{"id":40692,"date":"2021-09-27T19:32:02","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T22:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/?p=40692"},"modified":"2021-11-10T00:02:13","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T03:02:13","slug":"best-tacos-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/studies\/best-tacos-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"2021\u2019s Best California Cities for Tacos"},"content":{"rendered":"

Taco \u2019bout the perfect finger food. Not only are tacos cheap and tasty, but they also come in countless combinations \u2014 especially in California, where locals are simply \u201ctacobsessed.\u201d<\/p>

But where among The Golden State’s 100 biggest cities can you find top tacos?<\/p>

LawnStarter<\/a> crunched the numbers to unwrap 2021\u2019s Best California Cities for Tacos in time for National Taco Day, Oct. 4.<\/p>

We looked for cities with wide access to taquerias, top Michelin honors, high consumer ratings, and taco festivals. We even considered Google search volumes for \u201ctacos\u201d to gauge local taco love.<\/p>

Check out the most spec-taco-lar California cities in our ranking below, followed by key tacoways.<\/p>

Table of Contents<\/h3>
  1. City Rankings<\/a><\/li>
  2. Key Tacoways<\/a><\/li>
  3. Tacos By the Numbers<\/a><\/li>
  4. Methodology<\/a><\/li>
  5. Tacos for Dinner, Breakfast, and Dessert<\/a><\/li><\/ol>

