(3) Sides Explanation: Taste buds probably play the most important part in helping us to enjoy the many flavors of food. Our taste buds can recognize four basic kinds of tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. The salty/sweet taste buds are located near the front of our tongue; the sour taste buds line the sides of our tongue; and the bitter taste buds are found at the very back of our tongue.