Villa's Tacos

Sweet smoke from a roadside taco stand blows across the Highland Park parking lot, but the crowd gathered in front of Chef Victor Villa’s taqueria doesn’t budge. This brick-and-mortar marks a milestone for a chef who first started serving out of his grandmother’s house. The signature queso taco is instantly recognizable, built on a blue corn masa tortilla stacked with refried beans, onion, cilantro, guacamole, cotija cheese, crema and a melted skirt of Monterey Jack. Variations with asada and chorizo are favorites, with vegan options on offer as well. Colorful, messy and filling, these tacos thrive on their own but also sing with the homemade salsas, some of which are ferociously spicy. Seating is limited to a few picnic tables outside.