Taco Summer: Chorizo-Flecked Al Pastor and Free Grilled Veggies in West Phoenix

The tacos at Tacos Chava include the usual suspects, with the standard grilled chicken, carne asada, lengua (beef tongue), and cabeza (beef head and cheek), along with an immensely popular and totally respectable al pastor.

By Felicia Campbell

August 21, 2017

Natalie Miranda

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9. Tacos Chava

Taquería: Tacos Chava, 2804 West Van Buren Street
Open Since: 2012
Style: Street-style tacos and vampiros
Signature Taco(s): Chorizo al pastor and complimentary grilled vegetables

[image-3]The tacos at Tacos Chava include the usual suspects, with the standard grilled chicken, carne asada, lengua (beef tongue), and cabeza (beef head and cheek), along with an immensely popular and totally respectable al pastor.

The pastor is where it's at, the roasted pork spiked with bits of grilled chorizo sausage intermingling with sweet, tangy charred pieces of pineapple. This is good. Real good. Especially when slathered with their thick, avocado salsa verde.

They are also cheap, and available until at least 12:30 a.m. every day, and until 2 am. on Friday and Saturday.

But, beyond the excellent al pastor, the most compelling reason to check out Tacos Chava is the fact that every order comes with a plate of totally addictive grilled veggies. The sweet, soft onions and smoky peppers take an otherwise typical taco stop and make it a destination, which may be why, on any given night, the parking lot seating area around the truck teems with patrons; eating and buzzing over the sounds of music that blare from the speakers set around the makeshift room.

click to enlarge

Natalie Miranda

Our Taco Summer picks so far:
50. Taqueria Don Beto
49. Kiss Pollos Estilo Sinaloa
48. Tacos Tijuana
47. El Burrito Grande
46. El Horseshoe Restaurant
45. Tacos Sahuaro
44. El Pollo Correteado
43. Adrian's
42. La Fiesta
41. Taqueria Lucy
40. Tortas Ahogadas George
39. Taqueria El Chino
38. Joe's Tacos
37. Taqueria El Gallo de Lagos
36. Tacos Huicho
35. Puffy Taco Shack
34. Ni De Aqui Ne De Alla
33. Mr. Mesquite
32. Senor Ozzy's
31. Tacos Jalisco
30. Ta'Carbon
29. Taqueria Los Yaquis
28: Helio Basin Brewing
27: Sonora Taco Shop
26: Mercado Y Carniceria Cuernavaca
25. Restaurant Atoyac Estilo Oaxaca
24. Paquime Street Food
23. The Rez
22. Asadero Toro
21. La Frontera 1
20. Taquería Yaqui
19. Presidio Cocina Mexicana
18. Mucha Lucha Taco Shop
17. Casa Reynoso
16. Backyard Taco
15. Taquitos Jalisco
14: Waldo's Tacos
13: Moreno's Mexican Grill
12: Asadero Norte De Sonora
11: Taqueria La Hacienda #1
10. Gadzooks

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Felicia Campbell has written about food, culture, and cars for digital and print publications all over the world and is the author of The Food of Oman: Recipes and Stories from the Gateway to Arabia (Andrews McMeel, 2015). Her husband learned quickly that she’d rather get a bag of avocados than a bouquet of roses.

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Twitter: @hungryfi