Celebrate the day with some of the Triangle’s best Mexican food!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! While this day isn’t widely celebrated in Mexico, we Americans have made it a staple in our culture. Today, we honor Mexican culture and heritage through a love of food and delicious margaritas. If you’re looking for a great way to celebrate the day, check out our list of the top places across the Triangle that offer great tacos and unforgettable ways to celebrate this lively day.

Bartaco  |  201 S Estes Dr Suite E3 Chapel Hill, NC & 4121 Main at North Hills Street

Suite 105 Raleigh, NC 

When: Sun.-Sat., 11am-late

Inspired by the beach culture of Brazil, Uruguay, and Southern California, Bartaco offers a refreshing take on street food. There’s nothing traditional about the tacos here, which offers a variety of unique tacos made with pork belly, chorizo, ribeye, and more. They also offer vegetarian-friendly options, fresh seafood tacos, and even a Greek taco. Round out your meal with a delightful house-made agua fresca, a fresh salad, or street corn. And here’s a hot tip: ask about their secret menu for even more options!

Chido Taco Mercado Style Taqueria  |  2330 Bale St, Raleigh, NC

When: Mon.-Thurs., 11am-9pm; Fri. and Sat., 11am-10pm; Sun., 11am-8:30pm

Chido Taco offers some of the most authentic Mexican street food you’ll find in the Triangle. They offer a variety of tacos, where you can try everything from lengua to sadera (that’s tongue and beef belly for the gringos) to pork and adobo chicken, to fish and cactus. They also serve something called a quesabirria, which is a to-die-for quesadilla meets taco that comes with a delicious dipping sauce. We promise you’ll be happy you stopped by.

Chubby’s Tacos  | ​​4711 Hope Valley Rd, Durham, NC & 2444 Wycliff Rd Raleigh, NC

When: Mon.-Sun., 11am-10pm

Chubby’s Tacos has been voted the #1 tacos in the Triangle and for good reason. Their authentic tacos, which got their start during a Dia de los Muertos celebration from an Oaxaca chef, are loaded with fresh ingredients and a wide variety of beef, chicken, pork, fish, and even vegetarian tacos that will have your mouth watering. They also have eight house-made salsas to choose from. Load up your taco with your favorite version, which ranges between a mild green salsa to smokin’ hot and packed with flavor. You’ll be dreaming of these tacos for days to come.

Torchy’s Tacos  |  1110 Mercantile Dr. Building 6 Suite 120 Raleigh, NC

When: Mon.-Thurs., 11am-10pm; Fri., 10am-11pm, Sat., 9am-11pm; Sun., 9am-9pm

Torchy’s might just become your new favorite taco obsession, and for good reason. This Austin original, which started as a food truck, is known for its irreverent character and “Damn good tacos.” Their tacos are playful—as are their names—and are topped with some of the most incredible sauces you’ll find. We’re big fans of the Fried Avocado taco, thanks to that tasty poblano sauce, but you can’t go wrong with anything on this menu. 

Bartaco  |  201 S Estes Dr Suite E3 Chapel Hill, NC & 4121 Main at North Hills Street

Suite 105 Raleigh, NC 

When: Sun.-Sat., 11am-late

Bartaco’s margaritas are light and delicious, but don’t let that fool you—they pack a heavy punch! They offer a variety of outstanding margaritas to choose from, plus a few other flavorful cocktails and beers-in-the-glass that will have you wishing you were on the beach in South America. ¡Salud!

La Santa Modern Mexican Food & Margarita Bar  |  222 Glenwood Ave #107, Raleigh, NC

When: Mon.-Thurs., 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-10pm; Fri. 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-12am; Sat., 11am-12am; Sun., 12pm-9pm

La Santa has the name “Margarita Bar” in its name, which should be reason enough to want to sample their margaritas any day. On top of that, their margaritas are sensational. They’re made to order using fresh-squeezed fruits like lime, mango, pineapple, and kiwi, and they have a massive collection of top-shelf tequilas to choose from. You’ll have a hard time knowing where to begin, but we promise: they’re all complete perfection.

Jose and Sons Bar And Kitchen  |  4112 Pleasant Valley Rd., Raleigh, NC

When: Mon.-Thurs., 11am-9:30pm; Fri.-Sat., 11am-10:30pm; Sun., 11am-9pm

You’ll soon be a regular at Jose and Sons, thanks to the massive selection of margaritas they offer at their bar. They not only offer fresh flavors and clever names like La Vampira (with blood orange) and Princess Peach, but they also offer jumbo and tower sizes when you’re ready to go all-in on your Mexican celebrations. We’re also big fans of the sweet and fruity Dolly Parton margarita. This is one bar you’ll want to keep in your regular rotation.

Salt & Lime Cabo Grill  |   6006 Falls of Neuse Rd., Raleigh, NC

When: Tues.-Thurs., 11am-9pm; Fri. and Sat., 11am-10pm; Sun., 11am-3pm

One sip from a margarita from Salt & Lime Cabo Grill will sweep you away to the Baja peninsula—or possibly kick you in the teeth. These incredible drinks are made with premium tequila and fresh ingredients, and some have a spicy kick that will keep you wanting more after cooling off with water. While some of these beverages have a light, fruity appeal, don’t forget to indulge in their Habañero Peach margarita or Desert Fire, which has a big bite from jalapeño and chipotle. There’s nothing that says “Mexico” more than sweet heat!

Cinco de Drinko 

Join in the Cinco de Mayo celebration at the FarmhouseCafe in Wendell this May 5. There will be drinks, music, food and fun! 

When: May 5, 5 PM- 9 PM 

Where: Farmhouse Cafe in Wendell 

More Info

Cinco de Mayo Block Party 

Join in the fun of the block party. There will be a beer release, Mr. Puebla Tacos, and live music. Don’t forget to bring your chairs! 

When: May 7, 12 PM – 12 AM

Where: Bearded bee Brewing Company

More Info

Fiesta on the Farm

Farm to table dinner season is BACK! Chef Dori is kicking it off with an incredible feast to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture on Cinco de Mayo.

When: May 5, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM 

Where: Triangle Urban Farm 

Cost: $125

More Info

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta 

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Pourworks! Drink Specials, Trivia at 7:30 PM! $8 Taco

Bar from YOU+FOOD!

 When: May 5, 4 – PM – 10 PM 

Where: Pourworks

More Info

Did we leave someone off the list? Let us know! We always love sharing and sampling from new food locations. After all, any day is a good day for a taco! Share your favorite spots in the comments below.

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