Bryan Stalder
Contributor

A recent national roundup by Tasting Table (tastingtable.com,) a digital media company focused on food and drink, set out to name the best Mexican restaurant in every state. For Kansas, the honor went to Carniceria y Tortilleria San Antonio, 830 Kansas Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas — and honestly, that’s a solid pick.

But here’s the thing, Northeast: we all know that you don’t have to cross state lines to get a taste of San Antonio’s magic. We’ve got our own Carniceria y Tortilleria San Antonio right here at 2904 Independence Ave.

That’s right. Same name. Same style. Same commitment to fresh tortillas and flavor that doesn’t play around.

That national list also gave a nod to a taco spot down in Springfield, Missouri. We’re sure they’re great. We truly are. But let’s be honest — when it comes to Missouri tacos, everyone knows the crown belongs right here in the historic neighborhoods of Northeast Kansas City.

Independence Avenue isn’t just a corridor. It’s a culinary lifeline. From longtime family-run tortillerías pressing fresh masa daily to taquerías turning out al pastor shaved straight from the trompo, Northeast doesn’t need outside validation — though we’ll take it when it comes.

Across the river, Kansas City, Kansas proudly promotes its “Taco Trail,” a curated list of restaurants inviting visitors to explore the city one tortilla at a time. It’s a great idea, and credit where credit is due.

But here’s some friendly neighborhood spice: Northeast has enough family-owned taco spots to pave our own taco road — no passport required, no official punch card necessary.

On any given afternoon, you can grab street tacos topped with cilantro and onion, birria with consommé that demands to be sipped, or a breakfast burrito hefty enough to carry you through a full workday. And you’ll hear Spanish, English, and a little bit of everything in between while you wait in line — because food is the universal language of Independence Avenue.

The beauty of Northeast’s taco scene isn’t just in the flavor. It’s in the families behind the counters. It’s in the second-generation kids ringing up orders after school. It’s in the elders who still judge a tortilla by feel before it ever hits the griddle.

So congratulations to Victor Contreras at San Antonio in KCK for earning the statewide spotlight. Well deserved.

But if we’re talking about the heart of taco country in Missouri? The answer isn’t hidden on some list.

It’s sizzling right here in Northeast.