Tequila & Tacos: The Ultimate Pairing Guide

This article is a part of Agave Spirits Week, a week of content celebrating tequila, mezcal and other distilled spirits crafted from agave. Click here to check out the rest of our Agave Spirits Week content, which focuses on the best distilleries to visit in Mexico, the best agave spirits of the year, unique agave cocktail recipes and more.

There are few duos as iconic — and delicious — as tacos and tequila. Whether it’s a flame-kissed carne asada or a neat pour of reposado, the right pairing can elevate both elements from good to heavenly. In this tequila and taco pairings guide, we break down how to match spirits and food, explore flavor harmonies and recommend the best tequilas, mezcals and even cocktails for enjoying with your favorite taco.

Understanding How to Pair: The Golden Rule

When pairing tequila and tacos or any other foods and spirits, balance is everything. Just like wine and cheese or beer and barbecue, you want to either complement or contrast.

When complementing a meal with a spirit you are looking to mimic certain flavors found in the dish to enhance them. For instance, if you are having a dish with a lot of light bright citrus notes you might reach for a white wine to bring out those notes further. The same goes for tequila; a zesty fish taco loves a citrus-forward tequila.

Pairing a meal with a contrasting spirit doesn’t mean finding something that doesn’t go with the meal. The goal with contrasting flavors is to tone down certain notes to bring others front and center. Fatty meat dishes sometimes beg for something bright and clean to cut through all that richness. The key is knowing your tequila and understanding how its profile plays with the flavors on the plate.

Tequila Styles Simplified

• Blanco: Usually unaged and agave-forward. Crisp, vegetal and often citrusy
• Reposado: Aged 2-12 months in oak. The age adds soft vanilla, baking spice and a gentle warmth.
• Añejo: Aged 1-3 years. The longer time spent in barrels makes añejos more deep and complex, with notes of caramel, oak  and dried fruit.
• Cristalino: A filtered barrel-aged tequila that’s clear but retains aged complexity with notes of crisp agave, vanilla and caramel.
• Mezcal: Tequila’s earthy, complex and sometimes smoky cousin.

The Tequila and Taco Pairings

Al Pastor + Blanco Tequila

Juicy pork, sweet pineapple, bright salsa, Tequila blanco enhances bold flavors of an al pastor taco. (Photo: Pexels/Israel Albornoz)

Al pastor tacos are made with spit-roasted marinated pork which is rich and savory, but the pineapple keeps it bright. Pair with a citrus-forward blanco — think notes of lime zest, jalapeño and green pepper — to keep the pairing zippy and refreshing.

Try: Tequila Ocho Plata or Siete Leguas Tequila Blanco

If you prefer your tequila in a cocktail, try a spicy pineapple margarita with al pastor tacos. The pineapple and chili notes in al pastor are mirrored in the margarita creating a homogeneous tasting experience.

Carne Asada + Reposado

Charred steak and warm wood spice, the synergy of carne asada and Tequila reposado is built on flavor depth and complexity. (Photo: Pexels/Los Muertos Crew)

Grilled steak meets its match in the soft wood spice of a reposado. The aged notes of a reposado echo the char of the flame meat and elevate the umami while some of the retained citrus notes enhance the meal.

Try: Wild Common Tequila Reposado or El Tesoro Reposado

These recommended reposados are definitely good straight, but if you prefer to mix, we recommend a simple splash of soda water on ice to dilute the tequila without adding distractions.

Birria Tacos + Añejo

Long-simmered birria begs for a pairing with depth, Tequila añejo adds complexity and just enough sweetness. (Photo: Pexels/Sergio Arreola)

The rich, slow-simmered beef birria dipped in consommé demands a tequila that can hold its ground. The intense wood notes of an añejo bring deep caramel and spice notes that complement the lusciousness of the stewed meat.

Try: Suerte Añejo Tequila or G4 Tequila Añejo

Birria tacos can handle a cocktail with weight and warmth. Go for an Añejo Tequila Manhattan (2 oz tequila, 1 oz sweet vermouth, 2 dashes Angostura bitters) is smooth, slightly sweet and spiced, which mirrors the depth of the long stewed flavors without competing with it.

Fish Taco + Cristalino or Blanco

For crisp, citrusy fish tacos, reach for Tequila cristalino, a soft-edged Tequila that amplifies without overpowering. (Photo: Pexels/Los Muertos Crew)

Light, citrusy fish calls for a tequila with restraint. Cristalino offers a soft structure and a touch of sweetness that won’t overpower a delicate white fish, while a blanco offers a bit more of a piquant contrast.

Try: Jose Cuervo Tradicional Cristalino or 1800 Tequila Blanco

Vegetarian Tacos + Mezcal

Plant-forward tacos are complemented by mezcal, where earthy, smoky complexity and umami come together exceptionally well. (Photo: Pexels/Los Muertos Crew)

The most popular vegetarian tacos are made from mushrooms, nopales (grilled cactus) or huitlacoche (corn fungus). All of these share an umami vegetal profile that pairs perfectly with the earthy minerality and subtle smoke of a mezcal. This is a plant-forward pairing that feels bold but not overwhelming.

Try: Mezcal Vago Espadín Emigdio Jarquín or Gracias A Dios Tepextate

If you want to add more contrast to the flavor profile, pair the taco with a mezcal sour (you can play with ingredients and proportions, but a basic recipe: 2 oz mezcal, 1 oz lime juice, 1 oz simple syrup. Shaken not stirred — with egg white if you’re into it). The citrus will tone down some of the heavier earthy notes while brightening the vegetal notes.

Carnitas + Añejo

Carnitas crave a spirit with gravitas, and Tequila añejo’s richness echoes the slow-cooked depth in every bite. (Photo: Pexels/Mel Audelo)

The slow-cooked pork deserves something smooth and luscious. An añejo with notes of caramel, cocoa, or toasted oak will add even more richness.

Try: El Tesoro Añejo Tequila or Espolon Anejo Tequila

For a cocktail pairing, try the mexican riff on a negroni, the Rosita. Rich carnitas need something bittersweet and herbaceous. A reposado rosita gives both structure and bite to the dish, which cuts through heavy pork fat.

Tex-Mex Ground Beef Hard Tacos + Blanco or Reposado

Crunchy, cheesy and slightly spicy, Tex-Mex tacos come alive with a refreshing Tequila blanco or gently aged Tequila reposado. (Photo: Unsplash/George Cummings)

Beef usually goes with longer-aged spirits, but Tex-Mex hard tacos are an exception. The cheese, tomatoes, sour cream and other accoutrements change the flavor profile. Whether you are enjoying white people taco night or thinking outside the bun at a certain fast food chain, this style of taco calls for a zesty blanco or lightly aged reposado. The lighter flavors play well off the seasoned beef and create a harmonious meal.

Try: Inspiro Tequila Luna Blanco or Mijenta Tequila Reposado

It’s only fair to pair this Tex-Mex staple with another: Ranch Water is a light, fizzy classic that complements either tequila and balances the taco’s bold flavors with refreshing ease. Prefer something with more punch? A classic Tommy’s Margarita, made with fresh lime juice and agave syrup, adds bright acidity and sweetness that takes the whole meal to the next level.

However you decide to pair your tacos and tequila, the experience is worth savoring. The beauty is in the variety — and the chance to mix, match and discover your own favorite combinations.