Mid St8 Taco

So fresh, so delicious. With Broad Street Market just a few blocks from home, I don’t often venture over to the West Shore Farmers Market, but every time I do, Mid St8 Taco is on my to do list. It is consistently fantastic and always worth the drive. Even better, now their pico de gallo and tortillas are being sold at Radish and Rye in Broad Street Market, for the best of both worlds! Well worth a visit, I most highly recommend the nachos.

I can see how locals come back for it, but for a latin American like me, I really felt that they got careless somewhere down the line. My food wasn’t as good as it could have been.
I came in 120 mins before close. I ordered the taco trio, but was told there was no more steak. I ordered chicken, pork belly, and carne asada. I also ate a chicken Tamal.
Tortillas: The corn tortilla was fresh, good flavor, however their storage method dried it out by the time it was served to me and it was cold.
The flour tortilla was stale, hard, cold and greasy.
The carne: Dry, pre-​prepped meat that was kept on heat for too long. If it had been fresher, the flavor would have been good.
The chicken: It was OK.
The pork belly: Good flavor, but authetic pork belly should be crispy, not wet and drippy. Threw me off, and dripiness took away from the meat flavor.
Tamal: Good meat filling, Masa was spicier than expected, but over all it was good.
Condiments: They had these rediculously small thumb nail sized containers for condiments, there were dozens of lids, no containers. The good condiments were gone, all that was left were the juices, or the leftovers. The sauces were all almost done too.
I had such high hopes for this place. If you are at the market, sure, pop in for mexican. Just dont come out of your way for it.

Starting to work my way around the menu here, and it keeps getting better. Couple of years ago the tacos might have been a little over sauced, where that’s all I could taste. After taking a break I started coming back this summer. This crew seems to be very well tuned, because the food seems much more balanced. The flavor profiles allow one to taste all the well married ingredients. This joint is raising the bar on Mexican and all ethnic foods in a rather boring Central Pa food scene.

An impromptu visit to this stand yielded one of the best lunches I’ve had in awhile. Glad that there were several people in front of me because I needed the extra time to figure out what I wanted. The handwritten menu was lengthy and I had a hard time choosing. My selections of pork shoulder tacos and a chorizo taco, with a side of refried beans were dynamite. Several condiments were available on the sidebar to help yourself, so I chose the 2 salsas that were available — one mild and one spicy. The short wait for these delectables was well worth it and I will be back!

These tacos never disappoint, and are in fact my favorite tacos in Central PA! They are a bit pricey, but worth it!

Pippa knows how to cook, that’s for sure! It’s hard to believe this gem is buried in the West Shore Farmer’s Market, but it’s my go-​to everytime & I’m sure I am not alone. The amount of flavor she’s able to get into her plate of food is shocking. You ah e simply got to try it!

Amazing tacos! Can always expect good meats and tortillas! And the owner is amazing! If you’re looking for Authentic Mexican food this is the place to be. Don’t be fooled by the location it provides a great atmosphere. While it might not be the fanciest it is worth it for the food!

Loved this food! Very authentic with fresh ingredients! My husband and I each got 3 different tacos for $ 8 and tasted them all. My favorites were the fresh corn, the pork and the chuck roast each served with appropriate condiments like queso fresco, salsa picado and crema. Loved the cilantro on most everything and sweet corn! Only downer was my husband’s chorizo y Papa (spicy sausage with potato) which oddly enough tasted somewhat fishy. Must have gotten some fish mixed in there ! Also try the Jarrito sodas. A bit pricey at $ 2 but flavorful. I drank the mango and my husband liked the lime. Would definitely make a trip for this!

