Toronto’s biggest taco celebration, Taco Fest, returns to Fort York from Aug. 8-10. The annual event will have more than 250 varieties of tacos from more than 50 of the city’s top chefs and vendors, featuring both traditional Mexican flavours and innovative new (hot!) creations.
Taco lovers can also vote for their fav tacos all weekend long, leading up to the final day (the winning Taco vendor will receive the prestigious ‘golden taco’ trophy and ultimate bragging rights)!
This year’s vendor line-up will feature local favourites like Rosa’s (2024 Best Taco Winner), Kong’s Hot Tacos (2023 Best Taco Winner), Lit Up Jerk, Atomic 10, Fiesta Empanada, Birria Catrina, Born2eat, Rick’s Good Eats and more.
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Here are some taco highlights to look out for:
Unique Tacos
- Alijandro’s Kitchen taboon taco: A crispy whole wheat pita taco filled with smoky chipotle shredded steak, lettuce, pico de gallo, and your choice of sauce.
- The Bollywood Taco’s butter chicken Birria taco: Munch on tender butter chicken folded into crispy birria-style tortillas with spiced makhani consommé.
- Rebozos Taqueria’s Nopal-Hongo taco: This cactus and mushroom taco is served with Guajillo sauce!
- 6 Spice Rack’s brisky mac taco: No need to choose between mac-n-cheese and Mexican fare! Try this hard-shell taco filled with slow-cooked beef brisket, creamy mac-n-cheese, pickled hot peppers, chipotle aioli, fried onions and cilantro.
- Dope as Duck’s Smash Burger taco: Combines a smash burger with a flour tortilla, topped with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and delicious mac sauce.
If traditional is more your style, check out these classic tacos:
- Tacos 101’s Al Pastor taco: Tear through some marinated pork cooked on a trompo, garnished with pineapple, onion, cilantro and vibrant green salsa.
- Balam Toronto’s Carnitas taco: Slow-cooked pork crisped and topped with pico de gallo on a corn tortilla.
- Placos Tacos’ Birria taco: Slow-cooked beef brisket with dry chiles and spices.
- Ko’ox Hana’s barbacoa: Dine on juicy brisket slow-cooked with traditional spices, served with onions and cilantro.
- Ghost Taco’s birria supreme: Braised beef with melted cheese, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, garlic crema, green onion and consommé for dipping!
If you like your food hot, Canada’s largest hot sauce bar will be available to spice up your taco-eating experience. Wash it all down with a wide selection of drinks at the exclusive Tequila & Mezcal tasting!
In between eating, there’ll be tons of interactive experiences, like salsa dancing lessons, Mariachi performances, guacamole-making classes and even a full-service bar with cocktails, making Taco Fest the perfect summer outing to check out as part of a staycation. General ticket prices start at $19.50 (tickets for Saturday are almost sold out as of publication). When: Fri, Aug 8 and Sat, Aug 9, 11 am -11 pm | Sun, Aug 10, 11 am-8:30 pm. | Where: Fort York (250 Fort York Blvd).
For more information, visit thetacofest.com and follow on Instagram @thetacofest.
If tacos aren’t your thing, check out these other food festivals hitting Toronto streets this summer!
