It’s probably the number one piece of advice anyone will tell you upon landing in Austin — “you have to try the breakfast tacos here.” And those well-wishers are not wrong; the magical combinations of eggs, cheese, tortilla, and toppings found throughout the city will immediately replace bagels and avocado toast as your favorite morning meal. However, with every place, from grocery stores and gas stations to fine dining establishments, hawking the Live Music Capital’s signature dish, it’s essential to clarify what places are posers and which bring the jalapeño-infused heat. Whether you want a meat-free breakfast taco or one that brings on the brisket, we are here to guide you to the best brunch moments of your life (mimosas optional).
When you move to Austin, you can start the day off right with the finest breakfast tacos on offer. But first, you’ll need to find a place to live, and AptAmigo can help. Let us know which taco joint you want to live around the block from, and we’ll find you the perfect apartment for free.
Related: Austin’s Best Dim Sum
Top 5 Breakfast Tacos in Austin
Migas Taco from Veracruz All Natural
Neighborhood: Found in neighborhoods throughout the city.
Address: Multiple locations
For those new to breakfast taco terminology, let us explain the concept of migas. Made with eggs, onion, peppers, and tomatoes, scrambled with tortilla chips and generously coated in cheese, migas are bound to become one of your favorite Lone Star state discoveries. And, no place within the Austin city limits does this knock-out dish more justice than Veracruz All Natural.
Simply referred to as Veracruz by most locals, the spot’s reputation for deliciousness led them to expand from one trailer to five locations in Austin and even got them featured in the New York Times. Once you taste their migas, you’ll understand why — the addition of an avocado and just the right amount of spice and cilantro adds the perfect balance to the crunch of the tortilla chips in the egg mix. Just get there early. The weekend brunch waits for tacos at Veracruz locations are as legendary as the food itself.
Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Taco from Habanero Mexican Cafe
Neighborhood: Dawson
Address: 501 W Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704
Head down to South Austin to visit a true institution — Habanero Mexican Cafe, which has been providing Mexican cuisine to Bat City for the past 23 years. It’s a neighborhood-oriented spot, with friendly waiters, a ton of regulars, and delicious, fresh horchata served in large, red plastic cups. Not to mention, of all the bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast tacos that line every block of the city, Habanero’s is by far the best. It might be because they chop their bacon into the egg mix (as opposed to layering a full strip), because the portions are extremely generous, or because the cheese is always at the perfect degree of melted. Whatever the reason, do like the locals and grab a full bag of these loaded tortillas to combat the Sunday Scaries.
Chilaquil Taco from Granny’s Tacos
Neighborhood: Holly
Address: 1401 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
When it comes to breakfast dishes, it doesn’t get better than chilaquiles. The combination of crispy tortilla chips, sauces, cilantro, and queso fresco is every carb-lover’s dream (and a seriously good hangover antidote after a night of one-too-many Lone Stars). We’re not sure which of the breakfast taco geniuses at Granny’s Tacos came up with the idea to put all the flavor of chilaquiles into a portable, taco form, but we wholeheartedly salute them. You know the food at Granny’s is going to be good from the moment you park because you can smell the mouth-watering flavors emulating from the popular food truck from a street over. And, after you grab one of their signature Chilaquil tacos, served with your choice of red, green, or mole sauce, you can enjoy it at one of the umbrella-decked picnic tables that sit alongside the truck.
Real Deal Holyfield Taco from Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ
Neighborhood: Olympic Heights
Address: 11500 Menchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78748
The two foundations of the Austin food pyramid are breakfast tacos and barbecue. Thus, it makes sense that Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ would combine them both in the heavy-hitter that is the Real Deal Holyfield Taco. This knockout on a tortilla includes a fried egg, tomato serrano salsa, refried beans, potato, bacon, and your choice of either brisket, pulled pork, or cerveza beef fajita pulled directly from Valentina’s smoker.
And, you best believe that smoker cranks out some of the best meats in the city. In fact, it is so acclaimed that it recently ranked on the prestigious Texas Monthly barbecue list as one of the 50 best places to chow down in the state. For that reason, you’ll want to arrive at Valentina’s promptly at 7:30 AM for a chance to take down the Holyfield. They are known to sell out of their breakfast tacos well before they stop serving them at 11 AM.
Ren Taco from Bouldin Creek Cafe
Neighborhood: Bouldin Creek
Address: 1900 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
It can be hard to be vegan in Texas — as if you need any further indication that beef is king here, the unofficial symbol of the state itself is the longhorn. However, Austin luckily offers lots of options for our dairy- and meat-free friends. Chief among them is the plant-powered oasis, Bouldin Creek Cafe. Their selection of breakfast tacos, which they can make with either eggs or their acclaimed tofu scramble, is flavorful enough to make you question why you put your stomach through the pain of digesting cheddar cheese on a regular basis. This is especially true of the Ren Taco, made with eggs or tofu, jalapeños, garlic, onion, and vegan cheese. Switch it out with a regular cheese-filled breakfast taco, and we guarantee even your charcuterie-obsessed friend would be hard pressed to tell the difference.
Now that you know where to find the best breakfast tacos, why not pair them with Austin’s best beer or margaritas?
Live in Austin and Eat Tacos Every Day
If you don’t already live in Austin, or simply need to find new digs (maybe one of these awesome studios?), we can place you in the best apartments nearest to your favorite breakfast tacos. With our free service, you’ll chomp down on those crunchy, handheld delights all the time. Just tell us what you’re looking for in your next home, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Up Next: Best Apartments in Downtown Austin
* The original version of this article was first published on April 11, 2022.
