Las Palapas
Recommended order: Taco Norteno (steak, cheese and avocado in a grilled flour tortilla) and Las Palapas’ Super Bowl (choice of al carbon, chicken fajita or guisada, drizzled with queso dip and rice, charro beans, lettuce, tomatoes and sliced avocado.). When the waiter brings you complimentary chips and salsa, be sure to ask for roasted salsa, too.

Rosas Cafe Tortilla
Another favorite is Rosa’s Café Tortilla Factory. In addition to delicious Tex-Mex food at reasonable prices, Rosa’s runs a tight ship. It’s one of the most efficient establishments you will find. Your food is ready fast (they post your check number on a screen when your food is ready. They boast an average wait time of less than three minutes, it’s always hot and fresh, and they keep their salsa station freshly stocked. Primarily in West Texas (Its first location was built in San Angelo, Texas, in 1983.), Rosa’s has almost 40 locations (38 company-owned locations in Texas and an independently-owned location in California). Recommended order: Chicken Fajita Plate accompanied by guacamole and three tortillas.

Mama Margie's
Recommended order at Mama Margie’s: Picadillo Nachos (A big platter of chips with plenty of refried beans, picadillo meat and melted Cheddar cheese. Served with guacamole and sour cream) and Mike’s Super Plate (a cheese enchilada, a crispy beef taco and bean and cheese chalupa with refried beans, Mexican rice, guacamole salad, lettuce, tomato and two flour tortillas.

Aldaco's
San Antonio is home to outstanding (the best in Texas, in this author’s view) Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine. This is perhaps not surprising, given its proximity to Mexico and large Mexican and Mexican-American population. One of many great Tex-Mex restaurants is Aldaco’s, which labels its fare “Mexican” but which offers a range of Tex-Mex creations, such as queso, quesadillas and fajitas. With three locations in the Alamo City, their Baja Fish Tacos (served with confetti rice and Tres Marias salad) are this author’s favorite. Recommended order: Baja Fish Tacos (obviously), Queso and Chips, and Carne Asada Marisol (rib eye steak, enchilada de queso and grilled shrimp in a signature roasted garlic crema al chipotle), served with rice, frijoles borrachos and tortillas.

Mariano's Hacienda Ranch
Popular Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez (who runs three restaurant brands in the Dallas area) has a unique claim to Tex-Mex fame: the world’s first frozen-margarita machine. In fact, in October 2005, Mariano’s creation was added to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. To get a taste of the famous frozen concoction, check out Mariano’s Hacienda. Recommended order: Queso Mariano (Queso with taco beef, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream), Feast Fajitas (chicken, steak and shrimp) and The Whole Enchilada (a 20-inch platter with a chicken enchilada, guacamole tostada, beef taco, chicken taco, Tex-Mex rice and beans).

Lupe Tortilla
Lupe Tortilla is another Texas-based Tex-Mex favorite, with 17 locations in the Lone Star State. Recommended order: lime-pepper-marinated fajitas, served with guacamole, pico de gallo, grilled poblanos, Cheddar cheese, sour cream, grilled onions, rice, frijoles and hand-rolled flour tortillas. If you can’t wait to sit down and order, they will ship fajitas to you overnight.

Pappasito's Cantina
Another popular Tex-Mex chain is Pappasito’s, the Tex-Mex outfit of the Pappas family. Other than a location in Georgia, all locations of Pappasito’s are in Texas. Recommended order: Camarones Tijuana (Broiled butterflied shrimp with chicken fajitas, guacamole, pico de gallo, rice and frijoles a la charra), Beef Brisket Enchiladas (with meat sauce or authentic red sauce and cheese) and Pappasito's Table-Side Guacamole (fresh chunks of avocado with tomatoes, toasted jalapeños, onion and fresh lime juice).

Chuy's
Started in Austin in 1982 and arguably the most famous Tex-Mex chain in Texas, Chuy’s has more than 50 locations in states as distant as Indiana, Virginia and Florida. Recommended order: Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom Enchiladas (freshly roasted, hand-pulled chicken and cheese with Boom-Boom sauce, made with cheese, roasted New Mexican green chiles, tomatillos, green onions, cilantro and lime juice).

Lechoneria Dona Rosalba
Paloquemao is an amazing, maze-like market selling everything - exotic fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and meats. Near the loading dock behind the fish section you’ll find the Lechonería Doña Rosalba. For as little as $2 a serving you can try lechón, a typical dish from the Tolima area of Colombia. It’s a whole pig, about three feet long, stuffed with rice and vegetables, sewn up and oven-roasted for eight hours. The result is a crunchy toasted skin on the outside and flavorful meat on the inside.

Soto's Fish Shop
Apparently Soto's Fish Shop offers the best fish and chips in Adelaide. It's a favorite amongst the locals with wait times hovering around the 30-minute mark during the warmer months. We ordered a seafood pack that came with a fish fillet, two prawns, seafood sticks and calamaris and a pile of fresh, hot chips. No grease or oil stains were left on the wrapped paper, the perfect sign to know they were super crisp. The fish fillet and chips were a standout. They had a nice crunch on the outside and the innards were soft, fluffy, moist and incredibly moreish. Best fish and chips in Adelaide? We think so.