Don’t let the unpretentious exterior and strip-mall location of this little deli fool you—Las Tortugas is deadly serious about crafting delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine with only the freshest ingredients. At locations in East Memphis and Germantown, father-son duo Pepe and Jonathan Magallanes offer a menu of Mexican street food highlighted by sandwiches called tortugas (Spanish for turtle, because they’re stuffed so full with ingredients like carnitas, chorizo, chicken, and beef that they’re shaped like tortoises). Patrons can order the same fillings in a taco if they’d prefer, then top them with one of Pepe’s specialty sauces, like spicy avocado green salsa. Whichever you order, be sure to wash it down with one of the fresh-squeezed juices or a traditional horchata for a taste of real Mexico.
