Wine, beer and other pairings with Mexican food

The thing you need to ask yourself when you’re wondering which wine - or other drink - to pair with Mexican food is what kind of Mexican. Authentic Mexican or Tex Mex?

If it’s the former you’ll need a wine that can handle the bright citrussy flavours. If it’s the cheese-laden latter you’d be be better off with a beer or robust red wine of which there are plenty made in Mexico these days though few make it to the UK.

It’s also a question of what type of Mexican meal - a few small sharing plates or a more substantial dish like a mole. Or possibly even both.

Here’s a simple guide:

Top pairings with Mexican food

Tacos, tostadas and dips like guacamole and salsa fresca

There tend to be a lot of bright citrus flavours in these types of dishes: crisp fresh whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Albarino work particularly well as do classic margaritas, wheat beers (especially witbiers) or citrussy pale ales. Fresh fruity non-alcoholic cocktails like this citrus fizz or watermelon or hibiscus-flavoured Agua Fresca are good matches too.

Six of the best drinks to pair with tacos

Tamalas and other dishes with masa harina

Chardonnay is great with corn.

Cheesy enchiladas or burritos

With a chicken enchilada I'd go for a pale ale or light smooth dry white like a chenin blanc or unoaked chardonnay. With beef enchiladas or burritos try an amber ale or a medium-bodied red like a young Rioja or other tempranillo, a garnacha or a Côte du Rhône or a Bonarda

Moles

Moles suit dark Mexican beers like Negra Modelo or other dark beers - maybe even a stout with a chocolatey mole. Winewise I'd favour robust but not over-tannic young reds such as Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. Slightly smoky, gamey reds such as mourvèdre (or GSM blends) and barbera work too. If you feel your mole could benefit from a bit more sweetness go for a Chilean cabernet or a riper style of zinfandel

Other slow braised dishes like carnitas

Barbera, malbec or syrah. Amber and dark ales and lagers

Mexican desserts such as churros and cajeta pancakes

With cajetas (caramelised goats milk pancakes) I’d go for a sweet muscat or late harvest sauvignon blanc. With churros I’d personally skip the wine and drink a black Americano coffee.

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Some great food pairings for tequila

Despite the recent increase in interest in Mexican street food like tacos consumers in the UK still have to take to tequila (maybe because they’re too busy drinking gin) but in fact it’s an attractive and versatile spirit to pair with food

The style you’re most likely to come across is silver tequila, the type that’s most often used in a margarita, but you may also come across reposado tequilas which are aged in wood and anejo, older tequilas which are ideal for after-dinner drinking. (Think of them like rum: Silver is like white rum with a herbal twist, reposado like a golden rum and anejo like an aged sipping rum).

Obviously the natural starting point is Mexican food but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t drink tequila with other cuisines such as Latin American, Caribbean and newly fashionable African.

Here are the type of dishes that I think work best

Tacos
The street food of 2017, especially fish tacos which with a white or silver tequila. Try a reposado if you’re eating meatier tacos like pork

Raw fish
Particularly ceviche and punchily seasoned fish tartares but there's no reason why you shouldn’t try a silver tequila with sushi or sashimi

Grilled seafood like squid or prawns
Especially with garlic or a touch of chilli. Silver, again

A wide range of vegetables especially asparagus, green peppers and tomatillos (silver) and corn (reposado) Also avocado which of course is technically a fruit but counts as a veg in my book - guacamole being the obvious option

Recipes with fresh herbs especially coriander
Again this appears regularly in Mexican food but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t sip a silver tequila with Indian street food like samosas or puris and green chutney. It should go with middle eastern grills and salads too.

Recipes with citrus especially lime and orange
Citrus works particularly well with the flavour of agave (the plant from which tequila is made)

Pork
Pulled, grilled, served with corn (like posole) - all good with a reposado. Think also empanadas with a pork filling

Steak
You can partner a good steak or burger with a reposado or an anejo. Even fajitas though I probably wouldnt drink anything tooo fancy with them.

Chocolate
Like most aged spirits anejo tequila goes well with dark chocolate - or even milk chocolate if it’s Mexican which has a particularly delicious fudgy texture.

There's a useful longer article on pairing food with tequila here.

Six of the best drinks to pair with tacos

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6 of the best drinks to pair with tacos

Tacos are the ultimate crowd-pleaser—easy to love, endlessly adaptable, and downright delicious. But when it comes to finding the perfect drink to go with your favourite taco, things can get a bit trickier. Should you reach for a cold beer with tacos? If so, should it be a lager, a pale ale or something else? Do margaritas work with tacos, or they better left as a pre-taco tipple? Can wine work with tacos? If so, red or white? 

In this post, I’ll diving into the best pairings for popular types of tacos, including fresh fish tacos, rich carnitas and everything in between. Whether you’re hosting a taco party or just looking to upgrade your weeknight meal, discover which drinks will take your taco game to the next level. 

