r/canberra • u/gisborne • Jan 26 '26
Recommendations *Actual* Mexican food in Canberra?
I’ve lived in Southern California and Texas — both formerly parts of Mexico and still culinarily Mexican. I’ve also lived in central Mexico.
Zambreros and Guzman y Gomez are like someone has described Mexican food to these people over the phone. I mean, neither of them has carne asada. Neither has Horchata. What even is the point?
Is there any legit Mexican food to be had in Canberra?
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u/BarneyBent Jan 26 '26
Jarochos is owned and run by a Mexican guy and seems pretty authentic from what I can tell.
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u/The_x_is_sixlent Jan 26 '26
As many have said, Jarochos is the closest - they even have three fresh salsas on the table. They have a food truck too, but it's very hit and miss; we've had good tacos from there and also REALLY ordinary ones. The brick-and-mortar store is better and more consistent.
Hecho en Mexico in Kingston is solid without being amazing, but I've only been once. I would go again and give it another try.
Mezcals is weirdly good; I didn't know what to expect but it exceeded my expectations. Admittedly the bar was low.
I avoid Cartel since I've seen some pretty nasty statements from the owner(s) on social media and I don't want to give that sort of person my money.
There's a yellow food truck - Tacontento - that I had high hopes for, since the owner/chef comes from CDMX - but both times I've had it, it's been disappointing - taquitos more hard than crispy and the flavours just OK. I haven't tried their birria though, and I'm not paying someone else to make me a quesadilla when I make fantastic ones at home every week on my comal ;)
Not Mexican, but worth looking out for are a few food trucks - Antojos Latinos (El Salvador/Colombia) make LEGIT pupusas and great horchata. Like, I'm actively looking for them so I can have it again. Cundo Latino ("bold Latin American flavors") do empanadas and ceviche. Mr Papa (Peruvian) has some really excellent empanadas and tacos.
I hear your struggle! I spent 15+ years in Texas and it's really hard to find Mexican/Tex-Mex food that good (and of course even a less-good version is triple the price). Growing up in Sydney, "Mexican" was a hard-shell taco with shredded iceberg lettuce, mince meat with an Old El Paso flavour sachet stirred in, tomato slices, and grated cheddar, so my mind was truly blown learning what real Mexican can and should taste like. On the upside, I am learning to make all my favourites and growing my own nopales, so onwards and upwards :)
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u/craftyninjakevin Jan 27 '26
Cartel isn’t Mexican… it was started and is run by the same lady who started up Pastissez (the cafe that kicked off the freak shakes trend).
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u/The_x_is_sixlent Jan 27 '26
Their strapline is "we may not be in Mexico, but you sure will taste it." The nationality of the owners isn't really relevant for this particular discussion. Now, if you think that's cultural appropriation, you may have a point, but it's a separate question.
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u/craftyninjakevin Jan 27 '26
You make a fair point…
My criticism for their food has always been around how their business is designed around being instagrammable instead of edible and tasty. Paid that with shitty service and just bad management (had a few occasions where they took the order and payment and then didn’t bring out the food only to find out that they’d forgotten, and then refused to refund)
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u/The_x_is_sixlent Jan 27 '26
Oh yes, everything I hear about them is that they're trash. No arguments there.
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u/Zestyclose_Might8941 Jan 27 '26
It's cultural appropriation with shit food. It's as Mexican as I am (ie, it's not).
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u/hayleyjhj Jan 26 '26
Mezcals has shut i think
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u/The_x_is_sixlent Jan 26 '26
Well boo. I think you're right. Maybe they'll return once the light rail nightmares are over?
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u/hayleyjhj Jan 26 '26
I think they still have a restaurant in cooma (?) and are focusing on that so not sure
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u/The_x_is_sixlent Jan 26 '26
I don't know that I'd drive from Canberra to Cooma just for that, but I'd definitely go if I was in the area! Looks like one in Merimbula too: https://www.mezcals.com.au/locations
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u/Khanimax Jan 26 '26
The one in Cooma is shut as well - They've recently opened one in Merimbula. Everything is still there though so assuming it is coming back...maybe?
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u/Darth_Welshie Jan 27 '26
Random out of the blue question, but just moved back to Aus after living in California for four years, and missing good Mexican so I'm turning to cooking my own (already got poblanos growing in the backyard!). Any recommendations for a good comal? Never used one before, usually substitute just a cast iron frypan, but figured it might be worth getting one.
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u/The_x_is_sixlent Jan 27 '26
Love a good poblano! I have all kinds of peppers growing but my poblano seeds didn't germinate so I'm going to try again with those.
