Taco spots are a dime a dozen in Central Texas, but finding the cream of the crop is exactly what James Beard Award-winning writer, José R. Ralat, does for a living. Two Austin taco joints landed on Ralat’s new Texas Monthly list of “The 25 Best New(ish) Texas Taquerias in 2026.”
Austin’s Comadre Panadería and Paprika ATX were named among the best taco spots in the Central Texas region alongside four San Antonio taco joints: Aguazul, Anacacho Coffee & Cantina, Tacos on the Street and Waca. As for what to order at Comadre and Paprika ATX when in Austin, Ralat had a few favorites.
What to order at Comadre Panadería in Austin
Founded by San Antonio native Mariela Camacho, Comadre is a lauded East Austin bakery best known for its unique pan dulce, but Ralat also recommends the bakery’s newly added breakfast tacos.
“The bean and cheese taco is a true power combo in which velvety pintos are caught in a net of salty cheddar,” Ralat wrote in the article. “The sublime nopales, egg, and cheese taco—an homage to Camacho’s mother—features chopped and seared cactus pads seared in a chile de árbol–spiked, ranchera-style salsa.”
He also praised Comadre’s “Taco de Piña,” which he described as a “sweet, baked delight of pineapple jam in puff pastry.”…