Birria Tacos. What are They and Where to Find Them in Kalamazoo

I know it's not Tuesday but today I woke up craving tacos. In fact, I've been thinking about a very specific kind of taco for the last couple of weeks thanks to a listener. At the beginning of December, Dana and I asked the ridiculous question, "You now smell like the last thing you ate for the rest of your life. What do you smell like?"

Answers like popcorn, chocolate and fish poured in. But, one that stood out was the answer of birria tacos. (I have to apologize to the listener who submitted that answer. I've looked everywhere but can't find your name. If you're reading this, thank you!) Neither Dana nor I had heard of birria tacos specifically so we did a quick google search. And, frankly, I'm angry with myself for not trying these sooner.

According to the first result on that google search, iamafoodblog.com, birria tacos basically consist of a savory beef stew that is then stuffed into taco shells, dipped in the broth from the stew, and then fried. Excuse me? That sounds like heaven in my mouth. And there are a few places you can snag some birria tacos right here in Kalamazoo.

1. Teresa's Kitchen

Teresa's Kitchen has been in Kalamazoo for over a decade and serves the community from a food truck. A yelp review from Brandy C. in Portage described her experience as,

BOMB af food, for real. Appreciate that I can order tamales in advance because good ones are hard to find. Absolutely gorgeous, delicious, flavorful food, lots of amazing options.

Stay up to date on where Teresa's Kitchen will be by following their Facebook page.

2. Quekas Mexican Restaurant 

Quekas Mexican Restaurant has a goal to share their love of Mexican food with Kalamazoo. They prepare items fresh daily and are currently doing delivery. Haley H. in Kalamazoo contributed her yelp review saying,

My husband and I have never tried tacos de birria or eaten at Quekas.  The tacos were delicious- tender shredded beef with melted cheese, onions, and cilantro.  Dip the tacos in the stew- yes!  The staff were very friendly, too.  We will be back.

You can find their specials, full menu or order online on their Facebook page.

3. La Familia Cafe

La Familia Cafe is family owned and operated. Hence the name. They offer everything from breakfast burritos to vegan options for the plant based members of the community. Jennifer K talked about her recent experience on yelp writing,

This place is absolutely phenomenal. I've only had their food through third party delivery services, and it is STILL some of the best I've had. The birria tacos & a cup of consome are an absolute must, and I cannot speak highly enough of their rice & beans. You can tell that they're made from scratch.

As well, on their Facebook page they're advertising 10 tacos for $20 on Taco Tuesdays. I know it's not officially a 'challenge' to eat all of those tacos, by myself, in one sitting...but it's a challenge I think I'll rise to anyway.

I'm sure there are more places serving their own style of birria tacos. Again, I'm still learning the area so if there are places I missed let me know by hitting the chat button on our app!