The 6 best drinks to pair with tacos (bearing in mind you’re likely to have more than one kind)

Beer

Lager would be the usual go-to but the London-based taqueria Breddos has its own full-flavoured 5.4% version, Zirkus from Magic Rock, which they describe as a ‘tropical lager’. Absolutely delicious and perfect with the food.

Margaritas

You can’t beat the classic kind in my book. Spot on!

Mezcal

Hand in hand with the taco boom there has been an accompanying growth in the popularity of mezcal the more artisanal form of tequila. Most taquerias have extensive lists, either as shots or in cocktails.

Aguas frescas

I drank a tepache at El Pastor which is described as ‘lightly fermented pineapple juice with spices. Refreshing and not too sweet. Not necessarily alcohol-free but very low. Here’s how to make it at home.

Sauvignon Blanc

Generally chimes in well with the citrussy vibe of Mexican food

Dry rosé

Better than a red IMHO. Breddos stocks the Domaine des Triennes rosé from Provence which I really like.

Drink Pairings for 5 Popular Types of Tacos

Image credit: Roman Odinstov

Tacos al Pastor - Margarita or Mexican Lager

This popular taco variety features thinly sliced pork that has been marinated in a blend of spices, chilies, and pineapple, then cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It’s typically served on small corn tortillas with onions, cilantro, and a slice of pineapple. A classic Margarita or a cold Mexican lager can be a great pairing. The acidity and citrus notes of a Margarita cut through the fat and complement the sweetness of the pineapple, while a lager offers a refreshing contrast to the spiciness.

Carne Asada Tacos - Malbec or Negra Modelo

These tacos are made with grilled, marinated beef, usually skirt or flank steak, chopped into small pieces. They are often garnished with onions, cilantro, and salsa, served on corn tortillas. A robust red wine like Malbec or a Zinfandel can pair well with the rich flavors of carne asada. If you prefer beer, a dark Mexican beer like a Negra Modelo can complement the smoky and savory beef.

Tacos de Pescado (Fish Tacos) - Sauvignon Blanc or Wheat Beer

Originating from Baja California in Mexico, fish tacos consist of grilled or battered and fried fish (like cod or tilapia) placed on a corn tortilla and topped with a variety of garnishes such as cabbage, crema (a Mexican-style sour cream), and fresh salsa. A light and zesty white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Grigio pairs well with fish tacos, enhancing the lightness of the fish and the tanginess of the toppings. A wheat beer or a light pale ale can also be a refreshing choice.

Tacos de Carnitas - Amber Ale or Mezcal

Carnitas tacos are made with pork that is braised or simmered in oil or lard until tender and then shredded or chopped. The meat is then often crisped up before being served in tortillas with various toppings. An amber ale or a German-style Märzen beer pairs nicely with the richness of carnitas, balancing the pork’s fattiness with their malty sweetness. A smoky Mezcal or an Añejo Tequila can also complement the richness of the meat.

Tacos de Barbacoa - Syrah or Stout

Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican cooking method where lamb, goat, or beef is slow-cooked until incredibly tender, typically with seasonings, and then shredded. The meat is then served on tortillas with onions, cilantro, and salsa. For barbacoa tacos, consider a full-bodied red wine like Syrah or a Tempranillo, which can stand up to the bold flavors of the meat. A dark, roasty stout or porter can also match the meat’s richness and smokiness.

See also: Wine, beer and other pairings for Mexican food

Top image credit: Jeswin Thomas 

Food pairings for wheat beer I: witbiers (bières blanches) and lighter wheat beers

Wheat beers are fabulously flexible when it comes to food matching - the beer world’s equivalent of a crisp white wine.

There are two main styles - the cloudy, citrussy, aromatic Belgian-style witbier (aka bière blanche) and the richer banana-and-clove flavours of German hefeweizen which you can read about here.

In between are a range of wheat beers from different sources which fall somewhere between the two but are basically suited, like witbier, to salads, seafood and dishes flavoured with citrus and herbs

Matches for Northern French and Belgian style witbiers:

Seafood such as crab, mussels, oysters and clams - witbier is great for a beery version of moules marinières

Simply prepared fish like fried or grilled sole or plaice

Fish cakes

Smoked salmon or trout

Dim sum and other light Chinese dishes such as stir fries

Sushi

Raw fish such as ceviche and tartares

Fried fish like fish and chips, calamari or whitebait

Seafood pastas and noodles like crab linguine with chilli and coriander or pad thai

Seafood and light vegetable risottos

White pizza or seafood-topped pizza

Spring vegetables such as peas, beans and asparagus - as you can see from this article

Light fresh cheeses such as young goat cheese, sheep cheese and feta. Beer and food matching guru Garret Oliver recommends an omelette with sharp apple and goats cheese

Salads, especially mozzarella basil and tomato salad, Greek salad and caesar salad

Brunch dishes

Potjevleesch - a chunky jellied terrine of pork, chicken and rabbit you find in north-east France

Lighter Thai and Mexican dishes flavoured with citrus and herbs

Thai green curries

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