I’m Kayla. I grew up in Texas, where good tacos are normal. Then I moved around Europe for work. I missed the smell of corn on a hot pan. I missed real salsa. So I started hunting.
Here’s where I ate, what hit, and what bugged me. Real places. Real plates. Real spills on my shirt.
If you’d like the complete, stop-by-stop log of this journey, you can check it out here.
London: Big City, Big Salsa Energy
El Pastor (Borough Market) was my first stop. I stood in line on a cold night. My hands froze. My nose did not. I could smell the trompo—pork twirling with pineapple. The al pastor taco was juicy, sweet, and a bit smoky. The tortillas were soft and warm. I asked for extra lime. They smiled and gave me two. Bless them.
Santo Remedio (London Bridge) felt like a date night spot. Bright colors. Friendly staff. The guac had a clean hit of lime and a neat crunch of pumpkin seeds. My fish tacos were crisp, not greasy. One miss? The heat level. I wanted more kick. The habanero salsa helped, but I had to ask.
Little tip: Cool Chile Co sells corn tortillas and masa in London. I grabbed Maseca there and made tortillas at home. The kitchen looked like a science lab. The tortillas tasted like a hug.
What I loved:
- Proper corn tortillas
- Warm service
- Clean flavors
What bugged me:
- Prices stack up fast
- Heat is shy unless you ask
Madrid: Cheap, Fast, and Shockingly Good
Takos al Pastor near Sol is wild. The line moves quick. The tacos were about a euro when I went. The al pastor had caramelized edges and that sweet bite of pineapple. Are they tiny? Yep. Did I eat five? Also yes. The salsa verde had zip but not a big punch. Still, for the price, I grinned.
Barracuda MX changed my mood. It’s by the chef from the old Punto MX. (Read more about Punto MX’s Michelin-starred legacy here.) The food has beach energy—clean and bright. I had fish tacos with cabbage and a creamy sauce. The batter was light. The fish was moist. It tasted like sun. It also cost way more than Takos. Different lane. Worth it for a treat.
One more: La Lupita gave me a warm plate of cochinita pibil. Orange, soft, a little sweet. The pickled onion made it sing.
What I learned:
- Madrid nails pork
- Cheap spots win on speed
- Fancy spots win on balance
All that tapas-land taco tasting got me comparing culinary cultures; I laid out my thoughts on the key differences between Spanish and Mexican food in this separate piece from my own plate right here.
Barcelona: Casual Crunch, City Heat
Taco Alto surprised me. It’s a small chain. I tried the campechano—beef and chorizo—on a quick lunch. The tortilla held up. The meat had good char. The red salsa tasted like it meant business. On a hot day, with a cold beer, it just worked.
La Taquería in Gràcia felt homey. My carnitas were soft and salty, with edges that crackled a bit. The salsa morita had smoke and depth. I took a beat between bites. You know that moment when you go quiet because it’s good? That.
Small gripe: timing. My friend’s tacos came ten minutes after mine. We shared, but still.
Berlin: Grit, Heart, And A Lot Of Lime
Santa Maria in Kreuzberg is loud and fun. I got carnitas and a margarita with a salty rim. The carnitas had those crispy bits I crave. Their salsa roja was bright and a little mean, in a good way. I kept dipping chips when I was full. Classic me.
Chaparro was my quick fix after a long walk by the canal. Black beans were creamy. The chicken tinga had soft heat. Portions were fair. Prices felt friendly.
Taquería El Oso made me stop talking. The birria tacos came hot, with a cup of consomé to dunk. The broth was rich and beefy, with a hint of cinnamon and clove. My lips went numb from the chili. I laughed. It was that good.
Note: Some Berlin spots are cash-only or slow on busy nights. Bring patience. Bring cash.
Paris: Pretty Plates, Serious Tortillas
Candelaria is tiny up front, with a hidden bar in the back. The tacos? Neat, careful, and honest. My al pastor had balanced spice and bright pineapple. The tortilla snapped back like fresh bread. Prices are Paris prices, yes. But the quality shows. If you want even more Parisian spots with a Mexican twist, check out this quick guide.
El Nopal by the canal gave me a fast, no-fuss lunch. I stood on the curb with two tacos and a Jarritos. The salsa tasted fresh, with a shine of lime. A pigeon eyed me. I ate faster.
Bocamexa is more burrito-forward. It’s fine when you need fuel. Not a dream, but it does the job.
Copenhagen: Where Corn Gets Fancy
Hija de Sanchez is the one I still dream about. Rosio Sanchez makes her own masa. Blue corn. The smell alone sent me home to Texas. I ate a taco de suadero with a sharp, clean salsa. The tortilla had flavor, not just texture. Expensive? Yep. Worth it? Also yep.
At Torvehallerne, I stood in the sun, juice on my wrist, and felt weirdly happy. Food can do that.
Lisbon: Loud Music, Big Heart
Pistola y Corazón in Cais do Sodré is a party. The music thumps. The room glows. My barbacoa taco was rich and tender. The margarita had real lime, not that syrup stuff. The staff nudged me to try their hotter salsa. I did. My eyes watered. I kept going.
Only thing: the line. Get there early, or you’ll get hangry. While you’re inching forward, you might fire up a dating app and need a spicy opener—slide over to these Tinder pick-up lines to stock up on clever quips that can turn that wait time into a match worth meeting later.
Bonus tip for when your taco tour eventually lands you back in the States: if you cruise through Lacey, Washington, craving both carne asada and conversation, check out Backpage Lacey—the local listings make it easy to find last-minute social plans, from low-key coffee dates to full-on night-on-the-town adventures.
Amsterdam: Style With Substance
Coba Taqueria in Noord is calm and sharp, with bold colors and a steady hand. They nixtamalize (they cook and grind corn the old way) and you can taste it. My suadero taco had seared beef and a slick of salsa that hummed. Clean work. Very clean.
Los Pilones is more Tex-Mex. I went for nachos and a solid margarita. Not peak taco, but fun with friends, and sometimes that matters more.
Little Nerd Notes (From A Person Who Cares Too Much)
- Tortillas matter most. If a place makes fresh corn tortillas, you can smell it. Warm, toasty, a bit sweet.
- Salsa should not be shy. Ask for the hot one. If they won’t give it to you, that’s a sign.
- Balance is key: fat, acid, salt, heat. Old rule, still true.
- Price swings a lot. Street-style in Madrid can be a few coins. In Copenhagen, it’s a small splurge.
Quick Hits: What I’d Get Again
- London: Al pastor at El Pastor; guac and fish tacos at Santo Remedio
- Madrid: Five al pastor at Takos; fish tacos at Barracuda MX
- Barcelona: Campechano at Taco Alto; carnitas at La Taquería
- Berlin: Birria at El Oso; carnitas at Santa Maria
- Paris: Al pastor at Candelaria; two quick tacos at El Nopal
- Copenhagen: Anything at Hija de Sanchez, but suadero first
- Lisbon: Barbacoa at Pistola y Corazón
- Amsterdam: Suadero at Coba; nachos at Los Pilones with friends
If you’re planning your own culinary trek, a quick browse through Tasting Europe can help you stitch these taco stops into a bigger, bite-driven itinerary across the continent.
For an even broader look at everything I munched across the continent—including the misses—I kept a candid journal that you can read [over on Tasting Europe](https://www.tastingeurope.com/i-