Top Mexican Restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is becoming more and more a diverse collection of ethnic neighborhoods. If you go down to Soulard and Carondelet you'll find a definite French accent. South Grand is shared by Vietnamese, Serbian and Russian immigrants. There is the Italian neighborhood known as the Hill. A little further west and you'll see a lot of taverns and restaurants wearing shamrocks. Head down to Dutchtown for the annual Strassenfest. Cherokee street starts at Gravois, then goes down past Jefferson all the way to the near fringes of downtown. On Cherokee you'll find a large Hispanic population, an antique row, and some of the best Mexican food to be found anywhere in the city. Below are a couple of the best, as well as some other spots around the city where you can get that south of the border feel:

Taqueria Azteca 2632 Cherokee (314) 664-9551 It doesn't get any realer than this little authentic Mexican restaurant. Bring your Spanish dictionary as some of the waiters don't speak English. With any luck though, you might find an interpreter. Most of the immigrant customers are pretty friendly. The décor of this place is sort of Tijuana yard sale. Pictures of the Madonna and large crucifixes adorn the walls. You might even spot a picture of the Virgin by the way the crackers line up in your soup if you are not careful. With items on the menu like beef tongue and Gorditas filled with Poblano chilies, salsa verde, beans and potatoes and packed with Chorizo sausage you'll want to lick some salt and bite into a lime wedge or two before you're finished. Arrive early and try the Mexican breakfast: most of the above with some eggs thrown in for good measure.

Taqueria El Bronco 2812 Cherokee (314) 762-0691 A couple more blocks up the street and you'll arrive at the best taco shack in the city. Check out the Tacos Al Pastor: soft corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, a wedge of lime, and marinated pork. If you are really feeling adventurous, stop in on a Saturday or Sunday when the owner whips up a batch of "head tacos." That's right, tacos made with the meat from a steamed cow's head.