Birria-Landia.

Birria Landia started as a late-night street cart in Queens and blew up because the birria tacos are genuinely that good. The consomme they give you for dipping is rich and deeply spiced, and when you dunk that crispy cheese-crusted tortilla into it, something magical happens.

Birria is a tender slow-roasted meat stew made with braising liquid. Since opening in 2019, Birria Landia has been churning out thousands of birria tacos a night, making it clear locals can’t get enough.

The popular food cart sells tacos, consomé (richly-flavored broth, great for dipping), tostadas and mulita (stuffed tortilla sandwiches) for less than $5. And since a full meal will only set you back $15-20 (depending on hunger levels) long lines are all but guaranteed.

Birria-Landia started as a food truck on Roosevelt Ave and became a full-on sensation. The birria tacos are $4 each and they come with a cup of consommé for dipping. That broth is dangerously good.

The tacos are dipped in birria fat before they hit the griddle, so the tortilla gets this crispy, almost quesadilla-like texture on the outside. It’s messy. You will get red grease on your shirt. I keep a dedicated taco jacket for this exact situation and I’m only partly kidding.

They have a brick-and-mortar in Williamsburg now too, but I still prefer the original truck. Something about eating birria standing on a sidewalk in Queens just hits different.

It seems like just yesterday that birria took the internet by storm, now the tender meat dish is found at most Mexican food carts in New York City. However, there is one joint that deserves a spotlight. Birria-Landia.

What started as a lone outpost in Queens has quickly expanded to a total of three. The original remains in Jackson Heights, a second food truck is in Williamsburg and the most recent location in the Lower East Side and they all provide some of the best street food in New York City.