Paz Taqueria
There’s a real lack of great Mexican restaurants in Edinburgh so I couldn’t contain my excitement when I noticed Paz Taqueria were opening in the city centre. They can be found on Thistle Street and though unassuming from the outside (unless you get caught in a queue to get in), there’s a real buzz on the inside considering how small the venue is.
Paz is bringing a new take on classic Mexican flavours with a very simple menu. With only 7 antojitos and 7 taco options to choose from, you won’t need long to choose what you want from the menu. I love places with menus like this because:
- There’s nowhere to hide when it comes to flavour
- Because there are fewer options, the restaurant team can hone in and make each dish
The way it works is that any dishes you order just come as and when they’re ready. Everything on the menu is perfect for sharing (the tacos all come in pairs) so we ended up ordering two antojitos and two tacos for the table.
First came the ‘Calamares y salsa’ which was fresh fried squid with a healthy squeeze of green aioli and a salsa macha cheese dip. At the same time the ‘Esquites’ were also delivered to the table. This fresh and spicy cheesy corn dip was delicious. The homemade totopas, similar to a tortilla but made with corn, that came on the side were perfect for scooping up heaps of corn. I do wish they had some more of these on the side though!
These dishes were then closely followed by both variations of tacos that were ordered. We chose the ‘taco de carnitas’ (£9.50) which was a corn tortilla topped with confit pork shoulder (yum!), smoked chipotle mayo, pico de gallo and pork skin. These were unreal but my favourite dish of the day by far was the ‘taco campechano’. On the same corn tortillas were juicy chunks of flat iron steak, chorizo, and the same fresh, green aioli that came with the calamari and fried potatoes. You know it’s a good taco when the juice starts dripping down your arm while you’re munching away!
Both unreal and 100% worth the trip for the tacos alone. They also always have a bowl of chopped-up fresh lime for you to use at your leisure and two hot sauces too.
Not only is Paz’s food menu carefully considered but their drinks menu is too. They have a selection of beer and soft drinks to choose from but my eye was drawn straight to their small cocktail menu. Correct me if I’m wrong but the only drink you should be having with tacos, except a beer, is any tequila-based drink.
For that reason alone, I ordered their ‘Margarita Fuego’ which is their take on a spicy margarita. All of their cocktails are priced at £10 with the exemption of the ‘Cafe Paz’ which is only £7. The margarita fuego was mixed up with El Jimador Blanco, Lucky orange Liqueur lime juice and a blackcurrant/chillies mix. Perfectly balanced with just the right amount of kick for me — can’t beat it!
Paz, in my opinion, is an excellent new addition to Edinburgh’s city centre and will be a place I go back to time and time again for a quick taco fix.
Quick note: the restaurant is not accessible as it has steep steps to get in and most of the seating is very close together. So much so, that the tables around you may need to budge over whilst you enter and exit if you’re sitting by the wall. This means you will be super close to other diners so please keep this in mind.
- Paz Taqueria
- 64 Thistle St, Edinburgh EH2 1EN
- @paz_tacos
- Walk-ins only
- £20pp+
- Not accessible - stairs!
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