Tacos Apson

Colorful Sonoran-Mexican street food puts Tacos Apson high on an itinerary of essential Tucson eating experiences. Located near the culinary nexus of South 12th Avenue, it has a small indoor dining area and a set of outdoor picnic tables with a walk-up order window. It’s a popular place; chances are you will wait a while for your order.

The taco repertoire is impressive. Carne asada, barbacoa, al pastor, of course. But also tripe, tongue, potato, and a few combos that are Apson’s alone. Among these are one called Hass, which is carne asada, cheese, and green chile; and the Taco Apson: beef, cheese, green chili, mushrooms, onions, and bacon. The flour tortillas on which they’re made are flaccid, which makes picking one up without major spillage an impossibility. But fillings are brilliant, well worth the inevitable mess.

Note the cornucopic salsa bar … but beware. I accidentally piled a pretty pico de gallo condiment onto a barbacoa taco only to discover it delivered pepper heat that quite literally left me breathless. But I regained my composure and managed to devour the beautiful package.

About the name: The Apson Boys, proprietors, were named for their home town of Agua Prieta, Sonora (A = aqua; P = Prieta; SON = Sonora). They were an influential North Mexico rock & roll group in the late 1960s.