Taqueria Miranda a hidden gem worth discovering

Photo of Taqueria Miranda
courtesy: Willis Charlemond

There are many restaurants in Tallahassee to explore, including some that people
may not have seen or heard of. Some of these are small businesses that serve
exquisite meals that deserve to be recognized.

Down West Tennessee Street you will find multiple Hispanic restaurants but one won’t
catch your eye like Taqueria Miranda.

Taqueria Miranda is a small hole-in-the-wall located past Capital Circle that gets
revenue but not as much as it should. The small taco shop was built in a gas station.

When you walk inside you will feel the culture and the authenticity right away. The food
it serves is authentic and cannot be made at just any other store.

“We serve our customers the best food because we want them to taste the real
Hispanic culture,” said Selena, a cashier at Taqueria Miranda.

Since the restaurant is hardly visible from the highway, many people have not heard
about it. When customers do come workers makes sure they leave with the best quality
food so they can return again and again.

This hole-in-the-wall restaurant does come with its underlying issues. Near this
restaurant are two more Hispanic dining spots. One across the street and the other is a
food truck that gets steady business. So competing with two different Mexican food
spots can be a challenge.

“We have to be the best because we have a lot of competition,” said Javier
Gomez, a cook at Taqueria Miranda. What they serve is authentic and the service is
customer friendly. What sets it apart is you basically order your tacos, burritos and
quesadillas and decide for yourself when you order which meat you’d like. “We serve a
multiple array of toppings that come free of charge,” Gomez said. The business may be
small but this restaurant truly thinks that it serves the best Mexican food in the
Tallahassee area.

This restaurant needs more recognition because the food is authentic and
delicious, the workers are kind and help you order if you are conflicted. And, it is not
expensive.

That is a three for three.

The tacos are amazing. They are big and come with a lot of meat. “This is
probably some of the best tacos I have had in a while," said Caleb McClean, a regular
customer. “I come here maybe twice every two weeks because they are actually that
good. I don’t stress about the cost because again you won’t pay no more than $10 and
everything served is authentic,” McClean said.

The only issue is you probably would never know the restaurant is here because it is
built in a gas station so drivers would most likely drive by it not knowing it is actually a
hot spot that deserves a chance.

McClean suggests that workers go on the street and promote the restaurant more so
they can get more traffic, which would allow this eatery to flourish.