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The best Mexican restaurants in South Africa

by | 29 September 2023

We’ve rounded up a list of the best Mexican restaurants across the country, serving everything from Tex-Mex favourites to authentic Baja-style cuisine. Whether you’re craving a classic taco al pastor or a pile of cheesy nachos, there’s a place nearby. And of course, no Mexican meal is complete without a freshly shaken margarita. Browse the list below and book your table today!

Cape Town and surrounds


Hacienda

Bree Street, Cape Town

At the heart of the Mother City’s most popular food street, Hacienda is unlike any other Mexican restaurant in Cape Town. Inspired by the vibrant flavours and laid-back culture of Baja California, it offers a unique dining experience. The menu is packed with authentic coastal Mexican cuisine – with a modern twist. You can opt for the six-course set menu, which includes a free margarita, or order sharing plates and tacos off the à la carte menu. They also have an extensive selection of tequilas and mezcals to pair with your meal. As one reviewer writes on Dineplan, you can look forward to “life-changing guacamole and mescal margaritas”. Whether you’re after a celebratory dinner or post-work half-price “margs” (every day from 4 – 5:30 pm), Hacienda is a great place to go!

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Mamacita’s

District Six, Cape Town

Located on the trendy Harrington Street, Mamacita’s is a vibrant expression of Los Angeles’ bustling streets – brought to life by a visionary young couple. An ode to LA’s food scene, the menu takes you through the city’s flavours, featuring all the Tex-Mex classics like nachos, quesadillas, fajitas, corn and flour tacos and lots more. Look out for the TikTok-famous Birria tacos – they’re spicy, extra saucy and stuffed generously with your choice of tasty filling! As for dessert, don’t skip the cinnamon churros with chocolate dipping sauce.

Beyond the food, there’s signature cocktails and a wide selection of tequilas. With great drinks, food that will bust your cravings and lots of vibes, Mamacita’s is the perfect spot for date night or an evening out with friends.

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Mexicola Locale

Hout Bay, Cape Town

Mexicola Locale in Hout Bay specialises in modern Mexican-style fire cooking. With a premium range of tequilas and some of the best margaritas in the city, it’s no wonder that it’s a favourite among locals. The menu features favourites like grilled corn, smoky jalapeño peppers, nachos, and tacos, and the desserts are well worth saving room for. Having recently come under new management, you can expect top-notch service and some refreshing changes to the menu. Mexicola is a great spot for after-work drinks and tapas, a relaxed and cosy date night, or a leisurely weekend meal. We promise you’ll want to go back!

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Una Más – Mezcaleria

Sea Point, Cape Town

In the vibrant Sea Point neighbourhood, Una Más offers a fresh, modern approach to Mexican cocktails, snacks and tacos. When you arrive, the place will be packed, so do yourself a favour and order a margarita and a bowl of their housemade tortilla chips and “guac” as soon as you sit down. Then you can browse the rest of the menu at your leisure. From patatas confitadas and elotes “street-style corn” salad, to loaded nachos and a wide selection of delicious soft-shell tacos, there’s a lot to love! And, there are plenty of plant-based options too. They’re not wrong when they say, “we’re sure you’ll be asking for una más (one more) every time you join us!”

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Tiger’s Milk

Multiple locations

Serving lots of vibes and crowd-pleasing meals, Tiger’s Milk is a great place to go when you’re craving some good, ol’ Tex-Mex comfort food. From quesadillas and cheesy nachos with all the toppings to a tasty selection of tacos, including chicken, pulled pork and fish, there’s something for everyone. For vegetarians, you can’t go wrong with the corn and pulled jackfruit tacos, and they’re happy to offer vegan alternatives too.

Book BloubergBook Camps BayBook Century City
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Johannesburg & Pretoria


Perron Bryanston

Bryanston, Johannesburg

Perron is a hidden gem in Joburg, and once you discover it, you’ll be reserving a table every time the craving for Mexican food strikes. The menu is vast, with hearty burritos, 10 different types of tacos served on your choice of soft or hard-shell tortillas, and hard-to-resist classics like chilli poppers, empanadas, quesadillas, and nachos. For dessert, the choice between churros and tres leches cake is going to be difficult, so just order both and share! No matter what you choose, you can always count on the food being fantastic and the margaritas being mixed “just right”.

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La Rosa Mexican Grille and Tequileria

Multiple locations

¡Viva México! A visit to La Rosa Mexican Grille will transport you to the heart of Mexico, with big flavours, an electric atmosphere, and vibrant colours. To start, snack on tortilla chips and salsa, taquitos, and chile rellenos before diving into a heaving plate of cheesy nachos, a sizzling fajita, quesadillas, or enchiladas. If you’re there for the tacos, there are plenty to choose from, including Oaxacan lamb barbacoa, pollo pibil, al pastor pork, and Baja-style fish – just to name a few! For dessert, make the hard choice between churros, Mexican flan or a tequila-laced caramel Dom Pedro.

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Salsa Mexican Grill

Multiple locations

With many branches dotted around Gauteng, Salsa Mexican Grill is always close by when you’re craving a great Mexican meal. The team behind Salsa have put a fresh and modern twist on classic recipes cooked using traditional methods. The menu features a selection of small plates, including jalapeño peppers, prawn tostadas, and croquetas. For something more filling, there’s a long list of burritos, enchiladas, nachos and guacamole, quesadillas, tacos, and combo platters. Vegetarians and vegans have plenty of options to choose from as well.

If you still have room for dessert (and you should), there are churros, Mexican-style flan, and strawberry gaznates.

Salsa Mexican Grill also has branches in Nelspruit and Bloemfontein, which you can book on Dineplan.

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Tiger’s Milk

Multiple locations

With its crowd-pleasing menu and lively atmosphere, Tiger’s Milk is a great place to go when you’re craving a classic Tex-Mex meal. From quesadillas and cheesy nachos to a selection of tacos, including chicken, pulled pork, and fish, there’s something for everyone on the menu. Vegetarians will love the corn and pulled jackfruit tacos, and vegan alternatives are also available.

Book Appleton’s VillageBook Bedford ViewBook BryanstonBook Cedar SquareBook Harvest PlaceBook Kwena SquareBook KyalamiBook Melrose ArchBook Northcliff

Durban and surrounds


Tiger’s Milk

Multiple locations

On top of their much-loved burgers, pizzas and steaks, Tiger’s Milk has a selection of tasty Tex-Mex meals on offer. Order a plate of cheesy nachos to share, then tuck into one of their tacos filled with your choice of chicken, pulled pork, fish, or corn and pulled jackfruit. The food is delicious, the drinks are flowing, and the atmosphere is electric. So head on down to Tiger’s Milk!

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