The 50 Best Burritos In America

The burrito just might be the perfect food. Seriously, what's not to love? It features nearly every food group, making it a well-balanced meal (of sorts), and best of all, it's handheld. Though its origins are in Mexico, the burrito quickly became beloved stateside and ranks among the most iconic dishes in America. In honor of this iconic bundle of culinary joy, we're pleased to present our seventh-annual ranking of the best burritos in America.

First things first: What, exactly, is a burrito? For today's purposes, we're talking about a completely customizable mixture of rice, beans, cheese, meats, vegetables, guacamole, pico de gallo, crema and maybe some hot sauce all wrapped up in a tidy, nearly bursting flour tortilla. The best burritos feature all those Tex-Mex flavors commingling to create a flavor bomb that's tailor-made precisely to your liking.

With eight locations in and around Boston, 24-year-old Anna's is the standard-bearer for burritos in Beantown. Filling options include steak roja, carnitas, chile verde and al pastor, but for vegetarians and carnivores alike, the grilled vegetable burrito is one of the best ways to eat your vegetables. A fresh, hot tortilla is filled with your choice of veggies, including seasoned onions, broccoli, corn, zucchini, squash, eggplant, red onions, sweet potatoes and seasonal offerings like Brussels sprouts, rolled up with rice, beans, cheese, lettuce, pico, hot sauce and jalapeños.

Having gotten her start as a lunch truck operator in Los Angeles in the 1970s, La Juanita owner Christina Bautista knows what it takes to make a good burrito, and she's spread the gospel to Iowa of all places, where the daily crowds let you know that you've come to the right place. Open from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily (and 2:30 on the weekends), La Juanita has made a name for itself thanks not only to its authenticity, but also to the variety and high quality of the ingredients. The carne asada is fabulous, but the cabeza shredded meat from the cow's head is tender, juicy and definitely the way to go.

The Corner is a cozy Mexican restaurant with chef Alejandro Martinez at the helm. Here, he makes corn tortillas by hand and fills tacos, burritos, sopes and huaraches with a huge variety of fillings, including al pastor, carnitas, chicken and beef tinga, pork rinds, tongue, sliced poblanos, pumpkin flower and soy-based meats. The Corner also happens to have an expansive vegan menu. When it comes to burritos, go with the "Corner Burrito," which is filled with your choice of protein, along with guacamole, refried beans, rice, lettuce, onions, cilantro, sour cream and cheese.

At The Chile Pepper, open since 1954, it's not about the girth of the burrito or all the add-ons, but the exquisite execution of simplicity. Case in point? Locals rave about the simplest of burritos here — the bean and cheese. The fresh tortillas and a dash of hot sauce transform the experience from simple to spectacular.

A taste of the Bay Area in New York City and Chicago, Dos Toros is a rapidly expanding New York mini-chain (currently at 18 locations in New York and four in Chicago) that does its West Coast roots proud. Tortillas first get a thin slice of cheese melted onto them to serve as a base for perfectly proportioned fillings in order to prevent soakage. The meat selection is simple: grilled chicken, grilled steak or slow-cooked carnitas. Our tip? Opt for the carnitas; it's tender, juicy and full of porky flavor.

This burrito joint may be located in a strip mall in the Chicago suburbs, but the steady stream of locals who patronize El Burrito Mexicano (especially after a night out) are all in on the secret. The huge burritos are loaded with fillings, but special care is given where it matters. The beans are slow-cooked, and the steak is always tender, flavorful and generously portioned. While the menu has other offerings, you're going to want to get the steak. And best of all? They'll be more than happy to melt some cheese on top for you.

With six locations in Denver, two in Boulder, one in Fort Collins, one in Tempe and one in Tuscon, Illegal Pete's is single-handedly turning everywhere it lands into a burrito destination. This restaurant mini-chain sources all of its antibiotic- and hormone-free meats from Niman Ranch, and nothing arrives at any of the locations pre-cooked. They offer a wide variety of gluten-free and vegetarian options, but you have to try their standout pork carnitas burrito. The pork is braised with Mexican Coke, orange juice and spices, and is sweet, spicy and an absolute flavor bomb. That incredible meat gets rolled up in a tortilla with cilantro-lime rice, beans, salsa, cheese and sour cream. Get it smothered in green chile sauce for the ultimate experience.

