The Concord Taco Trail is a must if you love indulging in delicious Mexican food.
Burritos, enchiladas, and tacos are just a sampling of what you’ll find. Whether you like it mild, medium, or spicy, this foodie heaven has it all.
Join us as we tour a trail loaded with your favorite toppings and fillings.
Let’s dive in!
About the Taco Trail in Concord, California
If you love Mexican food, you’ll want to add this San Francisco Bay Area city to your travel bucket list. The Concord Taco Trail is a collection of nearly 40 local restaurants and taquerias offering your favorite south-of-the-border dishes.
An establishment must meet a few requirements to be part of the trail. First, the primary cuisine must be Mexican. Second, the business has to be within the city limits of Concord. Finally, it can’t be part of a national chain. So only locally-owned places can qualify.
Another aspect is that most restaurants use traditional family recipes from various regions of Mexico. So you can try out dishes from places like Oaxaca, Baja, and Jalisco.
Know Before You Go: Download the Concord Taco Trail app to your phone for a digital map of all the stops.
Where Is the Concord Taco Trail?
Located about 30 miles northeast of San Francisco, Concord is a great city to include in your visit to the Bay Area. A benefit of staying in this metropolitan area is the excellent public transportation. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train system runs across the region, offering an alternative to traffic and parking hassles.
Check out some of the city’s other attractions between stops on the Concord Taco Trail. You can grab food to go and have a picnic in a park. Or burn off some calories with a bike ride or walk along the Contra Costa Canal. This 13-mile paved pathway connects Concord with three other nearby towns.
Concord is also close to Mt. Diablo State Park, where you can camp and hike miles of trails just outside the city limits.
We found some Simple Camping Tacos: Recipes to Spice Up Your Trip for when you’re too far from town.
Is Todos Santos Plaza on the Concord Taco Trail?
The Todos Santos Plaza is a popular gathering spot that hosts community events, including a year-round farmers’ market and summer concerts. At the center is a lush public park with picnic tables, a playground, and benches.
A few restaurants on the Concord Taco Trail are very close to the plaza. You can access the area using BART, but you’ll also find street parking with meters. In addition, the Salvio Street and Grant Street Garages offer a free place to leave your car while you walk around town.
Best Stops on the Taco Trail in Concord
If you only have a day or two in Concord, picking places to stop on the Taco Trail might be challenging. But we’re here to help point you toward a few best spots to check out.
Tortilleria El Molino
Homemade tortillas are the base of the fantastic food at Tortilleria El Molino. In addition to tasty tacos, other menu items include burritos, tortas, soups, and pupusas. While meat is a primary choice for most dishes, they also have vegetarian options.
Owner Santiago Morales, from Michoacan, Mexico, opened the restaurant in 2001. Since then, it’s been a favorite of locals and even draws people from all over the Bay Area. Located at 1500 Monument Blvd, Suite F1, Tortilleria El Molino sits among a handful of other stops on the Concord Taco Trail.
Los Tacos de Pancho
This family-owned restaurant seems to specialize in Mexican seafood dishes. Their menu includes tilapia tacos, prawn quesadillas, and shrimp ceviche tostadas. But if fish isn’t your thing, you can choose from meat or vegetarian meals.
Open for over 20 years, Los Tacos de Pancho believes in giving back to the Concord community. In addition to excellent customer service, they regularly sponsor local events, including a Mother’s Day Fair and Pride Festival.
You’ll find Los Tacos de Pancho at 2699 Clayton Road. If you’re driving, plenty of free parking is available in front of their restaurant and the surrounding area.
Taqueria Los Gallos Express
Owner Jorge Cardenas opened the doors to Taqueria Los Gallos Express in 1980. Not only do they serve lunch and dinner, but you can also get traditional Mexican breakfast meals. Start your day on the Concord Taco Trail with huevos rancheros or chorizo and eggs.
Located at 1747 Willow Pass Road, this popular restaurant is close to other delicious stops on the trail. Once you work up an appetite after your first meal of the day, check out a few other spots.
Can’t get to Concord? The Best and Worst Mexican Fast Food Brands.
Best Places to Stay Near the Concord Taco Trail
You’ll want to stay at least a few days to enjoy a handful of tasty meals along the Concord Taco Trail. Fortunately, plenty of lodging options are available within a short distance of this East Bay city. Check out these places when you start planning your trip.
Mount Diablo State Park
Located about seven miles from town, Mount Diablo is an excellent choice if you want to sleep in nature. You can choose from tent or RV sites with picnic tables and fire rings. It’s all dry camping here, but bathrooms, showers, and drinking water are available.
Rates start around $30 per night. If you’re in a trailer or RV that’s 20 feet or shorter, you won’t have a problem. However, larger rigs don’t fit in the sites and may also have issues navigating the steep, curvy entrance road.
The Inn at Benicia Bay
This cute bed and breakfast offers six rooms decorated in unique styles. Built in 1854, The Inn at Benicia Bay provides a mix of older ambiance and modern amenities, including private jacuzzi tubs.
After walking around the Concord Taco Trail, The Inn is a wonderful place to relax and unwind. You might want to spend some time outside on their garden patio before heading to your peaceful bedroom.
Enjoy a light breakfast delivered to your room each morning before setting out for the day. Prices start at around $200 per night.
Hyatt House Pleasant Hill
Another excellent place to stay near the Concord Taco Trail is the Hyatt House in nearby Pleasant Hill. You’ll enjoy top-notch amenities during your visit, including an outdoor heated pool, a free omelet bar breakfast, and a fitness center.
If you don’t feel like driving, you can grab a taxi to the Pleasant Hill BART station and hop on a train to Concord to walk around town. You’ll surely burn off all tacos you eat by choosing this option!
Nightly rates begin at around $190. Hyatt House has studios and one or two-bedroom suites to choose from.
Take some tacos to go and play the Taco vs Burrito Card Game!
Is a Concord Taco Trail Road Trip Worth It?
We think a trip to the Concord Taco Trail is worth it, especially if you can’t get enough of Mexican food. Not only will you have 40 different places to try your favorite dish, but you’ll also be in the Bay Area. You certainly won’t run out of things to see or do.
And you’ll be happy to know Concord is a good walking city. So you can work off the daily calories from the tacos, burritos, and enchiladas you’ll be eating!
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