Two Austin taquerias have landed on Texas Monthly's coveted list of the best new taco spots across the state — and while that's a reason to celebrate great food, it's also a timely reminder of what makes Austin's neighborhood culinary culture worth protecting.
Texas Monthly's recognition carries real weight in a state where taco culture is practically a civic religion. When Austin establishments earn that kind of spotlight, it signals that our local food scene is thriving — but it also raises an urgent question: are we doing enough as a city to ensure the small, independent taquerias that define Austin's character can actually survive here long-term?
Rising commercial rents, gentrification pressures in East Austin and other historically Latino corridors, and the constant churn of development have made it increasingly difficult for family-owned food businesses to stay put. Many of the taquerias that gave Austin its culinary identity have been priced out or bulldozed to make way for mixed-use developments that rarely include affordable space for the very vendors who made those neighborhoods desirable in the first place.
Stakeholder Positions: Small business advocates and neighborhood associations in areas like East Cesar Chavez and Johnston Terrace have long pushed the city to adopt stronger commercial anti-displacement policies. Developers argue that market-rate projects generate tax revenue that funds city services. City Council has taken incremental steps with programs like the Small Business Program and Affordability Unlocked, but community groups say implementation has been too slow and too narrow in scope.
What You Can Do: Celebrate these taquerias by visiting them and spending your dollars there — word-of-mouth and consistent patronage are lifelines for small businesses. Contact your City Council representative and urge support for commercial affordability provisions in upcoming zoning and land-use decisions. Show up to Planning Commission meetings when East Austin projects are on the agenda. And follow organizations like Juntos ATX and the Austin Independent Business Alliance, which track these issues closely and need community voices.
Great tacos don't appear out of nowhere. They come from community investment, cultural continuity, and a city that decides — on purpose — to make room for the people who built it.