5. Goa Taco, Worldwide

The “tacos” at Goa Taco are emblematic of their creator, Duvaldi Marneweck, a native of South Africa, who has worked in various restaurants across the United Kingdom and Australia. With his diverse culinary background, it’s no surprise that he infuses flavors from India, France, Mexico and Italy to create his signature tacos.

What makes Goa Taco unique is that it uses parathas, a fried dough originating from India, instead of a tortilla shell. Must tries include the slow roasted pork belly taco (with pickled red cabbage and chipotle mayo) and the lamb shoulder marinated with achiote paste from Oaxaca (served with tzatziki and an eggplant salsa). Before the rise of two brick-and-mortar shops in the East Village (101 MacDougal Street) and Lower East Side (79 Delancey Street), Goa Taco was a stand at Brooklyn’s Smorgasburg.