El Centenario Brings More Than 20 Years of Taco Tradition to Topeka
A Longtime South Kansas Avenue Favorite with a Standout Chorizo Taco
For Episode 5 of King of Tacos, we visited El Centenario, located at 1306 S Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS 66612. As we continue our search for the best taco in Topeka, we are discovering restaurants all across the city and finding out what makes each one special.
El Centenario immediately stood out for one very simple reason: they have been serving the Topeka community for more than 20 years.
That kind of staying power does not happen by accident. A restaurant has to consistently give people a reason to come back, and after trying their tacos, we can see why El Centenario has developed such a long-standing presence in Topeka's food scene.
The al pastor was excellent, but the chorizo taco was the standout of our visit. It brought the kind of bold flavor we were hoping to find as we continued our search for the King of Tacos.
ABOUT THE KING OF TACOS SERIES
The King of Tacos series takes Team Ringgold around Topeka, Kansas, in search of the best taco in town. Each episode features a different local restaurant and gives us a chance to try their tacos while shining a light on the businesses that help make our community special.
So far, we've discovered everything from standout steak tacos and chopped carne asada to pork tacos, birria, and plenty of memorable sauces and sides.
Now El Centenario joins the competition with more than two decades of experience serving Topeka.
At Team Ringgold, we believe that getting to know a community means more than knowing its neighborhoods and housing market. The local restaurants, small businesses, and longtime establishments all contribute to what makes a city feel like home.
That is one of the reasons we enjoy getting out into Topeka for King of Tacos.
EPISODE 5: WHY WE CHOSE EL CENTENARIO
When you're searching for the best tacos in a city, it makes sense to visit restaurants that have stood the test of time.
El Centenario has been part of the Topeka restaurant scene for more than 20 years, making it a natural stop for our taco journey.
Located on South Kansas Avenue, El Centenario has built a history in the community that goes well beyond a single meal. Restaurants that remain open and continue serving customers for decades become part of the fabric of the city.
And once we started trying the tacos, we quickly understood why this longtime restaurant deserved a place in our competition.
THE CHORIZO TACO STOLE THE SHOW
Every episode of King of Tacos has a moment when one taco separates itself from the rest.
At El Centenario, that taco was the chorizo taco.
The chorizo delivered the bold, savory flavor we were looking for and stood out as the favorite of our visit. It was the kind of taco that leaves an impression and makes you understand why people keep coming back to a restaurant.
If you're looking for chorizo tacos in Topeka, El Centenario is definitely a restaurant worth checking out.
Of course, we couldn't stop there.
THE AL PASTOR DESERVES SOME ATTENTION TOO
While the chorizo taco earned our top spot, the al pastor was another highlight.
Al pastor is a classic taco choice for good reason. The combination of seasoned pork and traditional preparation creates a distinctive flavor that has become a favorite among taco lovers.
El Centenario's al pastor gave us another reason to appreciate the variety on the menu and showed that the restaurant has more than one taco capable of making an impression.
When you're trying to determine the best taco in Topeka, having multiple strong options is never a bad thing.
MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF SERVING TOPEKA
There is something special about a restaurant that has been part of a community for more than two decades.
Restaurants come and go, but the ones that remain become familiar landmarks for the people who live nearby. They become places where families eat together, friends meet up, and regular customers know what they want before they even sit down.
El Centenario's longevity is a reminder that great local businesses are built on consistency, hard work, and giving people a reason to return.
After our visit, we came away thinking there is a pretty simple explanation for why this restaurant has been around for so long: the food delivers.
SOUTH KANSAS AVENUE'S LOCAL FOOD SCENE
El Centenario's location at 1306 S Kansas Ave puts it right in the middle of the South Kansas Avenue corridor, an area with its own collection of locally owned businesses and restaurants.
Exploring different parts of Topeka has been one of the best parts of the King of Tacos series. Every stop gives us another opportunity to discover a restaurant that people may already know and love or introduce a new audience to a place they have never tried.
That's what local food is all about.
You don't always have to travel far to find something worth trying. Sometimes the next great taco is right here in Topeka.
TOPEKA'S TACO COMPETITION CONTINUES
Five episodes into our search for the King of Tacos, the competition is becoming increasingly difficult.
Vuelve a la Vida impressed us with its steak taco. Rosi's Food brought us chopped carne asada and standout elote. Zoila's Cafe gave us a memorable pork taco and green sauce. Mexicali entered the competition with flavorful birria tacos.
Now El Centenario has added its name to the list with a standout chorizo taco and excellent al pastor.
And there is still a lot of Topeka left to explore.
If you have never visited El Centenario, consider stopping by 1306 S Kansas Ave and trying the tacos for yourself. The chorizo earned our top spot during this episode, but you may have a completely different favorite.
After more than 20 years in Topeka, El Centenario has already proven it knows how to keep people coming back.
Now the question is whether it has what it takes to wear the King of Tacos crown.
WHAT IS THE KING OF TACOS SERIES?
King of Tacos is a local food series from Team Ringgold that visits restaurants throughout Topeka, Kansas, to find the best taco in town. Each episode features a different local restaurant and highlights the tacos, flavors, and experiences that make each stop unique.
WHERE IS EL CENTENARIO LOCATED IN TOPEKA?
El Centenario is located at 1306 S Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS 66612.
HOW LONG HAS EL CENTENARIO BEEN IN TOPEKA?
El Centenario has been serving the Topeka community for more than 20 years, making it a longtime presence in the local restaurant scene.
WHAT WAS THE BEST TACO AT EL CENTENARIO?
The chorizo taco was the standout taco during our King of Tacos Episode 5 visit. The al pastor was also a highlight and received plenty of praise from our group.
DOES EL CENTENARIO SERVE AL PASTOR TACOS?
Yes, al pastor was one of the tacos we tried during our visit, and it was one of the highlights of the meal.
WHERE CAN I FIND CHORIZO TACOS IN TOPEKA?
El Centenario at 1306 S Kansas Ave is one local Topeka restaurant where you can try chorizo tacos. The chorizo taco was our standout choice during Episode 5 of King of Tacos.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE BEST TACOS IN TOPEKA?
We're still searching! Team Ringgold's King of Tacos series is visiting local restaurants throughout Topeka to try different taco styles and determine which restaurant has what it takes to wear the crown.
