BEST BURRITOS
Cactus Taqueria takes Mexican favorites such as burritos and tamales to a new, more healthful level by using only top-quality Niman Ranch and Hoffman Farms meats, cooking with non-hydrogenated vegetable or olive oil, offering vegetarian and vegan options, and serving lard-free refried beans and tortillas. As a result, it's far from a hole-in-the-wall taqueria, but a brightly colored, family-friendly restaurant. Because the food isn't super spicy, there are usually lots of kids at the Cactus, and things can get a little noisy. The line at the counter can be long, especially in the evening or on Sundays. But servers act quickly, and the wait is rarely longer than a few minutes. Fabulous burritos are the big draw, including vegetable, beans and cheese, pork, shrimp, and chicken, in green sauce, red sauce or mixed with Anaheim chiles. Other favorites include fish tacos and fish burritos with cabbage, Mexican cream, avocado, cilantro rice and black beans. Crispy fried tacos, enchiladas, tamales, quesadillas, chiles rellenos, nachos and tostadas round out the cafeteria-style menu. Tres leche and caramel alfajores cookies are dessert favorites, and diners can't get enough of the horchata rice milk or house-made aguas frescas fruit drinks. Beer available. Kids' menu. Serving lunch and dinner daily. Voted Best Burrito in the 2009 Oakland magazine readers' poll.