    <\/a><\/p>

    City Rankings <\/h2>

    See how each city fared in our ranking:<\/p> \n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
    OVERALL RANK<\/th>City<\/th>Overall Score<\/th>Access Rank<\/th>Quality Rank<\/th>Popularity Rank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    1<\/td>Santa Barbara, CA<\/td>87.72<\/td>1<\/td>1<\/td>5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    2<\/td>Santa Monica, CA<\/td>52.21<\/td>3<\/td>18<\/td>4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    3<\/td>Costa Mesa, CA<\/td>47.60<\/td>5<\/td>2<\/td>60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    4<\/td>Newport Beach, CA<\/td>46.84<\/td>2<\/td>10<\/td>57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    5<\/td>San Diego, CA<\/td>43.56<\/td>7<\/td>8<\/td>17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    6<\/td>Inglewood, CA<\/td>42.92<\/td>27<\/td>6<\/td>11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    7<\/td>Sacramento, CA<\/td>42.66<\/td>23<\/td>14<\/td>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    8<\/td>Orange, CA<\/td>41.07<\/td>11<\/td>5<\/td>29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    9<\/td>Berkeley, CA<\/td>40.74<\/td>15<\/td>3<\/td>74<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    10<\/td>Escondido, CA<\/td>37.11<\/td>24<\/td>20<\/td>15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    11<\/td>Redwood City, CA<\/td>37.05<\/td>16<\/td>4<\/td>79<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    12<\/td>Pasadena, CA<\/td>36.43<\/td>6<\/td>13<\/td>69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    13<\/td>Arden-Arcade, CA<\/td>35.75<\/td>80<\/td>32<\/td>3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    14<\/td>Oakland, CA<\/td>35.68<\/td>59<\/td>19<\/td>14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    15<\/td>Chula Vista, CA<\/td>35.08<\/td>52<\/td>48<\/td>2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    16<\/td>Long Beach, CA<\/td>34.59<\/td>21<\/td>11<\/td>50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    17<\/td>San Francisco, CA<\/td>34.56<\/td>14<\/td>9<\/td>74<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    18<\/td>Bakersfield, CA<\/td>33.81<\/td>39<\/td>17<\/td>21<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    19<\/td>Whittier, CA<\/td>33.28<\/td>20<\/td>59<\/td>11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    20<\/td>Carlsbad, CA<\/td>33.18<\/td>4<\/td>52<\/td>35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    21<\/td>San Mateo, CA<\/td>32.40<\/td>40<\/td>7<\/td>74<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    22<\/td>Santa Ana, CA<\/td>31.96<\/td>69<\/td>15<\/td>43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    23<\/td>Redding, CA<\/td>31.70<\/td>13<\/td>23<\/td>53<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    24<\/td>Oceanside, CA<\/td>31.56<\/td>9<\/td>37<\/td>39<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    25<\/td>Norwalk, CA<\/td>31.55<\/td>90<\/td>48<\/td>7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    26<\/td>Concord, CA<\/td>30.75<\/td>38<\/td>46<\/td>18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    27<\/td>Elk Grove, CA<\/td>30.25<\/td>76<\/td>23<\/td>26<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    28<\/td>San Leandro, CA<\/td>30.14<\/td>57<\/td>27<\/td>28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    29<\/td>Anaheim, CA<\/td>30.09<\/td>19<\/td>37<\/td>33<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    30<\/td>Downey, CA<\/td>30.06<\/td>65<\/td>69<\/td>9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    31<\/td>East Los Angeles, CA<\/td>29.98<\/td>97<\/td>57<\/td>13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    32<\/td>Indio, CA<\/td>29.75<\/td>22<\/td>70<\/td>16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    33<\/td>San Jose, CA<\/td>29.73<\/td>62<\/td>31<\/td>27<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    34<\/td>Santa Maria, CA<\/td>29.53<\/td>49<\/td>84<\/td>5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    35<\/td>Chico, CA<\/td>29.51<\/td>31<\/td>23<\/td>53<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    36<\/td>Hawthorne, CA<\/td>29.24<\/td>47<\/td>48<\/td>19<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    37<\/td>Citrus Heights, CA<\/td>29.04<\/td>48<\/td>84<\/td>10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    38<\/td>Los Angeles, CA<\/td>28.92<\/td>46<\/td>33<\/td>40<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    38<\/td>El Monte, CA<\/td>28.92<\/td>94<\/td>16<\/td>56<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    40<\/td>South Gate, CA<\/td>28.66<\/td>97<\/td>77<\/td>7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    41<\/td>Santa Rosa, CA<\/td>28.27<\/td>29<\/td>37<\/td>48<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    42<\/td>Moreno Valley, CA<\/td>28.20<\/td>81<\/td>37<\/td>22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    43<\/td>Huntington Beach, CA<\/td>28.09<\/td>8<\/td>61<\/td>69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    44<\/td>El Cajon, CA<\/td>27.94<\/td>45<\/td>43<\/td>35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    45<\/td>Visalia, CA<\/td>27.75<\/td>33<\/td>21<\/td>97<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    46<\/td>San Marcos, CA<\/td>27.34<\/td>17<\/td>44<\/td>66<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    47<\/td>Ontario, CA<\/td>27.21<\/td>60<\/td>47<\/td>30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    48<\/td>Jurupa Valley, CA<\/td>26.91<\/td>91<\/td>22<\/td>63<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    49<\/td>Thousand Oaks, CA<\/td>26.88<\/td>43<\/td>12<\/td>92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    50<\/td>Riverside, CA<\/td>26.78<\/td>42<\/td>36<\/td>57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    