Taco ‘bout a Throwdown: 4th Annual Taco & Nacho Fest Crowns its Champions

By Alexis Larsen, Dine Out Dayton Correspondent, August 26, 2025

The Miami Valley was sizzling on Saturday, August 23, when thousands of hungry festival-goers gathered at The Park at Austin Landing for the 4th Annual Taco & Nacho Fest. And while every vendor came ready to impress, only a handful walked away with bragging rights. 

Local restaurants and food trucks poured their hearts into every tortilla, chip, and drizzle of sauce. Judges and festival-goers alike indulged in smoky, spicy and savory bites, each plate offering a unique spin on a universal love: tacos and nachos.

“Taco & Nacho Fest isn’t just about food, it’s about bringing people together over bold flavors, creative twists and a shared love of Dayton’s dining scene. The energy from the crowd and the food vendors proved tacos and nachos are truly the ultimate community food,” said Amy Zahora, Executive Director, Miami Valley Restaurant Association.

And now, the champions of this flavor fiesta:

✨ Critics’ Choice: El Cardenal Taquería

If you’re looking for authenticity, El Cardenal has it down to an art form. Their Al Pastor taco was a thing of beauty featuring succulent pork marinated in dried chiles, spices and pineapple, then grilled to smoky perfection. Topped with nothing more than fresh cilantro, diced white onion and a squeeze of lime, it was the kind of taco you’d find on the bustling streets of Mexico City. Judges praised its balance of heat, sweetness, and acidity.

🌮 Best Taco: What the Taco?!

Sometimes the simplest things are the most extraordinary. What the Taco?! served up citrus-braised chicken tacos that had the judges buzzing. The chicken was slow-cooked until tender, infused with bright citrus and warm spices. With toppings of shredded lettuce, pickled onions and crumbled Cotija cheese, each bite was tangy, juicy, and perfectly balanced. Proof that thoughtful restraint in toppings lets the meat truly shine, these tacos were a revelation in less-is-more recipe creation.

🧀 Best Nachos: El Mesón

When it comes to nachos, El Mesón doesn’t play small. Their Macho Nachos came piled high and deep with a mountain of crispy chips smothered in creamy nacho cheese, loaded with seasoned chicken, hearty beans, lettuce, salsa and shredded cheese. It was bold, messy in the best way, and deeply satisfying. Each scoop into the towering bowl promised another layer of flavor, making these nachos a great choice to order up. 

🔥 Most Creative: Home Cooked Vibes

Innovation took center stage at Home Cooked Vibes, where the team rolled up tradition into something entirely new: chicken taco egg rolls. Each crispy, golden wrapper held seasoned chicken, cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole and chipotle sauce. Crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside, they were bursting with flavor while offering a clever, less-messy way to eat tacos on the go. Judges raved about both the creativity and execution and were impressed that this food truck knows how to turn classic comfort food into something truly creative.

🍰 Best Dessert: El Mesón

For those who still had room after all the tacos and nachos, El Mesón delivered sweet perfection with their tres leches cake. Rich, moist and creamy, it melted in the mouth with just the right level of sweetness. A staple on their menu and a repeat star at food events, this dessert once again proved why El Mesón has such staying power in Dayton’s food scene.

👑 People’s Choice
Of course, the crowd had its say, and Dayton diners know good flavor when they taste it.

  • Best Nacho: What the Taco?! wowed fans with their elote steak nachos featuring crispy tortilla chips layered with seasoned grilled steak, white queso, sweet corn salad, pico de gallo, Cotija cheese, avocado crema and fresh jalapeño. These nachos balanced smoky, creamy, sweet and spicy notes for a bite that checked every box.
  • Best Taco: Lilia’s Outside Café won hearts with variety and flavor. With six different tacos being sold, including chicken bacon crunch, pork, beef and veggie options, they offered something for every palate. Bold flavors, good execution and generous portions made them a favorite for festival-goers looking to taste it all.

And what’s a taco fest without something refreshing to sip? This year’s beverage lineup brought just as much creativity as the food. Three signature drinks, each with a playful name and a fiery kick, turned heads and cooled palates between bites.

  • Peach, Don’t Kill My Vibe mixed Ghost Tequila with peach purée and lemonade for a sweet-meets-spicy refresher.
  • Ghosted by Summer blended strawberry purée, lemonade, pineapple and Sprite into a light, bubbly sipper that tasted like sunshine in a cup.
  • The Spicy Berry Affair turned up the heat with Ghost Tequila, raspberry purée, lemonade, plus splashes of pineapple and Sprite making for a sweet, tangy concoction with just the right amount of fire.

Crafted and created by Zahora herself, these cocktails paired beautifully with the tacos and nachos. The slow-burning heat of Ghost Tequila was balanced by the brightness of fruit and lemonade, making every sip a perfect complement to the festival flavors. It wasn’t just about cooling off, it was about adding another layer of fun, flavor and flair to the Taco & Nacho Fest experience.

In the end, the 4th Annual Taco & Nacho Fest wasn’t just about crowning winners, it was about celebrating Dayton’s dynamic and ever-evolving food scene and many of our talented food trucks. From authentic Mexican street flavors to inventive twists, this festival showed why tacos and nachos continue to be two of America’s most beloved comfort foods.  Until next time, keep your tortillas warm, your nachos cheesy and your appetites ready, because Taco & Nacho Fest 2026 is bound to be another crowd pleaser. 

Alexis Larsen is the Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Dine Out Dayton Correspondent and is The Dayton Dish food columnist for the Dayton Business Journal. Stay tuned for more articles from Larsen who has been covering local restaurants and food and dining for more than two decades. When she’s not out dining and writing on nights and weekends Larsen serves as the Chief of Philanthropy for Five Rivers MetroParks.