Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with this Des Moines taco tour

A new kind of tour will explore taco culture in Des Moines on Cinco de Mayo weekend. 

The Wow! Des Moines Taco Tour will take place on May 4 and 5 at 2 p.m. Foodie tourists will delve into the metro together to celebrate our great taco restaurants and food trucks.

Interested in Iowa food news? Follow @briantaylorcarlson on Facebook, @BriinDSM on Twitter and @briindsm on Instagram.

Hosted by Wow! Des Moines Tours, the culinary exploration will give local Mexican food enthusiasts a special way to celebrate during Cinco de Mayo weekend.

“A tour of taco restaurants can make you feel like you are traveling to another country,” said JayJay Goodvin, a local food blogger and life-long cook also known as "The Iowa Gallivant" who is helping to curate and guide the tour. “Des Moines has some of Iowa’s best tacos, but the restaurants may not be well recognized. We’ll look to change that for our guests.”

Be sure to bookmark these frequently-updated special dining features:

• Where to find Mexican food in the metro
• The essential pizza restaurants of Des Moines
• Where to eat in downtown Des Moines
• Where to eat pho in the Des Moines metro

The Wow! Des Moines Taco Tour will begin at La Michoacána Mexican Grocery in Valley Junction in West Des Moines where guests can ask questions about ingredients. From there, the tour will explore several standout taco restaurants all over the city. Goodvin will provide information on the origins of tacos and different regional influences.  

Taco lovers who book the May 4 tour have a special bonus in store for their trip: Valley Junction is hosting its Cinco de Mayo Festival on Saturday, May 4 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the festival will be in full swing when the May 4 Taco Tour finishes at around 6 p.m.

“We ask people who come on our tours what cuisine they want to explore next,” said Eric Prosperi, co-owner of Wow! Des Moines Tours. “And tacos are always the top choice.”

Participating restaurants will be announced to taco tourists at the start of the tour. Wow! Des Moines tours partners with Majestic Limousine to provide transportation to all stops along the way.

Tickets can be purchased through the Wow! Des Moines Tour website at wowdsmtours.com, on its Facebook page or the Cooking with Alessandra website at cookingwithalessandra.com.  

Tour options include pizza, tacos, breaded pork tenderloins and the downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market.

Additional Taco Tours are planned in June. Private tours can also be arranged by contacting Wow! Des Moines tours at info@wowdesmoinestours.com.

Follow the Des Moines Register on Facebook | Download the Des Moines Register app