Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The day, which falls on Friday, May 5 in 2023, is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. While it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. You can learn more about the history of the holiday here.

If you're looking for a great meal to celebrate Cinco, we've got you covered. Our friend and Gwinnetian, Jose Martinez Ramirez, created a list of some of the county's most authentic Mexican restaurants. His suggestions include:

  • La Mixteca Tamale House (Suwanee)
  • Agavero Cantina (Lilburn)
  • La Michoacana Loca (Lilburn)
  • Taqueria El Dorado (Duluth)
  • Talpa Supermercados (Lilburn)
  • Taqueria Tsunami (Peachtree Corners)
  • Taqueria Oaxaquena De La Guelaguetza (Norcross)
  • La Social Taqueria Fonda (Lawrenceville)
  • Dulces Sueno Cakes (Norcross)

See the full post and Jose's suggestions of what to order here.

Want to celebrate at home? Order a Street Taco Kit from Strange Taco Bar, the "original unauthentic taqueria." The kit includes everything you need to build the perfect street tacos: fresh pico, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, and flour tortillas. Serves 8-10 people.

 
 

LOCAL LOVE

 

Highlighting Local Mexican Businesses

Through our local love series, we make an effort to promote local minority-owned businesses. Be sure to check out the two features below and plan a visit to each place ASAP. You'll thank us later.

 

Local Love: Beto's Tacos 
Nicknamed "Beto" by his parents, Roberto has been serving tacos to hungry Gwinnettians since 2019. 

Local Love: Plaza Las Americas
Located in Lilburn, this building is an adaptive re-use of a vacant Lowe's storefront turned indoor/outdoor market. 

Imported Image

Beto's Tacos


As far as events go, you can find Cinco celebrations all over:

This post was updated May 2023.