Overview:
Small stall in the West Shore Farmer’s Market offering a small menu of Mexican dishes. Overall, I would save my money and get a bowl of soup from the Korean stall across the way.
Food:
After all the hype I read from their reviews, I was honestly a bit let down. I got three tacos, the chorizo, steak, and chicken. Chorizo is one of my favorite foods to order when in a Mexican restaurant but these were my least favorite. Listed at «chorizo and potato» on the menu, I didn’t expected it to be a lukewarm mushy paste. But that’s what it was. It wasn’t even very flavorful or spicy. The steak was alright. Probably my favorite was the chicken, which came decently portioned, albeit with a bit too much sour cream for my taste. My favorite thing that ordered was the tamale. It was very different from any tamale I’ve ever had, but had a good flavor and was fairly spicy as well.
With my food, I ordered the iced tea, which is advertised as «Iced black tea with orange and agave.» This was probably the absolute worst iced tea I have ever had. Extremely bitter to the point it was nearly undrinkable. I could not taste the orange or agave at all.
My boyfriend ordered the quesadilla and again, wasn’t too impressed.
I also thought the portions to be pretty small for the price you pay.
Recommend:
The tamales
Atmosphere:
This place is always busy, so expect a line. Since it’s in the farmer’s market, it can be difficult to find a place to sit and enjoy your food.
Service:
The woman (and I believe owner) seemed quite stressed when we went to order and was not particularly friendly. The place was busy, but it still seemed like it took an inordinately long time for our food to come out. The staff actually doing the food preparation were the only ones to smile and say thank you to us.

So, lots of great places in the West Shore Farmers Market, but this is a MUST stop on your visit. The food is just amazing and the combinations Pippa Calland puts together are imaginative. For breakfast, you could have chorizo, egg and potato. Dress it up with any of her homemade salsas! Her guacamole is terrific! For lunch, have ANY of the many choices, she encourages you to pick three and sample. Before you go, get a half a pound of tortillas, they make them in front of you. Take them home and make your own creation. I wouldn’t pass it up, it’s a gem!

The food here is amazing! Everything tastes so fresh… I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied with Taco Bell after trying Mid St8’s tacos. The staff is great, as well. My favorite is the tamales. Try them… you won’t regret it. The chile rellanos are really good too. Prices are reasonable. My only complaint is that I can only get my fix 3 days a week. I would love if they were open more often.

Muy deliscioso !!!
I went the the West Shore Famers Market to shop around for some holiday goodies and stumbled across Midst8. I had heard from friends that their tacos were legit.
The long line to wait and order was a good sign and well worth it. My daughters and I chose the three tacos sampler and the shrimp tamales. While we waited for our food we watched the homemade tortillas being pressed. The fish tacos were heavenly. Perfectly cooked cod with vibrant cabbage and pico de gallo. The squeeze of lime brought this taco to the next level. (Only a beach chair and a margarita would have made this better). I asked the owner which taco she would recommend and she stated The Mad Elf braised beef taco was nice. This was an easy sell for me. Beef braised in Troegs Brewery’s holiday Belgian Strong Ale. This was the perfect example of progressive authentic. This mouth watering beef made an incredible and very memorable taco. Words will not do justice for the shrimp tamale. Tamales are hard to find in central Pennsylvania. This was an outstanding example. Served with the husk, the masa had a wonderful light corn taste that was the perfect partner for fresh shrimp. A drizzle of a delectable hot sauce made this tamale, quite possibly, the best tamale I ever ate.
I’ll be back!

Stopped by this morning for some incredible tacos! All the ingredients tasted very fresh and flavorful. Service and staff were great. Overall a tremendous experience!

34 reviews not recommended? Interesting…
As a mexican food lover and J having lived in Mexico for 4 years I have to say I know a bit about mexican food. The menu thrilled me and I really wanted to sample everything. The market was a quick stop for me that day so I settled on one taco and one chile relleno. The taco was good but on the small side and the chile relleno was also nice. Looked and tasted fresh and pretty legit, BUT I hate to say they reeeally lacked flavor. I sparingly use salt when cooking and I think some would have been nice that day. Pictures posted in front of the counter told me the owner was the one who took my order. A smile or a friendly greeting would have been nice and maybe even earned another star on my review. Maybe I should give this place another chance. Maybe it was an off day. But something tells me I won’t be back. Hope you have better luck than me!
Oh, and 3 stars just because I feel bad rating anything below that but I think maybe 2 ½? Mexicans cooking were nice.

