This Michelin-Recommended Taqueria In California Is Known For Its Cheesy Blue Tortillas

Taco Tuesday, taco Thursday, there's really not a wrong night of the week to grab a taco from your favorite local place or whip one up in the comfort of your kitchen. If you're partial to a hearty tri-tip steak taco or a vegan taco, we're with you, but what about a taco that combines the best of every filling in a bright blue, extra cheesy tortilla? In Los Angeles, Villa's Tacos earned a spot on the Michelin guidebook for exactly that.

This beloved taqueria, led and owned by Chef Victor Villa, was put on the map for its tacos with a signature queso taco base, though the rest of its menu isn't half bad either. Ordering a taco with the queso taco base means you can expect the restaurant's handmade blue corn masa tortillas (here's the difference between masa and masa harina by the way) made from a crispy cheese skirt of Monterey Jack with toppings like crema, cotija cheese, onion, cilantro, and guacamole. While there are several vegan and vegetarian options for fillings, such as the grilled soyrizo, frijoles con Nopal, or the papas a la plancha, there are hearty meat options such as pierna de pollo, ranchera asada, and chorizo de puerco, too. Villa's Tacos made it in the Michelin guidebook, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand award in 2023 and 2024. The Michelin rater specifically mentioned the restaurant's "instantly recognizable" queso taco base.

Villa's Tacos had its humble beginnings as a pop-up shop in Highland Park, where Chef Victor Villa put his years of traditional Mexican cooking with his grandmother to good use. Soon, it evolved into a street stand, drawing crowds in 2018 that stretched down the block of Highland Park until Villa finally opened a brick-and-mortar storefront in 2023. The taqueria is a local legend, earning awards left and right for its Los Angeles-style tacos, and it was even featured on season three of Netflix's "Taco Chronicles" before it had an actual storefront. Villa's Tacos now has three locations, all of which are in Los Angeles, but Chef Victor has dreams for continued expansion that include locations outside of California.

The taqueria earns praise for not only its unique, high-quality flavors but also its affordability, meaning it should join this list of the best cheap eats in Los Angeles. Villa's Taco's newest location in the famed Grand Central Market, which opened in March, 2024, drew crowds that rivaled opening day at the restaurant's first location. If guests aren't visiting for the Michelin-recommended queso taco, they can choose from a variety of proteins and vegetables to pair with an ice-cold agua fresca and a side of chips and homemade salsa. As the Michelin rater put it, the food is "colorful, messy, and filling."