Mexican street foods, like birria tacos and elote, have gained widespread attention on social media recently for their complex flavors and vivid colors. Some dishes have gone so viral that Americans are driving hours in search of truly authentic carts! Mexican street carts are essential to the people of Mexico, providing a convenient meal during a busy day, and more are popping up all over the United States as well.
History of Mexican Street Carts
Mexican street carts and their cuisine all have personal and unique histories, but the origin of their popularity is seen during the country’s period of industrialization. As workers started flowing into Mexico’s cities, street carts followed to provide accessible and affordable meals. Their success is due in part to the tortilla, which originated from the Mayan civilization, because of its easy portability. Now that street carts have flourished beyond tortillas, residents of cities know of street carts as the norm. Citizens of Mexico City particularly love street carts, with over 75% saying they eat on the street at least once a week.
Importance of Street Carts
Vendor selling snacks like chicharrones and raspados. Eneas. CC 2.0.
With the history in mind, one can see why these street carts are so vital and necessary to the Mexican economy. Aside from the financial aspect, the carts have introduced the world to signature Mexican flavors and dishes. In its initial stages, the authenticity of Mexican food was lost abroad, but thanks to social media people know what to look for and can now cook authentic recipes even in their own homes. These dishes stem from the past and are often combined with family recipes to create unique experiences at every cart. Being run by individuals or families means that personal cuisine is shared with customers every day.
Dishes from Across Mexico
The range of Mexican street food is immense. This list provides five Mexican street foods that can be made at home or found near you.
Birria Tacos
Tacos de birria at a taco restaurant in California. Mmmyoso. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
The most well-known Mexican street food is the famous birria taco. Its origins trace back to Jalisco state and it is traditionally made with lamb meat. It is also commonly made with beef as it is cheaper and easily found throughout Mexico and the United States. Sometimes prepared in the form of a stew, birria tacos consist of marinated beef or lamb spiced with a combination of guajillo, ancho and chipotle peppers and spices like cumin, thyme, oregano, marjoram and cloves. The meat is simmered or pressure cooked with onions and tomatoes to create a thick broth, and this broth is what sets the birria apart from others. The corn tortillas are then dipped in the broth, fried, loaded up with shredded meat and decorated with onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime. The broth is then used as a dipping sauce for the tacos. Don’t let these dripping tacos intimidate you because the mess is well worth the experience for all their complex flavors.
Elotes
Another familiar dish is the elote, Mexican street corn. It comes in many varieties, from simple grilled corn on the cob to being flavored with queso fresco, mayonnaise, chile powder and lime. The off-the-cob version is known as esquites. Because the Mexican corn is firm, not sweet, these corn snacks boast a subtle earthy flavor. They are flavor-packed snacks perfect for transportation. A recipe for elotes can be found here.
Tamales
Vendor unveiling tamales ready to be sold. Dennis Schrader. Unsplash.
Tamales are a labor-intensive dish consisting of handmade masa harina, or corn flour, tortillas, shredded marinated meat, sauce and corn husks. The dough made of masa harina is left uncooked, topped with the long-stewed meat, and then wrapped in a corn husk to be steamed. The billowing steam along with the smells of onion, cumin and chiles immediately immerse those who try them into a unique experience. If it is your first time with tamales, beware, do not eat the husk! This traditional dish is made in large quantities, often 100 at a time, and gets eaten during holidays as well as every day from street carts.
Fruterias
Sweet fruit desserts with cream and berries. Ted McGrath. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Mexican street carts also sell a variety of juices and fruits. Fruit cups are a signature staple in the warm climate, but they are not the typical fruit cups wading in syrup with neon cherries most of us think of. Typically found at “fruterias” or at Mexican juice bars, they are made from seasonal fruits cut into vertical spears, stacked into plastic cups, drizzled with fresh lime juice and sprinkled with Tajin sauce or with the liquid form of the popular condiment known as chamoy. The spicy-sweet combination can be found in every corner of Mexico and can be made at home with this recipe. For those who don’t like spicy with sweet flavors, fruterias also sell hand-squeezed juices, fruit desserts and custom drinks.
Street carts host some of Mexico’s most vibrant and signature dishes. The people who run them greatly contribute to the rapid spread of Mexican food around the world and are now essential even beyond the borders of Mexico. These street cart vendors are essential to the appreciation of Mexican cuisine, so remember, always tip!
Renee Richardson
Renee is currently an English student at The University of Georgia. She lives in Ellijay, Georgia, a small mountain town in the middle of Appalachia. A passionate writer, she is inspired often by her hikes along the Appalachian trail and her efforts to fight for equality across all spectrums. She hopes to further her passion as a writer into a flourishing career that positively impacts others.