Don't let the term "garbage" fool you into thinking this burrito will contain extraneous stuff; it just means that the Garbage Burrito at Rosa Maria's Drive-In is loaded with meat, beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, tomato and onions. The only meat options for burritos here are red pork, green pork, red chicken or green chicken, but they're prepared using the same recipes that have made Rosa Maria's so popular over the past 40-plus years. It's slow-cooked perfection.

If you're looking for a great burrito in the Big Easy, look no further than Juan's Flying Burrito. This "Creole taqueria" has four locations where everything is made to order and finished with a minute on the grill. If you want to try a little bit of everything, the Flying Burrito is what to order. Grilled steak, shrimp and chicken, cheddar-jack cheese, black beans, yellow rice, salsa, sour cream and guacamole are rolled up in a tortilla then given a final go on the grill. It's one delicious beast.

Located just a couple blocks from Fenway Park (with a second location in Brighton), the tiny El Pelon is a favorite of in-the-know Boston locals who pick up a burrito before heading to the game. The pescado is a standout: Atlantic cod is lightly breaded with cornmeal and fried until crispy, then wrapped up with black beans, Mexican rice, lettuce, spicy mayo and salsa fresca. If you find yourself jealously eyeing someone downing a tasty-looking burrito during a Red Sox game, this is where they got it.

Taqueria San Francisco opened in 1990 in San Francisco's historic Mission District, and it has a loyal group of local regulars. While the carnitas burrito is among the city's best, we actually think the al pastor is where the party's at here. You can opt for the rather tame "regular" style (with rice, beans, onions and cilantro), but we suggest going for it and ordering the "super" (with rice, beans, onions, cilantro, sour cream, cheese and avocado).

La Camaronera might have exploded in popularity since it was featured in an early episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," but it really is all it's cracked up to be. It's the place in Miami for fresh seafood, cooked and served with no frills by people who really know what they're doing. While you may be tempted to order a snapper sandwich, fried whole fish or conch fritters, don't leave without ordering a Camaronera burrito. It features lightly fried shrimp and fish wrapped in a tortilla, topped with melted cheese and a drizzle of sauce. Think seafood can't pair well with cheese? Try this burrito.

The wacky Lucha Libre Taco Shop prides itself on turning out spot-on California-style burritos, which generally eschew Mission-style burritos' rice and beans in favor of French fries. This spot's Poblano California comes with grilled chicken breast, fries, Jack cheese, roasted poblanos, avocado and corn poblano sauce. The must-order is their popular Surf & Turf burrito, filled with grilled steak and shrimp, rice, avocado, pico de gallo and chipotle sauce. Both the steak and shrimp are perfectly cooked, and the addictive chipotle sauce ties it all together.

Joaquin and Dolores "Lolita" Farfan first opened the doors to Lolita's in 1984, and their dedication to fresh, high-quality ingredients and traditional Mexican recipes has earned them a massive following over the years. Their fan-favorite Tsunami Burrito brings together the best of two worlds with grilled-to-order Black Angus carne asada, huge fresh shrimp, cabbage, guacamole, Jack cheese and salsa Mexicana. One bite and you'll know what all the fuss is about.

It's been more than 60 years since Sadie Koury first opened the doors to what has become an Albuquerque institution, and today there are four locations of Sadie's throughout the city. Like at many other Southwest taquerias, the house specialty is carne adovada, a stew made with cubes of lean pork and plenty of red chile. The best way to experience it is wrapped up in (and atop) a fresh flour tortilla.

Portland's King Burrito is a true local gem, turning out expertly prepared, wildly delicious creations. Though the carnitas and carne asada are stellar, don't miss the King Burrito, which is a monster: chile relleno, refried beans and steak picado (diced steak mixed with tomatoes, onions and chiles), topped with homemade avocado sauce and served in a giant flour tortilla. And you know you want to get it topped with red enchilada sauce. It's a delicious beast.

