A Directory of Sonoma County Taco Spots
Santa Rosa food trucks, Petaluma taquerias, and Healdsburg Oaxacan kitchens — 21 places worth driving for, listed city by city.
From al pastor trompos in Santa Rosa to handmade blue corn tortillas in Petaluma and mole-drenched Oaxacan plates in Healdsburg, Sonoma County's taco scene is one of the richest in Northern California. This guide collects the best Sonoma tacos across every city — food trucks, mom-and-pop taquerias, and modern kitchens alike.
Santa Rosa
Food Truck
El Roy's Express Mex
A local legend, now six locations across the county and voted the county's best food truck eleven years running. Famous for crispy al pastor, generous portions, and the "Bodega Sandwich."
Al pastor specialists · Drive-thru on Elsa Drive until midnight
Restaurant
Taqueria Las Palmas
Known for having the best sauce in the county and authentic flavor. A solid brick-and-mortar spot at 415 Santa Rosa Avenue that locals swear by.
Open daily, 9am–9pm · Extensive menu
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
La Texanita
Featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Handmade tortillas made fresh every day, legendary carne asada and lengua tacos, and fiery fish tacos on Sebastopol Road.
Handmade tortillas daily · 10am–8pm
Carnitas
Taqueria California
A humble taqueria on Stony Point Road with a magic touch on carnitas — crispy-edged, melt-in-your-mouth pork that avoids the leathery trap. Frequently cited among the county's best.
Carnitas specialist · No-frills authentic
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Taqueria Molcajetes
Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for its sizzling Molcajete Mixto and trompo-cooked al pastor. Chef-owners Zacarias Martin and Dionicia Valdovinos serve Guadalajara- and Michoacán-influenced cooking on West College Avenue.
Trompo al pastor · Open daily, 10am–9pm
Roseland Classic
Pepe's Mexican Restaurant
A longtime favorite on Sebastopol Road in Santa Rosa's Roseland neighborhood. A hole-in-the-wall in the best sense — unfussy, dependable, and part of the Mexi-Mile taco mecca.
Longtime Roseland staple · Breakfast from 8am on weekends
Food Park
Mitote Food Park
A vibrant hub of Mexican culture and cuisine in Roseland, with a rotating cast of trucks — quesabirria from Gio y Los Magos, mushroom tacos from Lucha Sabina, cochinita pibil from Mami's Panuchos — plus a bar, music, and communal tables.
Multiple vendors · Open daily, 11am–9pm
Classic
Los Arcos
A reliable, classic Mexican restaurant tucked into a Marlow Road strip mall. Broad menu, big breakfast burritos, and the kind of room where the owners know the regulars.
Closed Mondays · 9am–8pm
Quesabirria
Cielito Lindo
A Rincon Valley favorite on Mission Circle. Sonoma Magazine singled out the al pastor — spit-grilled under a dripping pineapple — and the birria con queso arrives with a cup of consommé for dipping.
Birria con queso · Weekday happy hour
New in 2026
Parkside Eats
Opened in April 2026 in the former Lepe's Taqueria space on Montgomery Drive. Hayley Cutri and chef Efrain Balmes lean California comfort food, but the al pastor with grilled pineapple, the birria, and the Baja fish tacos are the reason to come.
Al pastor with grilled pineapple · Birria hash at brunch
Petaluma
Editor's Pick
Quiote Mexican Restaurant
A family-owned Kentucky Street gem known for handmade blue corn tortillas topped with rock cod, cochinita pibil, or al pastor with salsa verde. Sonoma Magazine's top taco pick.
Blue corn tortillas · Closed Mondays
Family-Owned
Taqueria Los Potrillos
A cornerstone of Petaluma since 1993. Fresh tacos, burritos, seafood, and catering from a family that started with a station wagon and a handful of recipes. The al pastor is what people come back for.
Open daily, 9am–10pm · Catering available
Burrito Legend
Chunky's Taqueria & Grill
In the Leghorn Marketplace on Sonoma Mountain Parkway, where co-owner Rubén De La Torre set up shop in 2001. Famous for massive wet burritos, but the tacos hold their own — and the salsa bar is self-serve.
