After living in Austin for almost 15 years, I’ve finally written up my favorite breakfast tacos in Austin!
I eat breakfast tacos almost every weekend, no lie. Sometimes I can’t believe that it took me this long to write this post. I mean I did write up my favorite breakfasts in town, but I know that breakfast tacos are the food people eat in Austin. The breakfast tacos might even be more synonymous with Austin than brisket barbecue and quite possibly even more beloved. So after years of research, I decided to the give the best breakfast tacos in Austin their own list!
How I Came To Love The Breakfast Taco
I am about to really age myself but I still remember when Torchy’s was a stand alone food trailer on rundown South 1st. My roommates and I would roll up on any given Saturday morning and order copious amounts of tacos and regale each other with our stories from the night before. Sometimes, there would be a fire pit, sometimes there would be a basketball hoop, and we would just hang out and eat. And probably would be really obnoxious. Eventually, lines started to form outside the trailer on weekends and we had to wait for our food. And you know how Austinites feel about waiting in line. We hate it in case you were wondering. The first time I really started eating breakfast tacos was when I moved to Austin for college. I had had breakfast burritos before, but the breakfast taco was a little different. It was smaller, had more flavor, and it was easier to eat. I loved that I could order two, or sometimes more, and wasn’t committed to only one combination of tortilla contents like I was when it came to the burrito. It became such a morning staple that often when I went back home for the holidays or to visit my parents, I literally didn’t know what to eat for breakfast anymore.
A Note About Salsas
Once you’ve had a taste of your first breakfast taco, usually wrapped in foil or served in a plastic basket, you can’t really go back. I love the way the cheese and eggs melt together. I like how soft the tortillas stay when they are all coddled together with the hot contents. I judge taco places heavily by the amount and kinds of salsas they serve. There should be multiple kinds of salsas. Freely available for trying and refills. There should be mild, medium, hot and too hot. They should be fresh, preferably available in a pump or squirt bottle. If they aren’t refrigerated or kept chilled in some way, you should probably rethink your taco joint choice.
Things You Should Know Before Ordering Your First Breakfast Taco
Breakfast tacos are most notably not huge. Most people order two, sometimes three and no one would judge for ordering four. You don’t share breakfast tacos. Every gets their own taco. They usually run between $2-$3 each. They are almost always served on flour tortillas. You can order them on corn, but unless the place is SPECIFICALLY known for their corn tortillas, you should order them on flour. Even the most authentic places usually serve breakfast tacos on flour.
PEC stands for potato, egg, cheese. Which is probably the most standard of standard breakfast tacos. From there, each place usually has their own fillings, and is probably known for a few. Maybe it’s chorizo, maybe it’s the way the make their potatoes, maybe it’s their salsas. It can vary from place to place but if you’re unsure, a good ol’ PEC is the way to go.
The Best Breakfast Tacos in Austin
And now for the list of best breakfast tacos in Austin! Some of them are from trucks, some are from restaurants. All are places that I visit over and over and each have their own unique contribution to what makes breakfast tacos so great. Did your favorite spot make the list?
Taco Deli has been wildly popular in Austin for well over a decade, this local chain has even expanded outside of Austin into other Texas cities in recent years. It’s still one of my favorites though and should be on your list!

