Where: 129 N. Milpas St., (805) 884-1828
What: The Milpas taco crawl’s hot spot for the traditional cooking of Guanajuato, Mexico.
How much? Tacos $2.99, Burrito Bajio $8.33
The dish: The utter simplicity of an authentic meat-filled tortilla makes it all the more astounding when a taco is really that much better than its competitors. Milpas Street is home to a number of hole-in-the-wall Mexican eateries. Amidst that crowd, El Bajio’s order from the counter menu has been Mexi-fresh heaven for about 10 years, and this “hole” is getting bigger and more popular over time. The tiny inside forces customers to fight for a standing spot during the lunchtime rush, and hover over the few outside awning-covered tables, but that first tortilla blanketed bite of slow-roasted carnitas soothes even the most impatient taco lover’s nerves. The whopping carnitas burrito weighs in at a hair below a pound, and the traditional huevos rancheros are stuffed with breakfast goods. A clean interior and refreshing fruit-flavored waters tip the scale for El Bajio and keep customers returning and recommending.