Luis's Taqueria, Woodburn

Luis and Luisa Quintero's road to opening Luis's Taqueria began in Michoacan, Mexico. It passed through California—where they worked in dairies and on farms—and Newberg, Oregon, where they opened a small Mexican bakery that eventually added savory treats to its menu. As that business plan developed into a full-scale taqueria, they never lost sight of their roots. Daughter Lourdes, who grew up helping behind the counter, now helps run the restaurant. And the menu remains distinctively Michoacan, built on a foundation of handmade corn tortillas, sopes, and huaraches. Visitors—including then-senator Barack Obama—have come in flocks for tacos and special treats such as the chavindeca, a sort of overstuffed corn quesadilla with mozzarella, cabbage, and a bushel of other toppings. Oregon Live praised the "well-spiced complexity and winning chile burn" of the tacos al pastor in particular. On weekends, the menu also features such hearty dishes as pozole, a spicy stew made from hominy and pork.