El Indio
Best Taco Shop in San Diego · CA
Taquitos and fresh masa since 1940.
El Indio has served San Diego since 1940, when Ralph Pesqueira opened a tortilla shop in Middletown that grew into a Mexican-food institution. It claims to have invented the taquito — the rolled, fried taco now sold everywhere — and its combination plates and fresh tortillas have fed generations near the harbor.
A San Diego landmark for more than 80 years, El Indio is the 2025 Centurion Award winner.
What they're known for
- The original taquitos
- Combination plates
- Fresh house tortillas
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. Open a year for the full citation and verification details.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Taco Shop in San Diego San Diego, CA · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit El Indio
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This page is the standing record for El Indio (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
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If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.