Patch Picks: Five Top Mexican Restaurants

As promised in last week's , this week's list features an exclusive look at the most-loved taquerias and higher-end Mexican restaurants. Since there are hundreds to choose from, we asked Capitola-Soquel Patch readers to vote for their favorite taqueria in . Here is a closer look at the top five taquerias chosen by you!

1.

Tortilla Flats is loved by locals because of its intimate and festive ambiance, and its creative menu of authentic Mexican cuisine. Their tapas menu every Tuesday night and some weekends sets this restaurant apart with creative small plates that are a perfect compliment to the full bar and gigantic margaritas. For tapas, Patch recommends their roasted red peppers stuffed with crab meat and served cold, and when it comes to mole, you won't find a better place. The owner loves to put together food events several times a year, featuring special menus.

Come Halloween time, Tortilla Flats will be decked out with an altar and special week-long menu to celebrate El Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. For more information on the culinary events coming up at Tortilla Flats, click HERE, and to read Patch coverage of their last event, click

Tortilla Flats is at 4616 Soquel Dr., Soquel.

2. Taqueria Vallarta

Santa Cruz county is dotted with five different Taqueria Vallarta locations, and they didn't get there by selling mediocre burritos. Seven days a week, from 9 a.m. until midnight, Taqueria Vallarta pumps out scrumptious lunch and dinner plates of enchiladas, chile rellenos, tostados, tacos and California's most popular lunch-on-the-go item: burritos.

Their Super and Jumbo burritos are giant, stuffed with rice, beans, cheese, one meat, and all the wet goodness of sour cream, salsa and guacamole. Most impressive is probably Taqueria Vallarta's choices of meat, though. They have ten different kinds of grilled and marinated meats, including pollo asado (grilled chicken), chile verde (green chile pork), and lengua (tongue).

Taqueria Vallarta is at 893 41st Avenue, Capitola.

3. 

Named after the word for the bull used in the Spanish bullfights, El Toro Bravo has survived since 1967, despite the immense popularity of , just around the corner. Located at the end of Capitola Village's Esplanade, the family-owned restaurant serves up traditional Mexican plates for lunch and dinner.

Their dinner menu features some enticing seafood appetizers too, like ceviches, marinated red snapper and oysters. Tuesday night at El Toro Bravo is taco night, and you can choose any kind of meat for your taco, plus rice and beans for $6.95. Like many local Mexican restaurants, El Toro Bravo serves up a hefty helping of meat in their tacos, which makes this $7 plate a real deal. Capitola-Soquel Patch recommends the carne asada and al pastor tacos served here. 

El Toro Bravo is located at the end of the Esplanade, at 123 Monterey Ave., Capitola. 

4.

Located in Soquel on Porter Street, Taqueria La Cabaña is there to satisfy any Mexican food craving you may be having, with a menu so extensive it has 49 items on it. They don't skimp on the vegetarian items either, with artichokes, spinach, mushrooms, peppers and more available as breakfast or lunch burrito add-ins.

Nothing is cooked with lard, so the rice and beans aren't too greasy, and a whole bean option is available for those who don't like refried beans. This taqueria goes above and beyond when it comes to traditional caldos and soups, though, with an excellent pozole — hominy and pork meat on the bone in broth topped with shredded cabbage, lime and salsa. They also have a Siete Mares soup which features fresh crab, clams, scallops, prawns and octopus with tomatoes, onions, avocado and cilantro on the side.

Taqueria la Cabaña is at 3070 Porter Street, Soquel.

5. 

On any given day around the lunch hour, you will see a line starting at the counter of Tacos Moreno. Luckily, the line moves pretty quickly, which is one of the reasons why this taqueria is a lunch hour favorite. The other reason, is their burritos, which are modestly priced between $4 - $5.45.

One thing to note is that Tacos Moreno does not put rice in their burritos, so if you love rice in your burrito, remember to ask for it. They also put shredded cabbage in their burritos, unlike most taquerias in town, which adds a little crunch and a little more nutrition than shredded lettuce would. Their chicken is moist and their al pastor and chile verde are extremely saucy. If you're a vegetarian, try the nopales burrito. 

Tacos Moreno is at 1601 41st Ave , Capitola.