From traditional Tampico cuisine to the ancient Zacahuil recipes, with the exuberance of prawns and the taste of crab, the Tamaulipas gastronomy is so vast that visitors may choose from seafood, meat, corn or different fusion cuisine that have emerged as a result from the influence of the neighboring states: San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Nuevo León, and even Texas in the U.S.

When visiting Tampico and Madero, you can find great seafood at restaurants or other modest establishments. You must try the delicious ceviche, seafood soup, fish, cocktails, and crab in different presentations. These are only some of the options to delight travelers who are looking to know the state of Tamaulipas through its flavors, smells, and textures.

It’s worth noticing that people in Tamaulipas love going out to eat. Thus, it is no wonder that portions are generous almost everywhere. You must come with a great appetite, which is made easy by merely looking at the dishes. So, if you’ve spent your morning exploring streets and museums of Tamaulipas, an afternoon meal will reenergize you.

Before visiting the Tampico Maritime Customs, another stop that appeals to tourists is to try the authentic Barda Sandwiches, a traditional sandwich prepared with bread that includes beans, ham, sausage pork meat, pulled meat, chorizo, white and yellow cheese, avocado, green pepper sauce with greaves, tomato, and onion. To get them is not difficult but the challenge is to decide where, as the recently renewed gastronomic landscape offers a place for each style. Finding them isn’t the challenge; it’s deciding whereas there’s been a recent revamping of the culinary scene throughout the region, offering cuisine in almost every style.

For travelers who decide to directly visit the Magic Towns, Mier and Tula have restaurants that gather the most culturally accurate food of the state. It will be easy to find menus offering Tula enchiladas with tomato, carrots, and chorizo, as well as seafood, and the Tampico style meat, even an ice-cream made from “garambullo”; a cactus-like plant used to prepare this typical dessert loved by locals and tourists equally.

Its capital, Ciudad Victoria, is also a landmark for street food as visitors can travel through the metropolis on board its contrasting flavors. There, you can enjoy their “gorditas” made of corn dough containing cooked meals, such as ground beef stew, dried beef with sauce, nopales, panela cheese, and endless options that may work out ideal for those with little time available to look for tasty food.

If the journey continues towards the north, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa and Matamoros offer interesting fusion cuisine inspired by a binational culture. The dishes adopt some ingredients from the south of Texas, whereas the meat is the main element in every dish, without forgetting the distinctive features of Mexican food, where sauces, tortillas, and corn create baked goat tacos, gorditas with meat or scrambled eggs with dried beef: dishes that are also a heritage from Nuevo León, are found throughout the whole region.

Some people say that there is no better way to know a place than trying its cuisine, and Tamaulipas is a journey in its own in each one of its dishes. Its 43 municipalities represent an invitation to discover its culture, inhabitants, and its history. All of this is available on every table and in each warm bite.