Tacoteca

CONTACT

Ph: 09 320 1336

City Works Depot
1/90 Wellesley Street West
Auckland CBD, 1010
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Opening Hours

SUN closed
MON 11:30am - 10:00pm
TUE 11:30am - 10:00pm
WED 11:30am - 10:00pm
THU 11:30am - 10:00pm
FRI 11:30am - 10:00pm
SAT 11:30am - 10:00pm

The Details

Cuisine
  • Mexican
Need to Know
  • Child Friendly
  • Gluten-Free
  • Good for Groups
  • Great for Dates
  • Healthy Options
  • Outdoor Seating
Serving
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert

The Verdict

A vibrant new eatery has joined the familia at Auckland's City Works Depot, bringing with it a drool-worthy line-up of authentic Mexican tacos, margaritas, and other delights.

We're talking of course about the much-anticipated taqueria/cantina/tortilleria, Tacoteca, which has taken over the space formerly held by Food Truck Garage.

Owned and operated by Edmundo Farerra of La Fuente fame (referring of course to the wine and mezcal bar on Snickel Lane) and chef Jean Brito—along with their significant others, Anna and Hannah—this new spot has been the subject of much hype in recent months, having previously found popularity as a lunchtime pop-up.

And Tacoteca's new digs do not disappoint. The space itself is warm, welcoming, and primed for fiestas big and small—featuring plenty of terracotta tones, pops of green, and other nods to Mexico.

For a well-rounded fiesta, start with the guacamole and corn chips (trust us when we say you've never had guac quite like this, unless your homemade version also features grilled pineapple and charcoal oil) and the hot, cheesy mess that is the queso fondue—both served of course with chips made from those famous in-house tortillas.

Farerra and Brito are both Mexican natives and between them, have whipped up literally thousands of tacos over the years.

It should come as no surprise then that you'll be treated to some pretty incredible tacos during your meal here, all served on traditional-style blue and yellow tortillas made fresh on the daily with the help of their imported rolling machine, affectionately known as Lola.

Dripping with juicy fillings like 12-hour slow-cooked lamb, grilled market fish, and even beef slow-cooked in pork confit, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more mouthwatering taco in Auckland.

And while these meaty options indeed pack a delicious punch, it's the smoky cabbage number that we're most obsessed with. This humble veg has been elevated to incredible, almost unrecognisable new heights by being charred, then slapped with a moreish combo of salsa macha, poblano chilli, pickled radish, and peanuts. As the Mexicans would say: delicioso.

At the risk of sounding cliche, do make sure you save room for dessert 'cos this one is the business. Think bite-size pieces of a fried, piping hot, caramel-like custard known as 'leche frita', coated in crunchy cinnamon sugar and served alongside a velvety smooth dulce de leche sauce.

And last but certainly not least, we come to the matter of margaritas. These guys have an entire menu dedicated to this Mexican staple, including a riff on the classic alongside those spiked with everything from plum wine and tamarind syrup to coconut liqueur and chilli.

There's even a zero-alcohol number if you want to party sans the booze (cheers to that) and let's not forget the salty G&T, and Mexican espresso martini also up for grabs...

But don't just take our word for it, head on over to the City Works Depot and see for yourself why this new spot is the hottest spot in town. 

Image credit: Dave Marano.


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