Home cooking

La Tejana (Washington, DC)

GETAWAYS • Washington, DC

Moving to DC was hard. Previously, I’d lived in the great city of New York, London, NYC again, and finally Los Angeles. I loved all these places for their energy, and especially the breadth of exceptional dining options they offered.

When I first encountered La Tejana, I was intrigued by its promise of authentic breakfast tacos in the leafy neighborhood of Mount Pleasant. Co-owners Gus May and Ana-Maria Jaramillo had the history (with roots in Mexico and Texas), the right focus on the hard-to-get-quite-right flour tortillas, and that order-at-the counter energy that adds another layer. Still, I wasn’t totally convinced. And then I tasted the Uncle P tacos — scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and queso drizzle — and realized something special is happening here.

La Tejana’s space is small, simple, and bright, adorned with flowers and cacti, bright blue tiles, and branded t-shirts. Its neighbors include well stocked specialty food stores (Each Peach), natural wine shops (Nido), and a bookstore dedicated solely to cookbooks (Bold Fork Books) — all things that are harder to come by in DC than I’d like.

Lines form before the doors open at 730a (another thing I’d never seen before in DC). The wait’s worth it, for those Uncle Ps and 512s (with chopped brisket), but also for the way that it makes me feel like I’ve found home again. –Kate Riesenberg

→ La Tejana (Washington, DC) • 3211 Mt Pleasant St NW • Breakfast: Wed-Sun 7:30a-1p, Dinner: Wed-Sat 5-10p • Reserve (dinner only).