It’s safe to say that Mexican food is one of the most popular cuisines in the United States, and tacos and salsa, especially, are favorites no matter where you live. However, we understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to enjoying a meal. Everyone has their own preferences, dietary restrictions, and health considerations, such as allergies and other sensitivities. Whether you have a gluten allergy, do not eat meat, or just cannot stand onions, we have something for everyone here at Backyard Taco!
Here, we break down how you can order some of the best Mexican food in the valley, while still hitting what restrictions you might have.
Gluten-Friendly Options at Backyard Taco
In recent times, gluten allergies have become more prominent, but this may be due to increased testing for conditions, which has made them more accessible to all. Essentially, a gluten allergy is an adverse reaction to gluten, which is found in wheat. Wheat is used to make both bread and flour tortillas alike, which makes it difficult for some to enjoy the Mexican food they love and adore. But there are easy alternatives to skipping the flour tortillas when trying to enjoy Mexican food, and some prefer it regardless of whether they have an allergy or not – corn tortillas!
At Backyard Taco, whenever you order tacos, you always have the option to choose between flour or corn tortillas to enjoy your carne al carbon on. Just because it isn’t immediately on the menu doesn’t mean we can’t accommodate you with a quesadilla as well. Although our quesadillas are typically made with a single medium-sized flour tortilla filled with cheese before being folded in half and cooked on the flattop, we can easily adjust this for you by using a couple of our corn tortillas and melting some cheese inside them instead, for your enjoyment. We’ll still be able to peel it open to add your favorite meat inside, like our fan-favorite carne asada and birria beef meats.
Other menu items, such as the grilled gorditas, are already made gluten-friendly, as masa is made by grinding corn, adding water, and seasonings before shaping and cooking it. Likewise, our vampiros or tostadas, as some like to call them, are also gluten-free, as the large grilled tortilla is made from corn. Then comes a fan favorite, the papa loca, which you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Potatoes are the super carbohydrate you know and love, covered in sour cream and cheese and waiting to be devoured by you in one sitting or two because they’re just that big.
The only thing on the menu that we unfortunately cannot accommodate is any of the burritos, as corn tortillas are not as large as those made from other types of flour, which are more flexible and rollable, if you’d like to say. But that doesn’t mean that you still can’t enjoy all the flavors of a burrito, simply order one of our Bueno Bowls and you’ll get everything that comes inside of our burritos with the addition of some amazing Mexican rice at the bottom to absorb all the flavors in, and if you need a tortilla to go with, simply get some corn tortillas on the side or even some of our warmed chips, made with corn tortillas, to scoop up your Mexcellent bowl with.
Eating Lactose Free at Backyard Taco
Lactose to all is either a friend or foe, and for some, even though they can’t have it, they still choose to indulge. Lactose is found in dairy products, and the most common dairy product used in Mexican cuisine is, of course, queso, or cheese, for those who don’t speak Spanish.
Cheese in Mexican cuisine can be used in a variety of ways, from being melted on top of chips to make nachos to simply being added to various dishes to enhance the flavor, like our grilled gorditas, which are automatically topped with this savory, melted dairy product. Though cheese is a staple in Mexican food, the good news is that at Backyard Taco the only menu item a person with a dairy intolerance cannot have is simply the quesadilla, well because a quesadilla without cheese would simply be a folded tortilla with or without our famous carne al carbon inside and to be honest at that point you might as well order a few tacos or a burrito.
At Backyard Taco, all of our tacos, burritos, and Bueno bowls are dairy-friendly. We like to think that our carne asada, pollo asada, al pastor, and birria are all so flavorful that they don’t need any cheese to enhance your enjoyment of these savory meats. The sweet and savory al pastor, as well as our famously popular birria, always come topped with cilantro and onion, unless you ask otherwise. And then our pollo asada and carne asada options come topped with cabbage, onion and our secret red sauce for the tacos, with the addition of guacamole and pico de gallo for our most Mexcellent burritos and Bueno bowls. There is no cheese immediately added to these menu staples, although it can be added for those who choose to enjoy some fresh Monterrey Jack queso.
There are a few items on our menu that typically come with cheese melted on top or mixed in, including our grilled vampiros, tostada, and grilled gorditas. The infamous Papa Loca also features butter and sour cream inside. The grilled tostadas and gorditas are only topped with melted cheese as they are ordered, so it is very easy for us to alter this Mexcellent food item for you. We’ll simply warm up the tostada shell or the gordita and then top it with your meat of choice or our refried beans topped with no cheese, and there you go – an amazing Mexican entree item that is dairy-friendly. As for the Papa Loca, being that we prep the potatoes ahead of time, we simply make a smaller batch at each location of just the baked and mashed potato, warmed to order, and then topped with your Backyard Taco items of choice.