51<\/td>Stockton, CA<\/td>26.49<\/td>77<\/td>45<\/td>41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    52<\/td>Oxnard, CA<\/td>25.85<\/td>35<\/td>82<\/td>25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    53<\/td>Fresno, CA<\/td>25.80<\/td>61<\/td>60<\/td>38<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    54<\/td>West Covina, CA<\/td>25.73<\/td>63<\/td>30<\/td>78<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    55<\/td>Hemet, CA<\/td>25.64<\/td>75<\/td>48<\/td>46<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    56<\/td>Santa Clarita, CA<\/td>25.61<\/td>32<\/td>66<\/td>47<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    57<\/td>Modesto, CA<\/td>25.07<\/td>71<\/td>54<\/td>49<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    58<\/td>Palmdale, CA<\/td>24.91<\/td>72<\/td>37<\/td>67<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    58<\/td>Tracy, CA<\/td>24.91<\/td>41<\/td>71<\/td>41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    60<\/td>Mission Viejo, CA<\/td>24.88<\/td>26<\/td>28<\/td>91<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    61<\/td>Alhambra, CA<\/td>24.85<\/td>87<\/td>34<\/td>73<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    62<\/td>Pomona, CA<\/td>24.84<\/td>84<\/td>64<\/td>30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    63<\/td>Fullerton, CA<\/td>24.81<\/td>58<\/td>42<\/td>69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    64<\/td>Corona, CA<\/td>24.77<\/td>51<\/td>54<\/td>57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    65<\/td>Hayward, CA<\/td>24.73<\/td>82<\/td>74<\/td>24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    66<\/td>Vallejo, CA<\/td>24.51<\/td>70<\/td>29<\/td>97<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    67<\/td>Compton, CA<\/td>24.37<\/td>97<\/td>83<\/td>19<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    68<\/td>Chino, CA<\/td>24.33<\/td>67<\/td>23<\/td>89<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    69<\/td>Burbank, CA<\/td>24.24<\/td>18<\/td>57<\/td>82<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    70<\/td>Clovis, CA<\/td>23.98<\/td>50<\/td>68<\/td>52<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    71<\/td>Fairfield, CA<\/td>23.81<\/td>52<\/td>67<\/td>55<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    72<\/td>Westminster, CA<\/td>23.48<\/td>78<\/td>52<\/td>63<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    73<\/td>Richmond, CA<\/td>23.46<\/td>83<\/td>79<\/td>32<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    74<\/td>Garden Grove, CA<\/td>23.38<\/td>66<\/td>35<\/td>86<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    75<\/td>Temecula, CA<\/td>23.29<\/td>12<\/td>71<\/td>85<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    76<\/td>Antioch, CA<\/td>23.19<\/td>93<\/td>54<\/td>62<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    77<\/td>Vista, CA<\/td>22.98<\/td>44<\/td>89<\/td>35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    78<\/td>Torrance, CA<\/td>22.87<\/td>34<\/td>74<\/td>67<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    79<\/td>Roseville, CA<\/td>22.82<\/td>10<\/td>95<\/td>51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    80<\/td>Hesperia, CA<\/td>22.45<\/td>79<\/td>84<\/td>43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    81<\/td>Carson, CA<\/td>22.35<\/td>88<\/td>63<\/td>63<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    82<\/td>Rialto, CA<\/td>20.84<\/td>89<\/td>80<\/td>60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    83<\/td>Fontana, CA<\/td>20.66<\/td>96<\/td>94<\/td>22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    84<\/td>Victorville, CA<\/td>20.53<\/td>74<\/td>80<\/td>69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    85<\/td>Rancho Cucamonga, CA<\/td>20.09<\/td>30<\/td>88<\/td>82<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    86<\/td>Irvine, CA<\/td>20.00<\/td>25<\/td>61<\/td>95<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    87<\/td>Daly City, CA<\/td>19.80<\/td>97<\/td>78<\/td>74<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    88<\/td>Sunnyvale, CA<\/td>19.50<\/td>84<\/td>71<\/td>81<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    89<\/td>San Bernardino, CA<\/td>19.36<\/td>64<\/td>96<\/td>33<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    90<\/td>Murrieta, CA<\/td>18.80<\/td>36<\/td>90<\/td>82<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    91<\/td>Lancaster, CA<\/td>18.33<\/td>95<\/td>74<\/td>86<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    92<\/td>Menifee, CA<\/td>18.01<\/td>68<\/td>87<\/td>86<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    93<\/td>Fremont, CA<\/td>17.23<\/td>86<\/td>64<\/td>96<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    94<\/td>Simi Valley, CA<\/td>15.47<\/td>54<\/td>93<\/td>90<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    95<\/td>Livermore, CA<\/td>14.48<\/td>37<\/td>98<\/td>79<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    96<\/td>San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA<\/td>13.76<\/td>92<\/td>91<\/td>92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    97<\/td>Santa Clara, CA<\/td>13.10<\/td>55<\/td>91<\/td>97<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    98<\/td>Glendale, CA<\/td>12.30<\/td>56<\/td>97<\/td>92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    99<\/td>Vacaville, CA<\/td>9.02<\/td>28<\/td>99<\/td>97<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    100<\/td>Salinas, CA<\/td>8.81<\/td>73<\/td>100<\/td>45<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
    \"Infographic
    Note:<\/strong> A total of 100 cities were ranked in this study. Due to a significant number of ties, however, the lowest-ranking position for some metrics may not be 100.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
    <\/div>