Nobody wants to hear a West Coaster whine about the lack of great tacos out east, but we'll happilly recognize when we've found somewhere that compares to the offerings at home. La Tejana, the Mount Pleasant tacqueria, has filled that gap by serving the best breakfast tacos in the city. Co-founded by Ana-Maria Jaramillo, who is a native of the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and Gus May, a D.C. native, La Tejana is that fix—the long lines that gather every weekend morning to secure one (or three) are proof. If you hate waking up early (or even if you do), swing by in the evenings for when the taco spot becomes a lively cocktail bar.
The vibe: In the taco line, relaxed and hungry. Come rain or shine, locals gather starting at 7:30am to snag the prized foil packages before they sell out. The cocktail bar is bright and fun, and is usually packed.
The food: For breakfast, it's hard to outdo the Tio Willie, a messy pile of cheesy scrambled eggs, queso drizzle, bacon, and friend potatoes. If you're more of a carnivore, don't miss the 512, which comes topped Texas-style BBQ brisket from 2Fifty to the breakfast taco party. Evening food offerings include soft and chewy churros with dipping sauce, and queso dip you'll want to swim in.
Time Out tip: Don't even think about driving here because parking will be a nightmare. Instead, catch a bus coming up/down 16th St. or Mt. Pleasant St. There's a Capital Bikeshare stop right across the street, plus the Columbia Heights Metro station (which services both the Green and Yellow lines) is about a 10 minute walk away.