We asked Mexican Americans where to find the best tamales, tacos & tortas around Fayetteville
Maria Ramos, 29, a Tacoma, Washington, native and first-generation Mexican American, said that growing up, her family ate authentic Mexican food at home and at restaurants.
When she moved to Fayetteville four years ago with her husband, a Fort Bragg soldier, she said the lack of authentic Mexican food compared to what she could find in Washington was a “culture shock.”
Homesick and hungry for tamales, carnitas, and salsas, Ramos said she’s tried Mexican food joints from here to Raleigh in search of authentic flavor. Though she’s found a few gems, she said, none of the tamales compare to making her own from scratch, using traditional recipes from her mom, a native to the Mexican state of Michoacan along the Pacific coast.
Making tamales — sourcing the ingredients, sanitizing the kitchen, marinating the meat, assembling the tamales and steaming them — takes about two days, she said. A batch yields five or six dozen and are traditionally shared with friends and family.
Ramos said she began sending tamales to work with her husband to share with his coworkers. They raved about them, she said, telling her, “it tastes just like home.” That compliment, she said, makes toiling in the kitchen worth it.
“People miss home, and I miss home too,” Ramos said. “Making these dishes makes me happy. It brings me back to my roots.”
What if you’re not lucky enough to have a tamale-making friend or coworker? The good news is, there are a few Fayetteville area caterers, restaurants, and grocers serving food that Mexican Americans say comes close to tasting like home.
La Libertad Pupuseria Y Taqueira
What to order: Tacos, burritos, carnitas, tortas
Address: 5609 Fayetteville Road, Raeford
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday
On the web: orderlalibertadpupuseriaytaqueria.com
Phone: 910-479-1091
Ramos said when she doesn’t feel like cooking, this restaurant, located inside a Shell gas station, is her go-to for tacos, burritos and Mexican sandwiches known as tortas. The food is consistently delicious, and the customer service and cleanliness are great too, she said.
“It’s literally a hidden gem,” Ramos said.
Their tamales are tasty, but are more of a Honduran or Salvadorian style, she said.
Tacos are $2.49 each, and tortas and burritos start at $10.99. The restaurant offers online ordering and delivery through its website, Grubhub and Doordash.
Crazy Taco food truck
What to order: Tacos, tortas, horchata, agua fresca
Address: Location and hours vary, visit facebook.com/CRAZYTACOfoodtruckfayetteville
On the web: facebook.com/CRAZYTACOfoodtruckfayetteville
Phone: 910-808-5332
Danny Velasquez, 21, a Mexican American Fort Bragg soldier and Fresno, California, native said he frequents the Crazy Taco food truck, which is often found at 6490 Yadkin Road, just outside Fort Bragg’s Yadkin gate.
Ramos also recommended it. The truck’s “flavoring and seasoning is on-point,” she said. She orders the tacos, which come dressed with cilantro and chopped onion and served with lime, grilled onions, grilled jalapenos and two types of hot sauce, or the tortas, agua frescas and horchata.
Taqueria Las Delicias
What to order: Fried tilapia
Address: 524 S. Reilly Road
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday-Sunday
On the web: facebook.com/910taquerialasdelicias
Phone: 910-835-1301
Taqueria Las Delicias has well-seasoned food and has come to be a “staple” in the military community, Ramos said. She recommends the fried tilapia, “a dish that a lot of Mexicans that live on the coast really appreciate,” she said.
Their meat selection is extensive, she said, with offerings like lamb, pork, braised beef, beef tongue, tripe and steak. She also likes the restaurant’s fish tacos, salad bar and agua fresca. Entrees start at $5.99.
Taqueria Los Molcajetes #4
What to order: Tacos, Mexican Coke
Address: 3049 Owen Drive, Fayetteville
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily
On the web: losmolcajetes4.business.site
Phone: 910-491-2139
Velasquez said Los Molcajetes is his favorite Mexican restaurant to dine-in. His order? Three asada tacos and three marinated pork, known as adobada, tacos with all the fixings. Don't forget the Mexican Coke, which is made with cane sugar, instead of the high fructose corn syrup of its American equivalent.
Tacos start at $1.99. The menu also includes tortas, quesadillas, sopes, nachos and fajitas.
Compare Foods
What to order: Latin groceries, bakery items and prepared foods
Address: 155 Bonanza Drive in Fayetteville, 1159 N. Bragg Blvd. in Spring Lake
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily in Fayetteville, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily in Spring Lake
On the web: comparefayetteville.com
Phone: 910-826-9820 for Fayetteville, 910-920-2013 for Spring Lake
Velasquez said when he’s feeling ambitious enough to cook, he shops at Compare Foods.
Ramos said the grocery store has a variety of foods that cater to cuisine from across Latin America, whereas some Mexican stores in nearby Raeford’s Fiesta Plaza have a narrower focus on Mexican food.
In addition to dairy, produce, pantry items, a butcher and a bakery, the store has a hot food bar with dozens of items. Among them are empanadas, a fried turnover filled with cheese, chicken or beef; and pasteles, a root-vegetable dough filled with meat and made into a pocket using plantain leaves.
Food, dining and business reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at tshook@gannett.com. Want food news in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up for the Fayetteville Foodies newsletter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Best Fayetteville area tacos & tortas, according to Mexican Americans
