5 Naples, Fort Myers taquerias to hit up for National Taco Day on Oct. 4

National Taco Day is Sunday. How are the dates for these food holidays decided? I have no idea. National Taco Day, however, is so popular it has its own website, so no one can forget about it. 

And it absolutely should be popular. Tacos are one of the best foods to exist. I don't think I'm giving up any journalistic integrity in saying that. 

In Southwest Florida, we have been bestowed a bounty of  taco restaurants, stands, trucks, bars, etc. — and today, we bask in their glory. 

Here are five local places to pick up tacos for National Taco Day.

Arekie Fusion Food Truck

Let's start with a not-so traditional option. This food truck offers a range of Latin-Indian fusion foods, including a naan taco. These tacos come in four varieties: chicken tikka, chorizo and egg, the vegan, and butter chicken.  Arekie tops its omnivorous options with cilantro, pickled onions and cheese. Its vegan naan tacos are filled with cauliflower, potato, peas, spinach and chickpeas, then topped with pickled onions and cilantro. The tacos are priced at one for $4 or two for $7. Because it's a food truck, Arekie changes locations often, but when it's not scheduled for a special event, it parks at Millennial Brewing Co. in downtown Fort Myers. For the truck's schedule, menu and more, visit arekie.com.

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Taqueria San Julian

San Julian's bright yellow Naples building  has a sign that reads "the best tacos in town." Really? Don't mind if I do. These tacos can be made with almost any meat imaginable: steak, pork, cabeza, lengua, chicken, beef, tripe, sausage or shrimp, each of which is piled on a flaky corn tortilla and topped with crisp onions and aromatic cilantro for a mere $2.50 apiece. If you've got the stomach space, you might also want to pick up some of the taqueria's chori-queso. Naples Daily News restaurant critic Jean Le Boeuf called it "the pinnacle of all cheese dips." Taqueria San Julian has locations in East Naples and Fort Myers. 

(Fort Myers: 11601 S. Cleveland Ave., 239-936-0037; Naples: 3575 Bayshore Drive, 239-775-6480)

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Maria's Tacos y Mas

This tiny taqueria in North Naples has a two-tacos-for-$3 deal on Thursdays, which is a good reason to celebrate National Taco Day once a week every week. With 11 filling choices at your fingertips, you may never get bored of the tacos here. There's chicken, chorizo, steak, lamb, carnitas, barbacoa and more. Maria's also serves $8 quesadilla and burrito meals that come with a side of beans and rice, and sides of the restaurant's house-made tomatillo and hot sauces. 

(9331 U.S. 41 N., Naples; 239-919-8337; facebook.com/mariatacosymas)

Tacos y Ceviches

Looking for somewhere to get quick, cheap, quality tacos and ceviche? Congratulations! Tacos y Ceviches is for you. Located in San Carlos Park, minutes from FGCU, these tacos range from a $1.99 veggie taco to $3.49 seafood tacos. There's also the lavish tacos chicharron acevichado, which comes loaded with deep fried pork and red onions tossed with a yellow aji amarillo tiradito sauce for a Peruvian twist. If you pick up a pair of ceviche tostadas, I'll count that for National Taco Day, too. You can't come all this way and not partake in ceviche. 

(7600 Alico Road, No. 4, Fort Myers; 239-887-3092; tacosyceviches.com)

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Mucho Taco

Mucho Taco is a Fort Myers hole-in-the-wall you don't want to miss. Tucked into a humble strip mall, this is a counter-service place with limited seating and a menu board covered in pictures and prices for a myriad of Mexican specialties. It doesn't have a website or even a Facebook page, but our critic sure loves it. And Mucho Taco offers delivery via Grubhub. 

(4901 Palm Beach Blvd., Fort Myers; 226-0505)

Sarajane Sullivan writes about food and restaurants for The News-Press and Naples Daily News. Email her at sarajane.sullivan@naplesnews.com and find her on Twitter @bysarajane.

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