If you’re tired of eating croissants, crêpes or steak-frites to soak up last night’s alcohol, Mexican grub will help coat your stomach and cure your French food fatigue. Here’s a list of the top Mexican joints in Paris that will have you craving burritos over baguette sandwiches the next time you need to get rid of your hangover or anytime you need a bold-flavored break from la bouffe française.

Rice and Beans

Formerly inhabited by Rice & Fish, which moved a few doors down, 22 rue grenata is now home to Rice & Beans, switching sushi rolls for rolled burritos and tacos. The exposed kitchen lets you watch the chef press homemade corn tortillas and stuff them with all the usual suspects of gut-busting Mexican goodness. And in true cantina style, the dining area is furnished with two long picnic tables, so be prepared for intimate dining with strangers, especially during the lunch hour when business types and bobo-ish locals crowd the place. Frida Kahlo graces the walls, and the changing murals on the front window give it a laidback, artsy feel.

Rice & Beans / 22 rue grenata / Metro: Réamur-
Open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 3 pm and 7:30 pm to 11 pm
01 73 70 46 09

Candelaria

An uncontested “it” spot in le Marais, word of mouth alone has kept this hole-in-the wall taco parlor filled with fashion types, hipsters, homesick expats and foodies alike. Tortillas made from scratch right in front of your eyes provide the base of the simple but undoubtedly authentic menu of tacos, tostadas, and chips and guac. Go during the off hours if you plan to eat there, as there’s bare minimum counter seating and one small table by the door. Or grab yours to go and come back later for cocktail hour debauchery at the speakeasy-style bar hidden in the back, where former Experimental Cocktail Club mixologists will pour you a range of tequilas and make the crowd look better and better as the night wears on.

Candelaria / 52 rue de Saintonge / Metro: Filles du Calvaire
Restaurant open Sunday through Wednesday from noon to 11 pm, Thursday through Saturday from noon to midnight
Bar open everyday from 7 pm to 2 am
01.42.74.41.28

Anahuacalli

If you’re in the mood to splurge on flavorful, tried-and-true Mexican dishes in a cozy corner restaurant, Anahuacalli reigns over the rest. Reservations are a must at this ever-busy spot in the Latin quarter where the margaritas come frozen and the mole poblano is spiced just right. In a fiesta-style atmosphere with friendly service, it’s not a bad place to go with a small group of friends. Just be prepared to get to know your dining neighbors well, and make sure your wallet is a bit thicker than usual to cover the bill. It might not be the cheapest spot to get your Mexican fix, but consider it a small price to pay for a meal you’d have to travel halfway around the world to get.

Anahuacalli / 30 Rue des Bernardins / Metro : Maubert-Mutualité
Open Monday through Saturday from 6 pm to 11 pm and Sunday from noon to 11 pm
01.43.26.10.20

 

El Guacamole

For simpler tastes and thinner wallets, head to this charming taqueria near Canal Saint Martin. It’s owned by the same people behind Anahuacalli and features four staples of Mexican cuisine: tacos, guacamole, ceviche and cactus. It’s casual and convenient with a solid range of meat or vegetarian stuffings to choose from, and the tacos are genuinely good. Unless you’re still trying to kill last night’s hangover, you could wash it all down with a beer or a margarita and get out of there for less than 20 euros. And the guacamole? It lives up to its name.

El Guacamole / 37 rue Yves Toudic / Metro : Jacques-Bonsergent
Open Monday through Saturday from noon to 11 pm
01.42.41.09.09

El Nopal

When the weather is nice or when you just don’t feel like cooking after a long night of partying, El Nopal is the perfect hole-in-the-wall place to pick up a massive burrito, a torta (Mexican-style sandwich…good alternative to the usual jambon-beurre baguette), a quesadilla or tacos. The friendly team of guys who own the place hail from Mexico themselves, and the proof is in your plate. Parisian locals have been queuing up here since it opened two years ago, and it’s always a good sign to see Mexican regulars show up. The place is tiny and only has one counter to eat at, so it’s best to take away your meal and enjoy it along the Canal Saint Martin, which is right around the corner. For those with a high tolerance for spice, tell them you like it “très piquant,” and ask for extra hot sauce on the side. It’ll have you crying tears of joy (or maybe pain) for having found a place that delivers on the heat factor.

El Nopal / 3 Rue Eugène Varlin / Metro Château Landon or Louis Blanc

Open Tuesday through Wednesday from 11 :30 am to 3 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm, Thursday from 6 pm to 10 pm, Friday from 11:30 am to 3 pm and 6 pm to 11 pm, Saturday from 6 pm to 11 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 9 pm
07 86 39 63 46

So the next time you’re feeling croque-monsieured/tartined-out or just need some good hangover-recovery food, consider hitting up any of these spots. With the opening of American Tex-Mex giant Chipotle on boulevard Montmartre earlier this year, burrito amateurs and enthusiasts alike can be glad to know that Mexican cuisine is finally expanding its presence in the bistronomic capital of the world, one taqueria at a time.

Article by : Stephanie Holmes