La Regia Taqueria began as a taco food truck traveling across Iowa with a dream: to have a sit-down space where the community could flourish and hospitality could thrive. That dream came true for La Regia Taqueria and then some - now, the restaurant has a permanent home in Iowa City and even an adjacent market selling meats and specialty Mexican products such as sodas and Piñatas. This local restaurant was even selected by The Daily Meal in 2020 as the best Mexican food in Iowa!

One thing that stands out here is the authenticity of the food.

If you travel to Mexico and sample the native cuisine, you will confirm what you probably already suspected: most of what we consider Mexican food in the states has been altered.

It's still delicious, but cheddar cheese, sour cream, and overstuffed burritos aren’t particularly authentic.

If you visit La Regia Taqueria you can request those stateside meals, but what you can also get is genuine Mexican dishes that you quite possibly never knew existed.

Cheek, for example. Cheek is a meat option for authentic Mexican tortilla dishes, and not only does La Regia serve cheek, but they offer tongue (lengua), as well!

And for the ultimate authenticity test, try Menudo. Never heard of it? Menudo is a beef tripe soup with a red chili base and is available on weekends at La Regia.

If that sounds too authentic for your taste, check out the appetizer menu at La Regia Taqueria. Their guacamole is the best. Period. Oh, and their salsa is super fresh and also gets rave reviews. The fish tacos are made with real fish fillets and are simple and delicious. Just looking at the Gorditas will make your mouth water, and the combination plates give you an opportunity to try a few different things.

After your delicious feast, stroll over to the market next door for fresh meats, chorizo (a type of sausage), piñatas, sauces, cooking supplies, and tasty sodas in a variety of flavors.

Do you love Mexican cuisine? Well, maybe it's time to head over to Iowa City and give your taste buds a treat! Learn more at La Regia Taqueria's website here. To learn more about what makes Iowa City so great (besides La Regia Taqueria!), head here.