You can’t really talk about tacos in Montreal without circling back to El Rey del Taco. Since 2009, the Jean-Talon Market mainstay has been doing things the straightforward way: street-style tacos, sold in sets of four, built on house-made tortillas and topped simply with onion, cilantro, and salsa. The menu runs deep—lengua, cabeza, suadero, nopales—alongside more familiar options, which explains its loyal following.

There’s also a market-style counter next door stocked with tortillas, salsas, and churros, plus a pared-down Mile End outpost for quick hits.