Puffy or puffed tacos? We found a puffy taco meal in Fort Worth for under $25

When I saw the Fort Worth Foodies Facebook group asking where to get puffy tacos, I knew I had to find them on a budget.

If you don’t already know, puffy tacos are not to be mistaken for puffed tacos.

A puffy taco has a corn tortilla that has been fried, to make it light, airy, slightly crispy and well— puffy. It is creased, eaten like a taco, filled with picadillo, cheese, lettuce and whatever other toppings you prefer.

Since I’m a California girl and not a true Texan, I consulted my good friend Bud Kennedy, our Eats Beats columnist, to figure out what restaurants sell the best puffy tacos in Fort Worth. He suggested both Lupe Tortilla and The Original.

Between the two, I ultimately chose Lupe Tortilla since it fit our $25 budget better.

The puffy taco vs. the puffed taco

There’s often confusion on the difference between the puffy taco and a puffed taco.

For example, Pulido’s off Chisholm Trail Parkway sells puffed tacos, which, according to Kennedy, are also made up of a fried corn tortilla, but in a bowl shape rather than a taco shape. A proper puffy taco must have the “U” shape.

They are not sold at every Tex-Mex restaurant because the cooking process is one that requires the chef’s full attention, according to Texas Monthly.

Once fried, the tortilla should still be light, crispy and airy as well as not too greasy but also snappy and flaky — so they’re cooked not too little and not too much, but just right.

How much I spent at Lupe Tortilla

At Lupe Tortilla, you can get two puffy tacos, with rice and beans and a large bag of chips with salsa for $16.95.

And that’s all I got.

With tax and tip, we were still a few dollars under our $25 budget.

• Puffy Tacos: $16.95
• Tax: $1.40
• 20% Tip: $3.39
• Total: $21.74

Where I got puffy tacos On a Budget

Lupe Tortilla has multiple locations across the metroplex, however I visited the Fort Worth restaurant near Alliance Town Center at 9409 N. Freeway.

The restaurant is open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 a.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Which Fort Worth places are you curious about? Is there a restaurant that you have been dying to try? Or an experience for you and your family?

There is no limit, except for the $25 cap.

Fill out the form below or email me, Ella, at egonzales@star-telegram.com.

Ella Gonzales

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Ella Gonzales is a service journalism reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Ella mainly writes about local restaurants and where to find good deals around town.