If there ever was a part of NYC that didn't really need a sudden influx of new and noteworthy taquerias, it would be downtown Manhattan. I mean, come on! We've already got a murderers row of taco spots down here, from Santo Tacos in SoHo and Union Square and Carnitas Ramirez in the East Village to Beto's Carnitas on the Lower East Side, Taqueria El Chato and Tacos 1968 in the West Village, plus stalwarts like Los Tacos No. 1, which has four locations in the area.
But as is true with, say, stellar slice shops or bang-on bakeries, a first-class taqueria is always a welcome addition to any neighborhood, no matter how embarrassing the riches already are.
Three new taco spots opened less than a mile from each other down here this past summer, and last week I ate the whole menu at each of them. These are their stories.