The question of where to get the best burrito in California incites fierce loyalty and loud opinions. 

Ask Southern California natives and they might tell you that the best burrito is a “California burrito,” stuffed with fries, carne asada, and lots of cheese. Ask a NorCal resident and many are of the opinion that a Mission-style burrito is the perfect type.

What sets a Mission burrito apart from the others? First of all, it’s huge. It includes extra rice and a lot of other ingredients, which is why the giant wheat tortilla is usually steamed for more flexibility during construction. The art of the Mission burrito has been refined over decades, in much the same way that Chicago and New York have refined deep-dish and thin-crust pizza, respectively.

So it’s time to answer the question you’re all wondering: where do you find the best of the best Mission burritos across San Francisco? While it’s a controversial question to answer and may cause online feuds and ruin friendships, these are — we can safely say — some of the most beloved taquerias in San Francisco.

El Farolito - Mission District 

Photo courtesy of El Farolito

This old-school taqueria is famous on Mission Street for serving up some seriously massive burritos. We’re not messing around here — these burritos are the size of your forearm. They come with a side of free chips and salsa but you might not have room for that. At El Farolito, you also have some extensive meat options, such as lengua (cow tongue), sesos (cow brain), and cabeza (cow head). It also doesn’t hurt that El Farolito is open into the wee hours of the morning, which is perfect for night owls in the Mission District. 

Taqueria La Cumbre - Mission District 

Photo courtesy of Taqueria La Cumbre

Do you value high-quality ingredients? Taqueria La Cumbre uses grass-fed meat (for which the price often fluctuates to reflect the market), and according to its website, prioritizes freshness of all their ingredients.  The taqueria, also located in the Mission District, was featured on Man v. Food a few years back, which turned the restaurant into something of a tourist destination. For what it’s worth, Taqueria La Cumbre claims to be the birthplace of the Mission-style burrito, so it’s an important stop on your burrito tour. 

La Castillito - Duboce Triangle

Photo courtesy of La Castillito

For a simple burrito that’s still alarmingly huge, head on over to La Castillito in Duboce Triangle. Folks love the al pastor and carne asada, often choosing these meats for their super burrito orders. But it’s not just meat that La Castillito does well. Locals rave online about the restaurant’s vegetarian burritos, which is not a common thing to see in taquerias that specialize in Mission-style burritos. 

Garaje - SoMa

Photo courtesy of Garaje

Garaje’s website boasts, “Don’t bother, too busy to answer.” We guess it’s safe to say they probably won’t answer the phone. But Garaje deserves to be braggy, as this rustic dive bar in SoMa serves up some of San Francisco’s famous burritos, which Garaje calls zapatos. Zapatos means “shoe” in Spanish, but at this joint, it refers to a burrito that’s been grilled on a panini press, producing a crunchy, crispy tortilla and perfectly melted cheese. Couple it with an order from Garaje’s long beer menu. You can even make Garaje your first stop after a San Francisco Giants game, as the restaurant is located quite close to AT&T Park. 

La Taqueria - Mission District 

Photo courtesy of La Taqueria

The interior of this Mission District restaurant is as simple as its name, but don’t be fooled. Despite its no-frills appearance, La Taqueria serves up a delicious super burrito smothered with tons of delicious salsa, guac, and other essentials. With thousands of Yelp reviews, it’s not surprising that La Taqueria is often packed to the street, so don’t expect to grab a table when you come here, especially during peak hours. Don’t worry, you can always take one of their classic carne asada super burritos to go.