Arturo’s Puffy Taco

The inspiration

Arturo's Puffy Taco exists to bring the Tex-Mex food of San Antonio to Southern California, started by a family that moved from Texas in the 1970s^1,2,3 . The whole idea hangs on one dish: a fresh masa shell dropped into hot oil until it puffs, with a shatteringly crisp outside and a soft middle, filled with meat, cheese, lettuce and salsa^4,1,5 . The name itself was the family's doing, and they registered it as a trademark⁵ .

What to order

• Carne guisada puffy taco: chunky stewed beef in a sauce of real peppers and tomatillos; the owner's own favorite and the one Eat the World Los Angeles rates above the picadillo .^1,2,7
• Carne asada puffy taco: grilled steak in the signature fried shell, and the second-biggest seller .^1,6
• Combination plates: pair puffy tacos with rice and beans, or go for enchiladas, burritos and tostadas .^1,7,8

What people are saying

Reviewers also single out the carne guisada as the standout filling^2,7 .

Why you should try it

Whittier sits at the edge of Los Angeles County, and this little walk-up stand is one of the few places outside Texas serving this San Antonio specialty, a tradition the family has carried since the 1970s^2,3,7 . If you are staying nearby, it is a short trip for a piece of Tex-Mex history you will not find on most LA taco menus^5,2,8 .