Neighborhood favorite Tacos Y Burritos Metro Basilica 2 has phenomenal Mexico City mini-tacos, sopes and tortas filled with a wide variety of proteins, including carne asada, tripas, lengua, cabeza and al pastor. You can't go wrong with anything, but we're talking burritos today. Burritos here are filled with your choice of meat along with beans, rice, onions, cilantro and fresh and spicy green or red salsa. For the best experience, opt for the crispy, tender carnitas and get it "wet," topped with plenty of cheese and soupy peppers and onions.

Tiny, strip mall-based Taqueria El Trompo gets packed around lunch time every day, and for good reason. The namesake trompo is a big vertical spit used to slowly cook al pastor, and you're going to want to come on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays when it's in operation, turning out some of the best al pastor in town. Order the campechano burrito, and it'll come with pastor, diced carne asada, beans, lettuce, tomato, avocado and Mexican crema; order it California-style and the two meats will be mixed with just rice and beans.

This neighborhood spot has worked its way into the hearts of locals thanks to its lunch specials, combination plates and, of course, burritos. El Burrito Wey Estilo Jalisco is a warm and inviting restaurant with a large outdoor patio for al fresco dining. While there's a wide variety of burritos available in some creative styles, choose the best of both worlds and go for the campechano, which contains al pastor, carne asada, grilled onion, cilantro and cheese, all wrapped up in a homemade flour tortilla. No rice, no beans, no problem.

Opened in 2011 by Mexico City native Armondo Sandoval and now up to two locations, Maize feeds crowds of students and locals nearly non-stop every day from 11 a.m. until way past sunset. There are some surprising items on the menu, such as a zucchini blossom quesadilla, but since we're talking about burritos here, go for the asada. It comes with the steak diced, perfectly grilled and encased in a large, fresh, homemade tortilla along with beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream.

One of Seattle's great hidden culinary gems, Tacos Chukis is literally hidden from the street — the original location is located on the second floor of a mall in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. (Two more locations, both more visible than the first, have opened as well.) On top of that, it doesn't even have a website. But once you've found it, you'll be hooked. Tacos, which clock in at just a couple bucks, are widely regarded to be the city's best, but the burritos really are something else. We suggest you actually go for the "baby burritos," which are small enough to sample a few of (or pair one with a couple tacos). As for the filling, you can't go wrong with al pastor, caramelized chunks of flavorful and tender pork.

The traditional San Diego burrito contains French fries, and one of the finest places to experience this style for yourself is the family-owned Ortiz's, located inside a Point Loma strip mall. Order your burrito "California-style," and your flour tortilla will be filled with fries, cheese, sour cream and your choice of meat. Protein options include carne asada, carnitas, chicken, beef, pastor, cabeza, buche (pork stomach), fish and shrimp — and you really can't go wrong with any of them.

Spread out across five dining rooms with seating for more than 300 people, Frontier, which opened in 1971, is nothing short of an Albuquerque institution. Open from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week, the restaurant serves some stellar breakfast burritos, but their red pork stew, the regional specialty known as carne adovada, is perhaps the best item on the entire menu. You can get it atop just about anything (or in your breakfast burrito with egg, hash browns and cheddar), but we suggest you try it rolled up with rice and cheese and topped with a huge ladle of Frontier's famous green chile sauce.

This 90-year-old restaurant, long the standard-bearer for Tex-Mex food in Albuquerque, got its start as a tortilla factory Though the operation has expanded quite a bit since then, these tortillas are still some of the finest you'll find anywhere, especially when rolled up into a burrito. Standouts at El Modelo include the chile relleno, carne deshebrada (brisket stew) and carne adovada (pork stew) burritos, but opt for the chicharrones, deep-fried chunks of pork. It'll only set you back about $5, and you'll still have some room left over for a sopapilla.

Must-visit Santa Fe institution The Shed has been spreading the green and red chile gospel since it opened in 1953 and is so renowned that there are often lines to get in. But this ranks among the restaurants worth waiting in line for. Just about everything on the menu of traditional Hispanic and Pueblo recipes is delicious, but the vegetarian green chile burrito is one of the best you'll ever encounter. Its simplicity is what makes it so great: It's just pinto beans, white cheddar and onion rolled in a flour tortilla and topped with their famous green chile sauce, served with Spanish rice on the side. It's all about chile at The Shed, and this is arguably the best way to experience it.