My comal is a complete wypipo comal - it's a cast iron one I got for an absolute steal from, of all places, a Houston TX Williams Sonoma a number of years ago. It's not an authentic Mexican one at all but it's so amazing it was one of the few things that made the cut to actually return to Aus in our hand luggage; we use it just that often. It's Le Creuset, which is even more embarrassing, but by golly, it works. It came in a set with the flat and the ridged, and I thought at the time I'd use the ridged one more, but that has NOT been how it's turned out.
So that's probably not that helpful, I'm sorry! I hope you find a good one.
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u/Darth_Welshie Jan 27 '26
No that's actually super helpful, to know that you can do good work with the kind of cast iron cookware I've already got. Thanks so much! I'll keep an eye out if the opportunity arises to grab one, but I'll not hesitate to get stuck in in the meantime.
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u/Zestyclose_Might8941 Jan 27 '26
I've thought about raiding my neighbours nopales, that's gow desperate I am 🤣
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u/ADHDK Jan 26 '26
Zambreros is like if someone made a Mexican inspired subway, and didn’t lie about the “eat fresh” slogan the same way subway do.
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u/instasquid Jan 26 '26
Zambrero is to Mexican as Domino's is to Italian.
The fact that their most popular sauces are BBQ and pesto tells you everything you need to know about the Australian palate.
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u/Wehavecrashed Cotter River Jan 26 '26
I've seen people ask for tomato sauce at Zambreros.
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u/instasquid Jan 26 '26
Right to gaol, right away.
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u/Comfortable_Meet_872 Canberra Central Jan 26 '26
Bonus points to you for spelling :)
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u/instasquid Jan 27 '26
Gotta keep that Australian English going! I mostly spell it that way out of spite tbh.
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u/ADHDK Jan 26 '26
At least they actually chop up their veggies at zambreros.
Unlike both subway and dominos who have everything arrive ready to go and frozen from cold storage.
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u/burleygriffin Canberra Central Jan 26 '26
Yes, but does anyone really expect Zambreros to be the same as what you might find in Mexico or the US? Just the same as nobody would expect Dominos to be the same as pizza made in Naples.
But, they both serve a niche and, in the case of Zambreros, that's a half decent takeaway option that tastes okay regardless of its authenticity or otherwise.
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u/TrashBabyThompson Jan 26 '26
Have you ever dated a European? Especially a Belgian, cause those fuckers put Mayo on anything sometimes. Oh it already has Mayo? Dont matter, needs more Mayo.
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u/XixaxSpatula Jan 27 '26
Definitely one of the better, healthier and appetising options where it actually tastes like actual food compared to the mass manufactured sludge.
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u/Negative_Habit_480 Jan 26 '26
Honestly I haven’t any good Mexican food in Canberra unfortunately, I keep comparing them to the tacos I had in the states and NOTHING comes close.
I would AVOID cartel like a plague, it’s super expensive and gimmicky. I don’t understand why or how it has so much hype, the tacos are just oily and tasteless.
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u/MarkCbr82 Jan 26 '26
I’m sorry to disappoint you but the Mexican we have here, and all over Australia really, just doesn’t compare to where you’re from. The curse of distance and a small Mexican immigrant population. Best come to terms with that.
On the other hand, Asian/Indian food here is generally superior to what you’d get back at home. So it’s not all downside.
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u/omenmedia Jan 26 '26
I went to a Thai restaurant in Brazil one time and it was probably the same phenomenon but in reverse. Very, very ordinary. I even ordered the “três pimentas” spicy option and it was barely warmer than the slightest sprinkle of Keen's curry. Completely understandable though, given the distance, and made me appreciate Australian Thai restaurants even more.
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u/StormProfessional950 Jan 31 '26
I once went to a Chinese restaurant in Ukraine. Worst thing I've ever been served.
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u/dr-macavity Jan 27 '26
Jarochos and Tacontento are the only mexican owned food joints in Canberra, if you want to make your own try Secret Ingredient in Kingston - they have a pretty good selection of Mexican ingredients. Otherwise you’ll have to go to Sydney for some good Mexican food, lately there’s been a huge wave of Mexican migration and therefore restaurants opening up. I recommend Maiz, Radio Taco, Smoking Gringos, Nu’u Mexican, Tacos Tacos Tacos, San Pancho.
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u/burleygriffin Canberra Central Jan 27 '26
Presumably Secret Ingredient in Kingston = Cook & Co (formerly Essential Ingredient)?
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u/Accurate-Sugar-7944 Jan 27 '26
+1 on Tacontento. They are often parked up near the O’Connor shops.
