Sea and land are indeed on display at Mar & Tierra, a bustling little restaurant decorated in colors as vibrant as its seafood. On the surf side, this East Nashville restaurant offers a robust mix of fresh shrimp quesadillas, Mexican shrimp cocktails, grilled octopus, and scallop aguachile; as far as turf, try fajitas, fried pork tips, and breaded steak or chicken milanesa.

Blink and you’ll miss this unassuming little Clarksville Pike spot that gets overshadowed by an adjacent gas station. But once you’re in, fill up on Taqueria Sope Express’ mouthwatering tacos on house-made corn tortillas and plates of shrimp and fish alongside nachos, wings, fries, fajitas, and quesabirria. The chicharrones tacos are especially crispy and light.

Chef Julio Hernandez’s Maiz de la Vida food truck is one of the few places in town that nixtamalizes heirloom corn in-house for its tortillas. It’s permanently parked outside of East Nashville bar Chopper Tiki, whose gorgeous tropical cocktails are the perfect foil for tacos filled with crispy wagyu beef or chicken birria with a side of beef consomé for dipping. You can also take home this rich bone marrow broth by the quart. And on Clarksville Pike, the small Maiz de la Vida Tortilla Shop is Hernandez’s newer brick-and-mortar addition for limited dine-in and retail items like tortillas, masa, and salsas.

Named after fantastical Mexican folk creatures, the Alebrije food truck offers street food like tacos and churros with an emphasis on quality ingredients — chef Edgar Victoria sources the masa for his corn tortillas directly from a small family of farmers in Oaxaca, Mexico. Highlights include an al pastor tlayuda (an iconic Oaxacan dish served on a large tostada) and Mexico City-style carnitas tacos that melt in your mouth. Alebrije has locations at Honeytree Meadery in East Nashville; Bar Sovereign downtown; and in Wedgewood-Houston’s Geodis Park, the home of Major League Soccer team Nashville SC.

Hungover? Have a hearty breakfast of huevos rancheros or a gargantuan pambazo sandwich stuffed with potatoes, chorizos, cheese, and refried beans in a homey setting reminiscent of abuelita’s house right off Highway 70 in Donelson. At Birrieria y Taqueria Arandas, you can even get a three-taco quesitaco birria combo with flavorful consomé for dipping or a Nashville hot chicken taco with pickled onions and dill aioli.

Per the name, Frida’s Oaxacan Cuisine celebrates regional specialties like tlayudas, chapulines (snackable fried grasshoppers), and a variety of deep, complex moles. Don’t miss the memelitas, featuring house-made masa cakes topped with light, fresh Oaxacan cheese and refried beans. Frida’s is looking for its own space but currently shares with owner Katy Rodriguez’s other business, the Bee Ice Cream Shop on Nolensville Pike, which means you can also get Oaxacan ice cream, popsicles, agua frescas, and other sweet treats while you’re here.

El Cubilete’s hearty down-home soups, stews, fresh tamales, breakfasts, and combo platters are so popular the restaurant has Nolensville Pike and Harding Place locations as well as one in Madison and two more in Murfreesboro. Portions are generous; consider sharing one plate of enchiladas or pork ribs (costillas) in salsa verde between two people.

Located next door to K&S World Market on Nolensville Pike, La Conchita is a true neighborhood panaderia with a huge selection of bread, cookies, and cakes that you can grab yourself out of the tray-lined walls. From celebratory tres leches cakes and the Mexican baguette called bolillo for tortas to elephant-ear orejas cookies (aka palmiers) and pan dulce for eating with your coffee, this place is a one-stop shop for baked delights.