Melbourne’s best affordable Mexican food and taco night deals
From building your own taco plate to toasted sandwiches that pair well with beer, there are more options than ever. Discover the best with this hit list, including some hot taco Tuesday (and Thursday, Friday, and Monday) deals.
Quincy Malesovas
Once limited to Tex Mex and tacos for $2 each, Mexican food in Melbourne has reached new heights in the last two years with a wave of operators keen to reflect the breadth and regional idiosyncrasies of Mexican cooking. Just in time for Cinco de Mayo – a date commemorating the Mexican victory over French forces (May 5) that is now more widely observed outside of Mexico than inside it – there are places to eat well and find a good deal all over the city.
$18 tacos for 2 at Santito’s, Collingwood
The former Hotel Jesus site recently transitioned to Santito, a new project from the team behind the Mission District in Ripponlea. While this venue leans Cali-Mex, Santito’s has more appeal from Mexico City and is one of the few places in Melbourne that bothers to make the tortillas in-house. The campechano taco pairs suadero (confit brisket) and spicy sausage longaniza, giving you the best bang for your buck.
174 Smith Street, Collingwood, santito.com.au
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$5 taco deal in Mesa Verde, CBD
This upstairs venue in the heart of the city takes a vegetable-focused approach to Mexican food; some herbs and vegetables are grown on the building’s roof and others are locally sourced. Along with heirloom tomato tostadas, you can find tacos stuffed with fried cauliflower and pickled zucchini, or perhaps pork carnitas. Select tacos drop to $5 on Tuesday nights.
Level 6/252 Swanston Street, Melbourne, mesaverde.net.au
$29 all-you-can-eat taco deal at El Columpio, St Kilda
El Columpio opened in Fitzroy in 2024 to rave reviews, then expanded south last year. The team offers all-you-can-eat tacos on the beach for $29 on Thursday and Friday nights. Choose from chorizo, milanesa (battered, crumbled chicken) and calamari. Opt for the grilled cheese queso tacos for $10 more.
20 Jacka Avenue, St Kilda, elcolumpio.com
$5 taco deal at Taquito, Carlton
This place feels casual, but the tortillas are made in-house and the fillings range from eight options, half of which are meatless. Try these on their own or mix and match with a flight of four tacos for $32. For an even better deal, all tacos drop to $5 all day on Mondays and from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
350 Drummond Street, Carlton, taquito.bar
$34 taco plate at Mercadito, Brunswick
Its varied menu and fun cocktail list, featuring tequila and mezcal, make it easy to spend the night here. With a gang? Go for the taco plate. It comes deconstructed – six tortillas, your choice of fillings (from lamb to smoky mushroom) and a variety of condiments – allowing any diner to craft their own perfect bite.
1/625 Sydney Road, Brunswick, mercadito.com.au
$4 taco deal at Lady T Bar in Cremorne
Behind the vending machine at this taqueria on Swan Street, you’ll find a hidden, intimate venue that hosts regular DJ sessions. But that’s not the only reason to visit. On Tuesdays, tacos drop to $4 each. On Cinco de Mayo, you can attend a ticketed event that includes live music, tacos, and margaritas for $30.
104 Swan Street, Cremorne, ladytbar.com
Two tacos for $12 at Aftermath Diner in Prahran
It’s not uncommon to see Mexican influence sprinkled throughout the menus of American restaurants. Drawing in part from US breakfast menus, hot cakes sit alongside huevos rancheros and tacos at Aftermath. The latter comes with fried mushrooms ($12 for two) or slow-cooked beef and stringy Oaxaca cheese ($14 for two). Chase them down with churros dipped in habanero-spiked caramel.
154B Greville Street, Prahran, instagram.com/aftermath_diner
$35.90 all-you-can-eat deal at Bodriggy, Abbotsford
Beyond beer, Bodriggy’s Abbotsford brewery is best known for its Latin-influenced food. On Monday nights, get 90-minute all-you-can-eat tacos with five rotating fillings. Keep the good times going with $10 margaritas and micheladas, a spicy beer-based drink.
245 Johnston Street, Abbotsford, bodriggy.beer
$5 taco deal at Bar Mercado, West Melbourne
A stone’s throw from Queen Victoria Market, this Latin American-style venue bases its menus on fresh fish and produce from stallholders. Dishes hail from Peru, Mexico, Colombia and beyond, but on Tuesdays, $5 tacos stuffed with wood-fired corn or pulled beef brisket are the way to go.
85 Peel Street, West Melbourne, barmercado.com.au
Two tacos for $18 at Maiz y Cacao, CBD
This under-the-radar Queen Street venue goes beyond the usual repertoire of Mexican restaurants in Australia. Look for pambazo, a grilled sandwich smothered in chili sauce, and steamed cornmeal packets known as tamales, stuffed with homemade mole. Tacos are also worth trying; Choose from pulled pork, market fish, charbroiled beef or sweet potatoes served in pairs; Prices start from $18.
1/189 Queen Street, Melbourne, maizycacao.com.au
