Head to This Late-Night San Jose Taco Cart for Steamy Cabeza

At their finest, tacos de cabeza (cow head) are soft, intensely beefy shredded meat encased in a pillowy steamed tortilla. One of the best places to get head in San Jose is in a gas station parking lot. Tacos Al Vapor Blanquita, a little food cart off of San Jose’s Story & King, is more than meets the eye. You don’t need to rack your brain to decide what to order here — the only item on the menu is tacos al vapor de cabeza. While cabeza is a common offering at taquerias, most places offer a mixture of assorted parts of the head chopped together which robs the diner of the unique characteristics of each piece. Here, customers can pinpoint which part of the head they’d like — eye, tongue, palate, cheek, brain, or snout.

The entire cow head is steamed for at least six hours to break down the collagen into gelatin, resulting in tender, juicy meat. Since there’s no seasoning or marinade, the unadulterated beefy flavor is preserved. The meat is thoroughly chopped, so to an untrained eye it’s difficult to differentiate, but the textures and flavors differ— cachete (cheek) is sticky and unctuous; lengua (tongue) is light and nearly melts in your mouth; and ojos (eyes) are juicy and plump.

Octavio Peña

Octavio Peña

The corn tortillas are softened in a steamer until they’re as delicate as the meat. The tacos are served plain and unsalted, so a generous dusting of salt from the topping station is non-negotiable. Aside from the typical selection of lime, diced onion, radish, and salsas, the cart is equipped with a mixture of pickled onions and habaneros that provide much-needed acidity to cut through the fatty meat. If you’re trying a few different parts, you might want to cleanse your palate with a fruity agua fresca between tacos.

Tacos Al Vapor Blanquita is owned by Blanca Estela Alejo and her husband, Juan Carlos Maldonado. Last year, the couple took a trip to their home state of Michoacán, Mexico, where they rekindled their love for tacos al vapor. Upon returning home, the couple had a hard time finding steamed tacos de cabeza in the South Bay — specifically, taquerias that allow you to mix and match parts of the head. Alejo brings 20 years of kitchen experience; while, Maldonado helps with the business side of things using his skills from owning a moving business. Together, in 2023 they started a pick-up-only taco spot, which evolved into a late-night hub with tables, music, and a TV playing old movies. A second location debuted in March at 85 Senter Road. Up until midnight, you’ll find a bustling crowd of partygoers and graveyard shift employees fueling up for the night.

Octavio Peña

Tacos Al Vapor Blanquita at 1604 Story Road in San Jose is open 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Thursday through Sunday; a second location at 85 Senter Road in San Jose is open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Thursday through Sunday; Cash only.