Then when it comes to a Backyard Taco staple, whether you have it as a side or to top one of these entree items, our Mexcellent refried and whole pinto beans can all be dairy-friendly by simply asking us not to top them with cheese, which we will happily do for you. We’ve got plenty for all you non-dairy eaters at Backyard Taco.
Backyard Taco Menu Options for Vegetarians
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Though Backyard Taco was started with Ruben and Marisela Alvarez grilling pollo and carne asada atop a Mesquite wood-fired grill, we understand that meat is not for everyone and have plenty of vegetarian options for those who choose to fulfill their Mexican food cravings with us here at Backyard Taco.
We understand that there are variations, or levels, of vegetarianism. Some vegetarians aren’t as strict and just avoid eating actual meat, but are okay with chicken broth, which is used in our Mexican rice, or a bit of lard, which is used in our refried beans, and also the asientos that top our grilled gorditas. But for the stricter vegetarians, these items can be easily nixed or substituted based on your dietary needs.
Absolutely anything on our menu that we have made with our refried beans can be made with our pinto beans instead, from our bean and cheese burritos to our refried bean and cheese grilled tostada. The whole pinto beans are just as flavorful, ready, and available for anyone who might need this accommodation. As for the gorditas, we also always have a special batch on hand that does not have the asientos on top for those who don’t do lard as well. The only thing we do not have a substitute for is the Mexican rice.
If you are a vegetarian who doesn’t consume any chicken broth or bouillon, we do not have a second rice available, but we will happily double you up on the whole pinto beans or add some extra cabbage and pico de gallo to make your meal more fulfilling.
We’re happy to accommodate anyone in whatever way we can.
Backyard Taco Menu Options for Vegans
We want to be honest, being vegan and trying to eat Mexican food can be challenging. However, we are here to help make it work for anyone who chooses to dine at Backyard Taco.
We are happy to make any vegan a special burrito, one with whole pinto beans and free add-ins like cabbage, guacamole, and pico de gallo, to give you lots of flavor without any animal products. A vegan can also enjoy a grilled tostada or gordita, minus the cheese and asiento, topped with whole pinto beans and whatever they choose from our freshly made salsa bar to make it more filling. We highly recommend our pico de gallo and tatemada salsas, as well as our freshly pickled onions and famously free guacamole.
Then, for the papa loca, if you simply order a vegetarian papa and ask us to warm you one without the dairy products, you will have the opportunity to kill your hunger with a warm and flavorful potato piled high with cabbage, onion, and red sauce, along with anything your heart desires from our salsa bar. To make the vegetarian bueno bowl vegan-friendly, simply ask for no rice and either double the pinto beans or add extra cabbage and pico de gallo.
Come One, Come All, To Backyard Taco
At our six locations across the valley, we definitely have some menu staples and fan favorites, but more than anything, we love being able to say that we have something for everyone. We could go on and on about how we could accommodate anyone and everyone, but we’d rather you just come in and find out for yourself. All of our staff members are happy to help you customize a meal to fit any preference or restriction.
Whether it’s more protein or no carbs or no meat altogether, we’ve got you covered, amigos. Come see us soon!
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Dr. Tyler loves tacos! He is one of the owners of Backyard Taco, and can sometimes be found moonlighting there at night or on the weekends.
Dr. Tyler Robison is an alum of Mesa’s Mountain View High School. He graduted from Brigham Young University before being accepted to the “Top Ten-nationally ranked” University of Louisville in Kentucky, where he earned his Doctorate in Dental Medicine and a Master’s Degree in Oral Biology. He graduated with honors in the top ten percent of his class. Dr. Robison continued at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, where he received a second master’s degree in dental science and his orthodontic certification.
Dr. Tyler enjoys serving in his community. He is a provider for the Smile Back Foundation, which offers scholarships for free dental treatment to underprivileged East Valley students. He is also a Major in the U.S. Army Reserve and served during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2008.
Dr. Tyler Robison’s favorite pastimes include spending time with his family on the lake, at the beach, or on the slopes. He is an avid and crazy snowboarder! He has three incredible sons and one sweet daughter: Caden, Jace, Crew, and Bliss.
