,” he said.
Known for his blog, agringoinmexico.com, which features Bajo California culinary tours, and his groundbreaking book “Seven Days in the Valle: Baja California’s Wine Country Cuisine,” Koenig brings his seasoned expertise and passion for Mexican cuisine to this unique publication.
“Taco Megaregion: The Essential Guide to San Diego & Tijuana’s Best Tacos” is now available at the IngramSpark Book Shop, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online booksellers. For more information, visit www/agringoinmexico.com/taco-megaregion.
