2M Smokehouse in San Antonio previously served its delectable smoked barbacoa only on the first Sunday of each month. Luckily for fans, Esaul Ramos and partners have now decided to offer barbacoa every Sunday.

A couple of weeks ago, Zavala’s Barbecue in Grand Prairie tested smoking barbacoa-style whole cow head. I was there to sample the first iteration, and it was amazing. Zavala’s is offering the special again this Saturday. Don’t miss out.

Taco Cabana, which caught our attention late last year with its increasingly absurd margarita flavors, announced new specials for January. They’re surprisingly tame: T.C. fans can try aguajillo-marinated pork adobada tacos and mozzarella-stuffed gordita bites drizzled with cilantro-lime ranch. This month also sees the return of Beyond Meat options.

In non-pandemic years, thousands of San Antonians line up for free breakfast tacos at the Cowboy Breakfast, a beloved 42-year-old event that unofficially kicks off the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. In lieu of a public gathering this year, organizers are instead distributing tacos to area nonprofits.

A new episode of The Daytripper, the popular PBS travel show, features a Texas taco road trip. Host Chet Garner made the pilgrimage to sample puffy tacos in San Antonio.

The San Antonio Express-News’s “52 Weeks of Food Trucks” series gives its stamp of approval to Naco Mexican Eatery, where you can find chilaquiles and costra tacos.

Two Velvet Taco locations are coming soon to San Antonio. Clay Dover, CEO of the Dallas-based chain, promises his company’s multicultural menu items will fold right into the city’s taco scene.

Taco Diner has closed three locations after struggling during the pandemic. The North Texas chain’s most recent casualty is at Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth. Regino Rojas, owner of Revolver Taco Lounge/La Resistencia, told me he plans to take over the space with a new concept.

If your interests include the Houston Astros and tacos, Taco Gear has the T-shirt for you. The Corpus company is retiring the orange colorway next week. Use discount code FREETACOS for free shipping.

The Houston Heights is getting a new taco stand. It’s called, well, the Taco Stand. According to CultureMap, the new concept from Burger Joint’s Matthew Pak and Shawn Bermudez is set to open this month.

Cochinita & Co. is now setting up at the Rice Village Farmers Market on Sundays. Owner Victoria Elizondo sells salsas, coffee, pastries, and other Mexican treats. She’s also planning a Filipino-Mexican pop-up with Salvaje for this Friday at Xela Coffee Roasters.

 

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El Camaron is now offering a range of taco family packs. Fans of the East Austin eatery can also order margaritas and prickly pear shrimp ceviche for delivery.

Also in East Austin, Barley Swine and Lenoir veteran Brandon Martin has opened a new Tex-Mex food truck. It’s called Texsueño, and the menu includes green enchiladas, a sweet potato taco, and margarita mixes.

The Tortas y Tacos Dos Hermanos food truck was robbed at gunpoint this week. Austin police could use your help finding the suspect(s).

Tako Cabo is now open in Midland. Owner-chef Miguel Ronquillo hopes to bring the flavors of Cabo San Lucas to the Permian Basin.

Hector Burnias, owner of El Santuario Tacos & Cocktails, reminded Facebook friends to visit his Cameron County restaurant. Located in Olmito, El Santuario has a quirky menu that includes duck and fig quesadillas, a soft-shell crab taco, and other creative items.

Tacos are taking over the Crescent City. Eater reports that at least three Mexican restaurants are expected to open in New Orleans in January.

Is vegan fine-dining Mexican the next big thing? The owners and chefs of Xilonen in Brooklyn hope so.

Taco Shack in Westchester County, New York, is bringing beef birria to the Big Apple’s suburbs.

French-Mexican restaurant Cookies & Carnitas, by Ruca Foods, is opening for takeout in Chicago in February.

Grace Soto, the 80-year-old owner of legendary Anita Street Market in Tucson, has died of COVID-19. I had one of the best burritos of my life there. For a sense of the glory of the store, watch this video segment from chef Pati Jinich.

Kim Gordon of iconic art rock band Sonic Youth shares her recipe for fish tacos. Fair warning: it starts off with a can of tuna.

Eater writer Jenny G. Zhang notes how putting anything and everything in a tortilla, including her household staple of Chinese stir-fry, got her through 2020. We’ll forgive her for admitting to a grave sin: Zhang heats tortillas in the microwave.

Lorenzo Camacho, owner of Taco Boy in Anaheim, California, also died of complications from the coronavirus. He was 72. Camacho’s younger brother had died of the virus two days prior. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the family with costs.

In better news, Los Angeles’s Tex-Mex breakfast taco master Home State is expanding yet again, this time to a new space in Pasadena.

Casco Antiguo in Seattle goes beyond tacos to highlight the regional specialties of Mexico.

Breakfast tacos have made it to the shores of Australia. They include something called “jalapeño ketchup.”

Also down under, a Tex-Mex joint christened “South Austin” is set to open in Brisbane at the end of the month.