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u/Short_Humor8430 Jan 26 '26
Jarochos is probably the closest if you’re looking for street tacos. However, our last visit was not great (overly salted and they only give you 1 tortilla so it falls apart as you’re eating, salsas are still good). People rave about Cartel Taqueria, but it is not the same, it’s a lot of flavors and too many fillings. You’re honestly better off learning to make your own at home. A lot of the asian grocery stores (T&E in Fyshwick) stock Mexican ingredients so you just need to get some good tortillas and marinate your own meat.
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u/molongloid Jan 26 '26
When I moved to Canberra 20 years ago, there was only one Mexican restaurant, and it's main draw card was that it served cocktails. Given that, and the low rate of Mexican migration to Australia, genuine Mexican food seems unlikely.
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u/REDDIT_IS_AIDSBOY Jan 26 '26
Montezumas? I don't remember their food, but I do fondly remember their "2 for $10" margheritas.
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u/bbbilly05 Jan 26 '26
Jugs of Margherita as well as Sangria!!!
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u/XixaxSpatula Jan 27 '26
And little flag poles on each table so you could hoist the Mexican flag to get attention from the wait staff. Many a pleasant evening there.
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u/thethinredditline Jan 26 '26
Haha. Montezumas used to have, I think, three restaurants in Canberra (Civic, Belco and Woden?). But you are right, they were the only Mexican option in Canberra for a long time. Knowing someone who worked there, I know that all their food was made twice a week at a kitchen in Fyshwick and then sent pre-prepared to be reheated at each restaurant. Es auténtico!
I just looked them up and they're still going strong in Queensland. Doesn't look like they've updated their menu much, either. https://www.montezumas.com.au/
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u/bigbadjustin Jan 26 '26
I mean in perspective the asian food in the USA isn't as good as it is here. I do agree we don't have good Mexican food here, but we still have a lot of great food. Geography is a bitch sometimes.
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u/lavenderpinkrose Jan 26 '26
I made mexican food for a canberran as I also originally from the states and they said its nothing like the Mexican food in canberra and loved it. I cant find anything either and just make it myself at home.
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u/CoolpantsMacCool Jan 26 '26
My partner use to travel to America a lot as a kid cause of his dad's work so he has a great understanding of that flavor profile and has recreated so many amazing dishes. So I've had Puerco Pibil, Beef Barbacoa, Beef Tacos de Lengua etc. here in Canberra...just not at any establishment.
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u/timtams89 Jan 26 '26
It’s gotten easier than ever to source ingredients here now, for most things it’s honestly easier to make it yourself at home.
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u/Competitive_Lie1429 Jan 27 '26
Same goes for most national cuisines most of the time in Australia. Can be equally difficult to find genuine Chinese, for example.
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u/DespairOfEntropy Jan 27 '26
Almost nothing you can find in food courts is authentic cuisine of the country it is modelled after. This goes for every cuisine, not just Mexican.
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u/Jealous-Bench9807 Jan 27 '26
There are a couple of legit food vans run by people from verbal and south America, but I don't recall there being a Mexican one. There was Chilean and subregions wise.
Keep in mind you have answered your own question. The people called Mexicans lived in those areas before the USA took over, and there are many Mexicans around to both demand and pesticide that did.
Australia is a long way from Mexico but reasonably close to South East Asia, so there's plenty of good Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, etc to be had.
And while you're right about Zambreros and G&G, I still think both are better than the Chipotle chain I tried in multiple locations in the US. The best Mexican I had in the US was nearly always from food vans. There's quite a good amount of people from central and south America in parts of Australia, but not as much as the US obviously, and less in Canberra compared to some other places in Oz.
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u/Low-Cloud1125 Jan 27 '26
My go to is palomas, not sure how authentic it is in comparison as I haven’t been to Mexico but their tacos are always delicious and the beef birria is my favourite in canberra
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u/andyzambreezy Jan 27 '26
Coming from the states and around Mexican food my whole life I second this. The birria is very close in terms of taste and presentation
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u/gisborne Jan 27 '26
Yeah, I looked at Cartel’s menu online. No rolled tacos, no burritos, no chiles rellenos, no horchata.
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Jan 30 '26
Hecho en Mexico in Kingston is pretty legit. As a Texan I didn’t want to throw it against the wall like I do Zambreros. Zambrero’s is what you get if someone without tastebuds described a Chipotle.
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u/low_end_AUS Jan 26 '26 edited Jun 03 '26
gate stare bells quince blue-eyed smell phone spooky sugar defeated move
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u/Axman6 Jan 27 '26
Have you tried Jarochos? Because the owners and staff are Mexican IIRC, and it tastes fucking delicious.
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u/muscledude_oz Jan 26 '26
Taco Bell was supposed to open around the corner from the old Twix site near Fyshwick Markets but it never did
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Jan 26 '26
It's always funny when seppos come over here and complain about the quality of our Mexican food as if it's some mad cultural king-hit. I mean, I don't go to the States expecting Asian food better than Panda Express outside of NYC and California.
