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Close to two years ago, Mexico City’s first Michelin-starred taqueria, El Califa de León, traveled to New York, bringing its famed bisteca and ganoera tacos to the city. But it seems the visit was more about getting a feel for the market than just a one-off, as the almost 70-year-old taqueria expanded for the first time, landing Flatiron on August 24.
Unlike the 100-square-foot, standing taqueria in CDMX, the El Califa de León of New York is made to stay, as the location has 60 seats. Yet the inside still evokes the feeling of the taqueria back home with terracotta floors, brick-red tiles that color-match the original and accordion doors to give the same indoor-outdoor experience. The seats at the counter look on into the kitchen as three grills center the whole operation. The plastic plates have been swapped with the real thing, too, this time emblazoned with their claim to fame that reads, “Mexico’s Highest-Awarded Tacos.”
And so what about these tacos? You’ll find the same menu as you would in CDMX, but with albeit, New York prices, as the most expensive goes to the costilla or beef rib at $19. The taqueria is also selling the pork chop known as chuleta for $7 and New York strip steak aka the bistec for $9. Naturally, their most iconic cut that the taqueria helped to popularize, the ganoera (prime tenderloin), came along as well, priced at $11. Sourcing from Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, the meat here is seasoned simply with lime and salt before hitting la plancha, then laid on corn tortillas made with fresh masa from Bushwick’s Sobre Masa. Toppings keep it just as simple with just two salsas: the rojo made of guajillo and pasilla chiles and the verde with serrano and tomatillo. However, only the New York location will be home to a vegetarian option, made with roasted poblano peppers, huitlacoche, and corn ($8).
In line with new additions, the rear of the restaurant is carved out for the bar, stocked with tequila and mezcals. There are also cocktails in the mix, including two margaritas that directly use the salsas as a base ingredient: the Verde Margarita and the Rojo Margarita.
And it seems this is just the first stop for El Califa de León, as the team is currently scouting for more locations around the U.S. But for now, New Yorkers can consider themselves first to the expansion.
El Califa de León is open daily, from 11am to 11pm.