East Petaluma · Open daily, 9:30am–9pm
Sonoma Valley
Bib Gourmand
El Molino Central
A culinary gem in Boyes Hot Springs and a Bib Gourmand in the 2026 Michelin Guide. Stone-ground corn tortillas pressed in-house daily, beer-battered fish tacos, mole tamales, and seasonal plates that shift with what's good.
Handmade tortillas · Michelin Bib Gourmand 2026
Rohnert Park & Cotati
Local Favorite
Taqueria Sol Azteca
Francisca Lemus opened this East Cotati Avenue taqueria in 1992 with her grandmother's Jalisco recipes; her son Frankie runs it now. Massive burritos, crisp tacos, pupusas, and a salsa bar that keeps locals coming back.
Family-run since 1992 · Mon–Sat 9am–9pm
Best New Restaurant 2026
Galvan's Beer Garden
Brothers Omar and Ivan Galvan parlayed three bright red taco trucks into a brick-and-mortar beer garden in Cotati's former Jaded Toad space, and the Press Democrat named it the county's best new restaurant of 2026. Quesabirria and loaded carne asada fries anchor the menu.
Outdoor-only seating · Local beer on tap · Trucks still roving
Healdsburg & Windsor
Mole & Mezcal
Agave Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar
On Vine Street in Healdsburg, where chef-owner Octavio Diaz cooks the food of his native Oaxaca. Mole — a rich dark sauce made with more than 20 ingredients — is the signature, and the imported mezcal list is a star attraction in its own right.
Signature 20-ingredient mole · Deep mezcal selection
Oaxacan
Gallina D'Oro
The rebranded and upgraded evolution of El Farolito on Plaza Street. Signature mole Oaxaqueño, tacos ahogados, quesabirria, and mezcal-infused cocktails — get the barbacoa tacos on the handmade corn tortillas.
Tacos ahogados · Quesabirria
Common questions
Where can I find the best tacos in Sonoma County?
The standouts vary by city and what you're hungry for. Santa Rosa is home to El Roy's Express Mex (widely considered the top truck in the county), La Texanita (handmade tortillas, featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives), and Taqueria Molcajetes. Petaluma has Quiote for handmade blue-corn tortillas. Sonoma Valley has El Molino Central, a 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand. Cotati has Galvan's Beer Garden, named the county's best new restaurant of 2026. Healdsburg has Agave and Gallina D'Oro for Oaxacan plates.
Which Sonoma County taco spots have been on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
Guy Fieri has featured two Santa Rosa spots: La Texanita for its carne asada tacos on handmade tortillas, and Taqueria Molcajetes for its signature Molcajete Mixto and trompo-cooked al pastor. Both are still going strong and both are worth the visit.
What are the best taco trucks in Santa Rosa?
El Roy's Express Mex is the one most locals name first — al pastor, generous portions, and the famous "Bodega Sandwich." Mitote Food Park on Sebastopol Road hosts rotating trucks including Gio y Los Magos, and it's become the go-to weekend taco destination on the west side. Galvan's Eatery still runs three roving trucks — check their Instagram for the week's stops — now anchored by a permanent beer garden in Cotati.
Which taquerias make handmade tortillas?
El Molino Central in Boyes Hot Springs presses stone-ground corn tortillas in-house every day. La Texanita and Taqueria Molcajetes in Santa Rosa make their tortillas by hand. Quiote in Petaluma is known for handmade blue-corn tortillas, and Tortilleria Jalisco in Sonoma presses its own. When a menu mentions handmade, it almost always makes the tacos noticeably better.
Where do I find tacos in Healdsburg or Sonoma Valley?
Healdsburg leans Oaxacan — Agave Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar on Vine Street and Gallina D'Oro just off the Plaza are the two anchors, and Gallina D'Oro has since added a second location on Old Redwood Highway in Windsor. In Sonoma Valley, El Molino Central in Boyes Hot Springs is the long-standing favorite — a 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand — with regional Mexican cooking and a thoughtful approach to ingredients that fits right into the Wine Country food scene.
Are these taco spots kid-friendly and casual?
Most are. Food trucks and taquerias across the county are built for casual, family-friendly dining — counter service, outdoor seating, quick out-the-door options. A handful of the Healdsburg and Sonoma Valley restaurants are more sit-down experiences, but even those welcome kids and walk-ins.