Mexican cuisine offers a wide range of delicious choices for appetizers, entrees, and after-dinner treats, and Columbus, OH is home to some of the state’s best Mexican restaurants. We’ve narrowed more than a hundred restaurants down to our top three choices, and a trip to any of these places is a guarantee for the best Mexican food in the area.
1. Katalina’s
Katalina’s is known for an authentic and tasty combination of Mexican and Latin American food served inside of a 100-year-old gas station for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you stop by in the morning, don’t leave without sampling Katalina’s Original Pancake Balls filled with your choice of dulce de leche, Nutella, or pumpkin-apple butter. Our recommendation for a savory breakfast is the Award-Winning Breakfast Tacos with scrambled eggs, tomatillo, and pico de gallo.
Taco lovers can take their pick from the Housemade Chorizo Tacos with roasted purple potatoes on blue corn tortillas, the Pulled Pork Tacos with queso fresco and Snowville crema, or the BLT Tacos topped with sriracha aioli and Elotes cob corn. For customers who prefer sandwiches, we suggest either the Vegan Pepper Patty Melt with a 10-ounce Impossible Burger or the Mazatlán Slow-Roasted Pork & Egg Sandwich with roasted red peppers and local Amish cheese.
2. Bakersfield Short North
Bakersfield Short North is our go-to spot whenever we’re craving traditional Mexican street food. Begin your meal by ordering The Trio with guacamole, rojo salsa, and verde salsa or the Short Rib Queso with braised short rib, pickled red onion, and cilantro. Salad fans will enjoy either the Johnny with cotija cheese and toasted almonds, the Loretta with grape tomatoes and spiced pepitas, or the Willie with crispy tortilla strips and buttermilk dressing.
Taquitos come with enchilada sauce and queso quesadilla inside of a corn tortilla with your choice of carnitas or grilled chicken. If you prefer tacos, we highly recommend the Baja Shrimp with red cabbage and chipotle lime crema, the Al Pastor with pineapple and chile-roasted pork, and the Huitlacoche made with roasted poblano and corn truffles. Grab a shareable side like the Esquites roasted corn salad or the Roasted Cauliflower with queso to split with a buddy.
3. Condado Tacos
Condado Tacos is the best pick for taco fans with a creative side who want to customize their own meals. Start off with one of the queso dips such as the Blanco with pickled jalapeños and paprika, the Dirty with chicken and black beans, or the Smoked Cheddar with Tex-Mex ground beef and pico de gallo. Alternatively, we also enjoy the Pineapple Guacamole with chipotle honey and the Corn Salsa with cilantro and lime.
Build-Your-Own tacos come in corn, flour, ranch, or spicy shells with your choice of proteins like braised beef brisket, BBQ pulled jackfruit, roasted portobellos, veggie chorizo, and tequila-lime steak. Top it off with fajita peppers, pickled onions, and cabbage slaw, then take your pick of sauces like the mild Mexican Chimichurri or the spicy Habanero-Mango. We’re also big fans of the signature tacos such as the Up in Smoke, the Power Plant, and the Dutch Dragon.
The Mexican meal of your dreams is waiting at any of these places, and we’re already looking over the menu to plan our next trip back! Start planning your next outing to visit one – or all! – of these scrumptious local eateries!
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