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1 / 13#13. Taqueria La Vaquita
- Rating: 4.5/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2700 Chapel Hill Road Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Durham by diners
Just like cuisine from any country, Mexican food is not monolithic. It isn't just combo plates and tacos. (Not that there's anything wrong with that style of food; it's delicious and is responsible for popularizing Mexican food in the United States.) But Mexican food means more than that.
It reflects Mexico's diverse population—shaped by waves of immigration—and has proliferated throughout the U.S., showcasing the cuisine in all its complexity and regionality. Mexico has 32 distinct regional styles of cooking, and thanks to immigrant chefs and the rise of promising culinarians of Mexican descent looking to share their signature dishes, Indigenous foodways, and ingredients from various regions, diners are reframing their idea of "Mexican food."
According to a Pew Research Center analysis of SafeGraph data, 1 in 10 restaurants in the U.S. serve Mexican food, and nearly 9 out of 10 U.S. counties have at least one Mexican restaurant. The analysis also reveals that California and Texas are home to a majority of the Mexican American population and together host 2 out of 5 Mexican restaurants in the country.
These findings serve as a testament to the influence Mexican cuisine has had and continues to have in America. Which begs the question: Where does one go for the best old-school Mexican restaurants, loncheras slinging tacos out of a half-window, and innovative modern Mexican food pushing culinary boundaries?
To help you out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Durham using data from Yelp. Only restaurants with at least five reviews were considered. Data is current as of January 2024.
Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
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2 / 13#12. Super Taqueria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2842 North Roxboro Road Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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3 / 13#11. Ex-Voto
- Rating: 4.5/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 530 Foster St. Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
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4 / 13#10. Guanajuato Restaurant of Durham
- Rating: 4.5/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2103 North Roxboro St. Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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5 / 13#9. No Bull StreeTacos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 3117 Guess Road Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
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6 / 13#8. Sabor Latin Street Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 105 West Nc Hwy 54 Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Latin American, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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7 / 13#7. El Huarache
- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 2001 North Roxboro St. Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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8 / 13#6. La Superior Carniceria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3325 North Roxboro St. Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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9 / 13#5. Toreros Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (5 reviews)
- Address: 604 Fernway Ave. Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
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10 / 13#4. Benetis Tacos Y Yo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (10 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5410 Hwy 55 Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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11 / 13#3. The Latin Effect
- Rating: 5.0/5 (9 reviews)
- Address: Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Honduran, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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12 / 13#2. Taqueria Cruz
- Rating: 5.0/5 (19 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3300 Guess Road Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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13 / 13#1. Lady Bird Tacos
- Rating: 5.0/5 (9 reviews)
- Address: 347 West Main St. Durham, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Tacos, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Cynthia Rebolledo, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 327 metros.
