El Paso Taqueria

Consistently named among the best Mexican restaurants in Manhattan, El Paso has three uptown locations including this lively outpost on Lexington Avenue. “Authentic” is the restaurant’s watchword: the recipes are not Americanized, and the emphasis is on fresh, traditional ingredients. The space is designed with exposed brick, simple wooden tables, and Aztec-style artwork, and there’s also a covered back patio. Specialties include the made-to-order guacamole, the sangria roja (red sangria), and of course, the tacos, particularly the tilapia tacos and the tacos al pastor (shepherd-style tacos), made with roasted marinated pork, onion, and pineapple.