Memphis Eats: Babalu Tacos & Tapas

There are a few restaurants in Memphis that hold a special place in my heart. One of those is Babalu Tacos & Tapas.

The crew that opened this restaurant spent several months working out of a coworking space while I worked there, so I felt like I got to know them and the restaurant concept very well. It was so exciting to see how they handled the process from start to finish. Before that I knew nothing about how much work was involved in opening a restaurant. It was also exciting to go to soft openings and eat at a restaurant before it was actually open!

Now Babalu has been open for quite a while and it is still consistently busy and a favorite among Memphians. If you’re headed to Overton Square in Memphis it is one of the restaurants where you will most likely have a wait during the busy times.

Babalu Tacos & Tapas Menu

One of the reasons why I love Babalu and continue to go back is their menu.

I love tapas. Small plates of food I can share so I get to try multiple things? It’s probably my favorite way to eat.

I’ve tried almost everything on their menu at this point and I have a few favorites I keep going back to now when I visit.

Queso Blanco Dip

This appetizer dip comes with a side of pico de gallo and chips made in house fresh daily. The queso blanco cheese dip truly tastes out of this world and is almost addictive – I always order it to share when I visit. You can add mole chicken or smoked pork belly to it as well. If you like pork belly then I recommend trying it!

Baba Burger

The Baba Burger is actually one of my favorite burgers in Memphis. It is unlike any other burger I’ve tried which is why I love it so much.

It’s a fantastic burger made of angus beef topped with roasted roma tomatoes, caramelized onions, avocado, applewood smokes bacon, white cheddar cheese, and chipotle aioli on a sweet sourdough bun. The combination of ingredients is amazing and the burger almost melts in your mouth. It continues to top my rankings of best burger in Memphis.

Sweet Potato Fries

I’m a sweet potato fry fanatic – if a restaurant serves them then I must try them. Babalu has some of my favorite sweet potato fries in the city.

Baba-rita

Finishing off a meal with their special margarite, the Baba-rita is always a good choice as well! The baba-rita is made with Patron silver, agave nectar, fresh-squeezed sour mix, POM, and triple sec. Yep, POM. It’s quite delicious. (Photo via Babalu)

Babalu Tacos & Tapas

So my favorite meal at a taco place is the burger and fries. Hilarious. But what can I say? It’s an amazing burger!!

I love the tacos there too and I’ve tried every single taco choice on the menu at this point. My favorite tacos are the pollo, carnitas, and carne de cerdo, but all of them are worth ordering at least once.

If you’re in Memphis, it’s definitely worth a visit!

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