Bites Nearby: Taqueria San Pancho

Taquerias are a dime a dozen. Really good ones are less so. Case in point: Taqueria San Pancho, which falls under the latter category and, as luck would have it, is located in Tucker on DeKalb's border with Gwinnett.

I went to San Pancho a couple of times this week after and wondering what the fuss was about. I am already familiar with (cheap, basic, delicious) and the venerable Taqueria (so much more than a taqueria), both of which were also mentioned in Creative Loafing's annual Best of Atlanta edition as being exceptional.

San Pancho is a city in the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the family that owns this restaurant comes from there. The food served here is typical of that area, and they are proud of it. They have been in this spot for five years, and now there is a second location in Roswell.

The food is simple, authentic and well presented. The tacos, steamed or grilled, are the real deal at $1 each, and they come with a variety of meats and sauces. There are also fish tacos for $3.46 but they are not on the regular menu. I tried several and they were delicious.

But there is more beyond tacos. You can get a Plato Especial for $8.99 that has your choice of meat with refried beans, guacamole, rice, lettuce, sour cream and salsa ranchera. It is a sight to behold.

The salad bar includes spicy peppers and big fat radishes. On weekends you can order another specialty of the house called Menudo ($7), a tripe soup in either a clear broth or with a chili base. Very traditional. You can get breakfast all day – the breakfast burrito at $4.99 is probably the best bet but there are traditional Mexican egg dishes to be had as well.

The desserts are as colorful as the rest of it and are only $2. Pay de Queso (cheese pie) and Pastel de Tres Leches (a dense, moist milk-based cake) will put a smile on your face. So will the caramel custard known as Flan.

Taqueria San Pancho (770-493-9845) is located at 4880 Lawrenceville Highway in Tucker. They are open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.