Mexico’s Michelin-starred taco stand takes its taste to Tucson

Diners are lining up successful Tucson, Arizona, this period for what is billed arsenic a once-in-a-lifetime chance: eating tacos from the world’s lone Michelin-starred taqueria, El Califa de León of Mexico City.

The legendary taco stand, awarded a Michelin prima successful 2024 that it retained successful 2025, past week launched a 12-day pop-up crossed from the University of Arizona campus.

Chef and proprietor Mario Hernández has taken his El Califa de León to much than fractional a twelve U.S. cities, “popping up” successful existing eateries to connection locals the acquisition of a accepted Mexico City taquería. (@sabio28/onX)

The event, a collaboration with Arizona-based question app GrinGO and a section restaurant, is scheduled to tally done Sunday, Sept. 14.

Located successful Mexico City’s San Rafael neighborhood since 1968, El Califa de León is the lone taqueria (or taco stand) to ever person a coveted prima from Michelin.

The tiny, stand-up eatery — which offers lone 4 types of tacos, each with thinly sliced ​​meat and salsa connected house-made tortillas — is known for its “gaonera” taco, bladed slices of beef filet cooked to bid with conscionable lime and salt.

“For 56 years, El Califa de León successful Mexico City has been considered a coveted taqueria and champion kept section secret,” GrinGO laminitis Brian Krupski said successful a statement. “We’re excited to bring the sensation of Mexico City backmost to Arizona.”

This is not El Califa’s archetypal U.S. stop.

Chef and proprietor Mario Hernández Alonso did a three-day circuit of Phoenix successful April, followed by a 13-day pop-up successful Tempe (home of Arizona State University) successful June. Each drew large crowds.

And past October, El Califa de León offered tacos during a one-night pop-up astatine a Manhattan determination of Tacombi, a edifice concatenation founded successful Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, and present chiefly based successful New York. For 2 weeks afterward, the tacos were disposable astatine each Tacombi locations successful New York and 5 different states.

(For that peculiar collaboration, Tacombi provided its Vista Hermosa marque tortillas and the nutrient was supplied by Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors. But the tacos offered were El Califa’s standbys: beef filet, steak, beef rib and pork loin.)

All of these impermanent opportunities have fueled speech of a imperishable U.S. expansion, with Mexico News Daily reporting successful June that Hernández is exploring a Manhattan location.

According to the Mexican paper El Economista, the sanction of the edifice volition beryllium Auténtica de San Cosme, a tribute to the CDMX determination connected Ribera de San Cosme Avenue. Though determination is nary determination yet, a website is unrecorded astatine Autenticatacos.com.

“The Michelin grant has allowed america to turn and marque presentations successful antithetic places, including the United States,” Hernández said, each the portion clarifying that the archetypal El Califa de León is not moving oregon closing down.

“Receiving the Michelin prima has been 1 of the top honors of my life,” helium added. “But beyond the recognition, it comes with a profound responsibility: to grant and elevate 1 of the astir iconic treasures of Mexico — a taco made with existent craftsmanship, bosom and respect for tradition.”

With reports from Informa BTL, Tucson.com and Directo al Paladar