The robust flavors of Latin American food almost always find a welcome home in American mouths. Americans simply can’t get enough of the warmth of spicy meats, tortillas and queso contrasted with the coolness of salsa, lettuce and avocado. Around Tuscaloosa there are several passable restaurants: Taco Mama, Los Tarascos and El Rincon’s margarita special all warrant a visit every few months. These establishments serve the standard white queso and pressure-cooked chicken that have become staples of southeastern Mexican-American fare, but despite their popularity, many people continue to complain about the lack of authentic Mexican food.

For street taco lovers, a trip to Carnicería y Tienda is a must. The Mexican grocery is filled with the usual dried peppers and Jarritos sodas, but also houses a small restaurant. Inside you can find grocery items plus an array of
delicious tacos, tortas and platters.

For those looking to try the restaurant, it might be a good idea to brush up on your high school Spanish lessons, as the restaurant’s menu is entirely in Spanish. The tacos only come one way: a pile of your chosen meat atop two soft corn tortillas with a crisp cilantro, lime and onion salsa. A Mexican torta varies from place to place, but the dish generally includes a Cuban roll topped with a choice of meat, mayo, lettuce, tomato, avocado and pickled jalapeños grilled similarly to a Cuban sandwich.
 To live up to its name as a “carnicería,” or butcher shop, the restaurant offers a selection of traditional meat dishes: lengua (beef tongue), cabeza (meat prepared from simmering an entire beef head) and tripa (stomach lining). More familiar options like pollo (chicken), carnitas (slow-cooked pork), chorizo (sausage) and al pastor (pork marinated with spices and pineapple) are 
also available.