Taqueria Autentica

TAQUERÍA AUTÉNTICA
1035 Broad Street, Bloomfield
973-320-4157
taqueriaautentica.com

Hours: Tues-Thurs, 11:30 AM-3 PM, 5:30-9 PM; Fri, 11:30 AM -3 PM, 5:30-10 PM; Sat, noon-3 PM, 5:30-10 PM.

Price: $$

Style: The name is no lie—the Mexican food at this cozy BYO is fresh and authentic. The aquamarine walls are filled with work by local artists. Eating alone? Grab a seat at the counter just a few feet from the semi-open kitchen.

Don’t Miss: It won’t be easy, but try not to fill up on the spiced popcorn placed on your table to start. Excellent starters include chips and guacamole ($6.50) made in-house. Tacos can be ordered singly or in a three-for-$9 combo. Fillings range from traditional (carne asada) to adventurous (nopalitos, prickly pear stems). Other treats include enchiladas de pollo, topped with melted Chihuahua cheese and either spicy red salsa or milder salsa verde ($9), and quesadillas ($8-$11), which come drizzled with a delicious crema. Kids can play in the kiddie corner and find friendly food on the Para Los Hijitos section of the menu, including chicken fingers ($7) or cheese quesadilla ($2).

Heads Up: Almost everything is made in-house. Desserts, like the spicy chili chocolate cake ($8), which comes with a soothing glass of milk, are worth the calories. Whole cakes can be ordered in advance for parties in-house or to take out.

The Scoop: Ingredients are fresh and local wherever possible. The brick-and-mortar restaurant is a spinoff of the acclaimed Taqueria Autentica food truck, which comes to the Montclair Farmer’s Market every Saturday in season, or track the truck’s whereabouts on Facebook and Twitter.