Taqueria El Valiente

What is Taqueria El Valiente? Tucked into a basement space at 216 Ossington Avenue just north of Dundas, Taqueria El Valiente is an underground Mexican hideaway launched by restaurateurs Brook Kavanaugh and Lara Roberts alongside chef Arturo Fernandez. The interior keeps things casual and stripped-back, trading formal dining room trappings for moody lighting, counter ordering, and snug subterranean seating.

Taqueria El Valiente Menu & What to Order The compact kitchen focuses on scratch-made Mexican street classics, turning out crisp-edged quesadillas and rich, stewed taco fillings folded into warm tortillas. The runaway headliner is the Quesabirria y Consommé taco, loaded with Oaxacan cheese and slow-braised beef alongside a rich cup of spiced dipping broth. The citrus-marinated Cochinita Pibil and Pollo Verde tacos hold their own with punchy house salsas, while the jackfruit al pastor provides an exceptional plant-based option. Pair your order with house guacamole and a cold bottle of tamarind or mandarin Jarritos.

Know Before You Go Space is tight downstairs and seating is strictly walk-in only, making it a hotspot for quick dine-ins or takeout during peak dinner rushes on the Ossington strip. Public transit is the best way to visit, with the 63 Ossington bus stopping steps away and the 505 Dundas streetcar running just around the corner. Operating hours run Tuesday through Saturday starting at lunch, with the shop closing Sundays and Mondays.