Great quality tacos and other fresh dishes in the Farmers Market. Tried the fish and veggie taco. Both were great. They make their own corn tortillas from scratch! My daughter also had the sweet potato empanadas and enjoyed them as well. Nice little spot!

Have never been disappointed by the food I have eaten here. This time I had 3 tacos. One al Pastor, one Carne Asada and one fish. All excellent, but the shining star this time were the Chorizo & Cheese Empanadas. Hand ground masa like normal, homemade chorizo and a lite jack cheese. The prep was perfect. A crisp fry crackles in your mouth that just screams for more. Still craving more.

The finest addition to central Pennsylvania cuisine in recent memory.
Off the top, I’m going to say if you want a good, full meal, I’d bring about $ 15 to get multiple entrees. The three-​for-​$ 7 tacos are unbelievable, but if you come with a big appetite, you will want more.
For the «more,» I recommend the authentic tamales. House-​made masa, wrapped in corn husks. I hear Tres Hermanos does it like that on the other shore, but it’s the first I’ve encountered true tacos in this area. They are … heaven.
Now, those tacos. Among the tastes are chorizo/​potato, chicken mole (think Mexican chocolate!), shrimp with crème fraîche. You can mix and match your three tacos. I have not had a bad one yet. The tacos aren’t like what you’re probably used to. The ingredients are arranged on an unfolded, 5″ tortilla and served.
If you look at the history of this place, you’ll see that Chef Pippa has quite the resume. I’m not surprised. OK, I’m surprised, but only by the fact that she’s doing this three days a week.
I love the West Shore Farmers’ Market. But spend a meal or two here and you’ll also be wishing that they were serving seven days a week with full hours.

Mid St8 Taco is a small taco stand located in the West Shore Farmer’s Market (hence the odd hours of operation). I had heard from other stalls that a taco stand was coming in, and looked for a long time for their opening! I ate at the stand the first day they served, and there was some good, and some not so good at that point. But I’m an optimist, and a taco freak, and so I kept trying things, and really, they just keep getting better!
My most recent meal there last week involved the fish taco (nice tang, nice heat, good fresh fish on house made fresh tortillas), the chicken mole (good depth of flavor, tender chicken and again the house made tortillas) and an unusual taco filled with cranberry bean and jalapeño which was really yummy as well.
Their service seems to have settled a bit — early on when they were swamped things got a bit wild, but either they are more experienced now or just better staffed. Either way, food is faster getting out now, and has always been served immediately after preparation. Prices are certainly higher than many, but I would say that the ingredients are higher end than many also.
I’d say this is definitely a place to try!

This place has tons of potential… However $ 8 for three tiny tacos was robbery. I ordered mine to go, so they were packed up in a box for me. Little did I know I wasn’t getting any condiments with my 4 inch diameter tacos. No onion, no lime. I did get two arugula leaves, which I truly hope someone didn’t put on my tacos in hopes I would mistake it for cilantro.
My charizo could have used some heat too ;(
On another note, they did have someone making the tiny tortillas fresh which was really cool. I might go back in a few months if they lower the price of the tacos, or make them bigger

Despite the above-​average menu prices, very limited open hours, and difficult location, I proudly and unequivocally endorse Midst8 Taco. Do you realize how nearly impossible it is to find an authentic taqueria in central Pennsylvania, let alone an establishment that serves the finest and freshest fish tacos? Granted, the prices will turn some people away, but they prepare their food with only locally-​grown and garden-​fresh ingredients. They even press the homemade corn tortillas in their bustling kitchen. Although I was damn pleased with the hearty chorizo and potato taco, their fish taco caused me to hallucinate vibrant colors and hear sweet, sweet music – soft pieces of roasted wild hake topped with achiote marinade, salted cabbage, and pico de gallo. I polished off the plate, stepped back in the long line, and ordered another round of fish tacos, on the spot.