Santa Maria’s loncheras 

One of the best parts about living in Santa Maria is all the food trucks scattered throughout the city. To the untrained eye, they might all look the same: brightly lit trucks in parking lots advertising classic Mexican staples like tacos and burritos. But spend some time visiting them, and you'll find a rich, diverse array of food from across Latin America. Here are three of my favorite loncheras—aka food trucks—on Broadway Street in Santa Maria.

click to enlarge

• PHOTO BY BENJAMIN PURPER

Taqueria Charly

Taqueria Charly advertises itself as "serving the best birria and barbacoa in Santa Maria." I may not be an expert, but I've chowed down on their birria enough times to wholeheartedly agree. Birria is a meat stew or soup from the Mexican state of Jalisco, most often made with goat or beef. The meat is slow-cooked with traditional Mexican adobo sauce that's full of spices until it's tender. Aside from being served in soups and stews, birria is commonly stuffed inside tacos, burritos, enchiladas and more.

Every birria-based dish I've tried at Taqueria Charly has been delicious, but one sticks out: the quesabirria. It's essentially a taco-quesadilla hybrid, with shredded meat and melted cheese grilled into a fried corn tortilla. Served with onions, cilantro, and salsa, Taqueria Charly's quesabirria is a rich and delicious meal.

click to enlarge

• PHOTO BY BENJAMIN PURPER

Antojitos Oaxaqueños Rosita

This lonchera specializes in traditional food from the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. You can still get classic Mexican food staples like tacos and chilaquiles, but it's dishes like tlayudas—a form of Mexican pizza—and Oaxacan mole where this particular lonchera shines.

My personal favorite from Antojitos Oaxaqueños Rosita are the chicken empanadas. They're made of shredded chicken inside a fried tortilla casing, topped with cream, guacamole, and shredded cabbage. They're slightly spicy and filled with the complex array of chili-based flavors that Oaxacan cuisine is famous for. If empanadas aren't your speed, there are plenty of other classic and traditional meals to try at this lonchera.

click to enlarge

• PHOTO BY BENJAMIN PURPER

Tortas Gigantes Estilo D.F.

With a name that translates to "giant Mexico City-style tortas," the Mexican sandwiches this lonchera pushes out are indeed giant. One torta comes in at about 12 inches or longer. They're stuffed with meat and other ingredients, meaning two people can easily share one. Tortas Gigantes Estilo D.F. may specialize in Mexico-City style tortas, but its menu also features sandwiches from across Latin America, from Cuba to Argentina and Brazil.

I highly recommend a sandwich called the "choriqueso." It's a giant torta filled with chorizo, melted yellow cheese, and Oaxacan cheese called quesillo. This lonchera's chorizo is delicious, full of sweet and spicy flavors complemented by the two cheeses. It's worth trying all nine of this lonchera's giant tortas; you won't regret it.