Top-Rated Tacos: South Jersey’s Best Spots According to NJ.com

As the weather begins to warm up and the countdown to summer begins, NJ.com ranked the 39 best tacos in New Jersey, with plenty of South Jersey tacos appearing on the list.

Food writer Pete Genovese and the team at NJ.com always give us plenty to discuss when they put out their food lists, and this one listed seven different tacos from Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland counties, with the highest rated one being in Atlantic City at No. 3.

So let's take a look at which tacos made the list, plus scroll down to see which tacos that didn't make the list get my vote for the best in the area!

South Jersey’s Top Contenders on the NJ.com List

Colorful little El Pueblo Taqueria — sunshine-yellow walls, murals — is in a strip mall across the street from a giant Wawa, so you can’t miss it. There are 11 kinds of tacos, from chicken, steak and pork to tongue, Mexican-style shrimp and spicy chopped tofu. Tortas are in the $7 to $10 range, and the guacamole is made fresh to order.

Inland Favorites: From Hammonton to Vineland

A food truck with a fixed location, Tacos Al Carbon can be found on Peach Street in Hammonton. The tacos are good and cheap — the al pastor, carnitas and especially the bistec asada are all recommended. Another must-order: the tortas, the size of Delaware and tasty besides, jammed with meat, tomatoes and avocados.

So many chicken tacos are so sad — microscopic bits of meat with the flavor of a well-worn rug. The pollo a la plancha tacos at Tacos El Tio feature big fat chunks of tender chicken thigh. You don’t even need any salsa verde to perk it up. Why can’t all chicken tacos be like this? There are other locations in Green Brook and Monroe.

New Jersey, and apparently the rest of the nation, cannot get enough birria tacos. Braised meat topped with Oaxacan cheese, cilantro, white onions and lime make for a hearty handful. There are better birria taco on this list, but they’re in Hudson County. If you live in South Jersey, Julio’s on Main, in the same shopping center at Outlaw’s Burger Barn, will more than satisfy those birria cravings.

Wildwood is teeming with taquerias, but I like Taqueria El Azteca for its homey, humble vibe. They love their birria (stew or soup usually with beef) here; you can get birria noodles, mulitas (beef birria with cheese, cilantro and onions) and more. The chicken and steak tacos filled the bill, and my stomach.

Atlantic City Takes the Bronze: Pancho’s Mexican Taqueria

These are the best al pastor tacos in the state, and don’t try to tell me otherwise. The seasoning, the meat, the pineapple — not to mention the inexpensive price — make for a terrific taco. I love Panchos, a no-frills taqueria next door to fabled White House Subs.

The "Missing" Gems: My Top Picks for South Jersey Tacos

One of my favorite tacos right now is the Birria tacos at Nonna's in Northfield, they are outstanding and have become my go-to tacos anytime we are in the mood for tacos/