At Los Carboncitos in Aurora, every meal comes with a colorful flight of salsa options. Shades of green, red and orange fill small aluminum cups that come with your plate. If you're curious, you can ask what each one is. If you're bold, you find out for yourself which one you like the most.
My family and I frequently visit this place because of their alambres: a mixture of meat, bell peppers and onions held together by a web of melted cheese. Alambres come with a stack of warm tortillas. Each person takes turns scooping food into their tortilla. And then we pass around las salsas.
Because a good taco always comes with good salsa.
So it came as a surprise when, a couple weeks ago, my family and I visited a "Mexican" restaurant in Denver. When tacos arrived, there was no salsa. We asked and were told it would cost $1.50 extra. And it wasn't even good.
My family and I have visited plenty of Mexican family-owned restaurants that serve an abundance of salsa, the way any good Mexican household kitchen offers, free of charge. And so I put together a list of Mexican-owned restaurants, both from my favorites and those readers submitted, that extend that level of warmth and that Denverites can give their money to on Cinco de Mayo.
Before any margarita specials graphics featuring sombrero clip art reel you in, consider visiting and supporting this list of restaurants in and around Denver:
Tacos Selene
Locations: 1001 Santa Fe Dr, 15343 E. 6th Ave (Aurora), 5924 S. Kipling Pkwy (Littleton)
Operating out of an Aurora Autozone for 16 years, the Gonzalez family finally opened their own brick and mortar location in 2010. They eventually opened their Littleton location in 2018, and their Denver location in 2022. Voted one of the best taco spots in the Front Range, Selene is worth a visit.
Pato's Tacos
Submission by Denverite reader Molly W.
Location: 5038 E Colfax Ave
Patricio "Pato" Penalosa moved to Denver from Mexico City in 2021 and opened the lucha libre themed taqueria. The taqueria emphasizes good tortillas, offers 13 types of tacos and even has vegetarian and vegan options.
Garibaldi Mexican Bistro
Location: 3298 S Broadway B. (Englewood)
Garibaldi is tucked inside a Conoco gas station between a convenience store and car wash. Some of their menu options include soft blue corn tortilla tacos and a huarache azteca which is a whole cactus paddle grilled and topped with avocado, pico de gallo and poblano sour cream. The Mexico City and Oaxacan-style restaurant is one you should visit.
La Loteria
Location: 42 S Broadway
The Acapulco-style street taco restaurant began as a family-owned food truck around Denver. It opened on Broadway in 2019 and its menu is inspired by Chef and Owner Edgar Silvestre's mom. The enchiladas verdes with al pastor are a favorite of Denverite's editor Obed Manuel.
La Fogata
Submission by Denverite reader Sara F. D.
Locations: 8090 E Quincy Ave, 5670 E Evans Ave
The family-owned restaurant has operated in southeast Denver since 1990. Its award-winning green chile has gained lots of recognition over the years.
Chili Verde
Submission by Denverite reader Kelly D.
Location: 2311 Federal Blvd
Chile Verde opened in 2009 and has been operated by a family from the east-central state of Puebla, Mexico. There's a nice private patio for summer days and a lime green storefront you won't miss.
El Taco De Mexico
Location: 714 Santa Fe Dr
This family-owned restaurant first opened in 1985 and offers the classic gauntlet of enchiladas, chiles rellenos, tacos, burritos, tamales, sincronizadas, chilaquiles and sopes. A popular spot for First Friday attendees, the Santa Fe Drive stand out was awarded an America's Classics Award by the James Beard Foundation in 2020.
La Pasadita Inn
Submission by Denverite reader Dennis S.
Location: 1959 Park Ave W.
La Pasadita has been operated by a family from the central state of Durango, Mexico for over two decades. The little corner location with an open-faced kitchen is worth stopping by.
Carm & Gia Metropolitan
Submission by Denverite reader Gaby C.
Location: 9598 E Montview Blvd (Aurora)
The Aurora burger and milkshake outpost actually has roots in Chicago. Originally from Mexico, Chef Razz Cortes spent her formative years in Chicago before eventually moving to Aurora in the mid-'90s. The casual Den-Mex and Chicago street food joint fuses American burgers with nods of Mexican cuisine. Think burgers with rajas (fire-roasted poblano peppers), house chimichurri sauce, house mole sauce, chicharrones or Gia's pork green chile.
Los Carboncitos
Locations: 722 Sheridan Blvd, 3757 N Pecos St, 15210 E 6th Ave (Aurora)
Natives of Mexico City, their first location on Sheridan Blvd opened almost two decades ago. Huaraches, a thick masa dough spread with refried beans and your choice of protein or alambres, a plate's worth of protein mixed in with bell peppers, onions, lots of melted cheese and a stack of tortillas.
Tacos El Huequito
Location: 2111 E 48th Ave
From the city of Guanajuato, Mexico, Tacos El Huequito first began in a food truck before eventually opening up its first location in September 2018. They it moved to the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood in February of this year. Tacos El Huequito offers daily specials such as $10 tortas on Mondays, $2.50 each Taco on Tuesdays, buy one Mexican burger and get a second for $3 on Wednesdays, 10% off an entrée on Fridays or kids eat free on Sundays with the purchase of an adult meal.
Tacos El Metate
Locations: 2060 S University Blvd, 1742 S Chambers Rd (Aurora)
Originally opened in Aurora in 2017, Tacos El Metate opened its University location in 2020 and serves their signature Baja-style fried fish tacos as well as their delicious breakfast burritos served with green chili, eggs, potatoes and your protein of choice.
