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Javier Valadez

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Taquero

Javier Valadez is the founder of Tacos El Franc, a Tijuana taquería that began as a street cart and was listed in the first Michelin Guide Mexico.

Contents
  1. Career
  2. Reviews
  3. See also
  4. References

Career

A 2025 Michelin Guide article credits Valadez with starting Tacos El Franc as a street cart in Tijuana in 1974; another Michelin page dates the taquería's service to 1996, so the start year is reported inconsistently. The business grew into a brick-and-mortar landmark known for mesquite-grilled carne asada and trompo adobada, and it was included in the first Michelin Guide Mexico selection in 2024.

In 2025 the company, with owner Roberto Kelly, announced its first United States location in San Diego, designed to resemble the Tijuana original.

Reviews

Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.

See also

References

  1. "This Beloved Tijuana Taco is Coming to the U.S.". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "The Best Mexican Restaurants in the San Diego Area". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Taqueros Taquería founders Tijuana cuisine