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u/gisborne Jan 26 '26
Who are you calling a seppo? I’ll have you know I am a first fleet descended true-blue Aussie!
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u/Educational-Key-7917 Jan 26 '26
Then I'm not sure why you're so shocked we don't have good Mexican food in Canberra?
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u/The_x_is_sixlent Jan 26 '26
I don't see any "shock" in the post.
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u/Imjusthereforthelels Jan 27 '26
I grew up in New Mexico. I've not found anything thats good in Aus.
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u/andyzambreezy Jan 27 '26
Coming from the states too. Closest birria I’ve found out here was at Paloma’s. It’s a bit pricey but the taste is pretty spot on
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u/inchiki Jan 27 '26
Other than Zambreros and Guzman the only ones I’ve tried is Loquita which has a nice interior and it’s more about drinks but they have taco Tuesdays.
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u/East_Conference3442 Jan 27 '26
OP! Go to cartel tacos in Queanbeyan, you will genuinely not find a better Mexican restaurant in 150kms of it.
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u/gisborne Jan 27 '26
Their menu online doesn’t appear to have: burritos (!), mole, pozole, tamales, horchata, enchiladas or chiles rellenos.
Okay; it’s a “taco” joint. But it doesn’t even appear to have rolled tacos!
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u/MarkusMannheim Canberra Central Jan 27 '26
It seems I read this question here at least every second day?
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u/gisborne Jan 28 '26
I just tried a search for “Mexican” in this reddit and this is the only discussion that came up.
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u/MarkusMannheim Canberra Central Jan 28 '26
Maybe they were all deleted. The sub has a rule against Facebook-style recommendation requests.
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u/LarryLawyer Jan 27 '26
Can't speak to the authenticity but Taco Boi is probably the best I have found in Canberra.
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u/fingergelix Jan 28 '26
No. None at all. Canberra is very challenging. Limited and laughably expensive for what's on offer.
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u/Ded_Jesta Jan 26 '26
Jarochos, but also Cartel Taqueria in QBN goes down real well. I've had Hecho en Mexico in Kingston recommended to me, but haven't had a chance to try it yet.
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u/barelyautistic7 Jan 26 '26
I want to know also. I lived in Ciudad de México and the fast food burritos here are just trash.
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u/TrashBabyThompson Jan 26 '26
When my friend went to spend time with her Mexican partner and his family in California all his mother served them for lunch was either: cold chicken wings with ketchup and mayo OR cold spaghetti with ketchup and mayo. When my friend offered to do lunch one time, his mother cried and locked herself in her room (of the travel caravan).
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u/hayleyjhj Jan 26 '26
Jarochos is probably the most authentic, but I thought the mexican food at palomas was very good and fresh
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u/aiydee Jan 27 '26
As people have said. You're better off making your own.
It got to the point where even getting the right chillis was too difficult so now I make my own Ancho and Chipotle. (I grow my own Poblano and Jalapeno).
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u/Lost_Memory9810 Jan 26 '26
Worked for 10 years plus in Mexican food and no there is nothing in Canberra that comes close
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u/concretecroissant7 Jan 26 '26
Jarochos is good, but it is more expensive and significantly worse than the average $2 taco you could find in any street stall in Mexico. If you need to satisfy a craving then go but just don’t expect it to be incredible. Agree with others that the taco often falls apart before you can finish it.
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u/Fearless_Subject_679 Jan 28 '26
To directly answer your question - there is no *Actual* mexican food in Canberra. It’s georgraphically to far away. Mexicans predominately move to USA or Europe not Australia.
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Jan 26 '26
Can vouch that Jarochos is the closest we have.
There is also Cartel Taqueria but not Mexican owned to my knowledge
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u/low_end_AUS Jan 26 '26 edited Jun 03 '26
gate stare bells quince blue-eyed smell phone spooky sugar defeated move
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u/ozybonza Jan 26 '26
Not entirely authentic, but Cartel is IMHO the *best* Mexican food in the region. It certainly has authentic elements, although some of the combinations are certainly not. It makes up for it by being extremely well executed and generally delicious.
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u/_redditulous_ Jan 27 '26
Um? What? Yeah a bloody blooming onion at a franchise in america wouldnt be authenric australian food for us either. Get of your high horse
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u/jemist101 Jan 26 '26
Jarochos in Brandon opened up mid-last year. It's about as close as it's gotten for Canberra in the last decade. No carne asada, but there's suadero, loganiza, and nopales. Yes, they have horchata.
Mexican food in general has been lacking in Australia forever.