The Essential Taxonomy of Burrito Styles

The more you know about different styles of burritos, the better you will be as a person. Fact.

Khushbu Shah

The burrito, as many have argued, is the perfect food. Portable and filling, it provides protein, fat, and carbohydrates in a hand-held delivery system that requires no utensils and no clean-up, thanks to its edible package. In its simplest form, the humble burrito is not much more than a flour tortilla wrapped around a hearty filling of meat, beans, or potatoes. While it’s origins are in Northern Mexico, the moment it crossed the border into the United States, it transformed, as most things do, into something bigger (literally) and more in-your-face. Most burritos you see today are more American than Mexican.

Unlike pizza and burgers, which lend themselves to a seemingly endless variety of bases and toppings, burrito styles tend to stick closely to stuff-inside-a-tortilla script, but even small variations can make a big difference. Almost always, there is a large flour tortilla as a the base; some sort of meat and beans; condiments like sour cream, guacamole, and salsa; as well as options of rice and cheese. Only on rare occasions does an essential burrito style flirt with other ingredients (though one does add french fries to the mix).

As with most beloved foodstuffs, the burrito has many regional riffs, four of which originate in California alone. But regardless of style preference, there’s one thing that everyone can agree upon—when done correctly, they’re insanely delicious.

Here, we break down the essential burrito styles that any fan of Mexican/Tex-Mex/Cal-Mex/awesome food should know.

RELATED: The Essential Nacho Taxonomy

Mexican-Style

Less is definitely more and bigger definitely isn't better in the case of the classic Mexican burrito. Small and thin, the burritos are rarely stuffed with more than two ingredients, a stark contrast to the portly burritos served north of the border. Also known as tacos de harina, which roughly translates to "tacos made of flour," they are best thought of as an oversize taco with simple fillings such as potatoes, spiced meat, or refried beans paired with cheese. They also happen to be more popular in the northern Mexico, compared to the south, where corn tortillas reign supreme. Get one at: Burritos Crisostomos, which has locations throughout Northern Mexico and Texas
Mission-Style

While its roots are in the Missio District of San Francisco, this style has become so ubiqutuous that it is what most people envision when you mention burritos. Thanks to slightly bastardized versions made popular by chains like Chipotle and Qdoba, the over-stuffed calorie bombs—often constructed assembly-line style—have become an integral part of the American cheap-eats canon. The classic version starts out with a massive flour tortilla that is steamed to increase its pliability. It's then layered with cilantro-lime or Spanish-style rice (flavored with tomato and jalapeno), plenty of meat, cheese, lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream, with different types of salsa depending on the restaurant. Along with the inclusion of rice, the defining feature of a Mission-style burrito is its sheer-size—so large, in fact, that comparison to a genuine human baby is not out of place. Get one at: La Taqueria in San Francisco, CA
San Diego-Style

A carnivore's wet dream and a vegetarian's nightmare, the San Diego-style burrito places meat on a pedestal. Not just any animal protein will do, but specifically high-quality carne asada. The burritos are not for topping lovers, as rice, beans, and lettuce are nowhere to be found—at most, expect a dollop of sour cream and guacamole. These stark tortilla packages blur the lines between the American tradition of massive burritos and the Mexican preference for few fillings. Get one at: Ortiz's Taco Shop in San Diego, CA
L.A.-Style

Not as well known as its fellow Californian burrito styles, the Los Angeles take on these tasty tortilla packages features flour tortillas filled with refried beans, most often cooked with lard, plenty of meat ranging from machaca (dried, spiced beef or pork that has been rehydrated) to ground beef, plus plenty of salsa and chile. The burritos themselves are often named after the type of chile (red or green) within them, but don't go looking for them at just any taqueria in the city of Angeles—these wonderfully wrapped assemblages of Mexican-American flavors are only really found at road side stands. Get one at: Lupe's #2 in Los Angeles, CA
California-Style

As potato chips are to sandwiches, french fries are to the California burrito—an addition that, while not entirely necessary, takes the whole package to a new level. Deep-fried potatoes are pretty much the perfect food, and when they're piled high with carne asada, sour cream, guacamole, and the occasional sprinkling of cheese, they become the ultimate cure for the drunchies. An unabashed American creation, the Cali burrito has its roots in San Diego. Get one at: Taqueria Los Coyotes in San Francisco, CA
Korean-Style

Roy Choi's Kogi BBQ truck has made Korean tacos a nationwide phenomenon, and the Korean burrito is just another extension of that trendy culture-mashing cooking. Large flour tortillas are usually wrapped around bulgogi (Korean-style BBQ) instead of carne asade, sticky or fried rice instead of Spanish, plus plenty of kimchi and Korean hot sauce, known as gojuchang. The idea has been around since at least 2007, when David Chang first opened Momofuku Ssäm Bar with Korean burritos on the menu—while they're remembered fondly by many early Momofuku regular, they were eventually scrapped in favor of the new concepts at the restaurant. Get one at: Kogi BBQ in Los Angeles, CA
Wet

Forget the old adage, "it's what's on the inside that really counts"—that is about as far from the truth as you can get when it comes to the wet burrito. Also known as a smothered burrito, the dish's origins are blurry with sources claiming that it was invented everywhere from Texas to New Mexico to Grand Rapids, MI, where there is a surprisingly high concentration of joints specializing in the style. Unlike most burritos, it is best eaten with a fork and knife thanks to a delicious slathering of red chile sauce, which is similar to an enchilada sauce and ensures that no bite of tortilla is dry. Fillings for the burrito tend to vary, but most places employ a recipe involving seasoned ground beef, refried beans, and cheese. It is then drenched completely with sauce and topped with more cheese, plus a dollop of sour cream and shredded lettuce. What separates wet burritos from the classic enchilada is the larger volume of fillings and the use of flour tortillas over ones made from corn. Get one at: Beltline Bar in Grand Rapids, MI
Chimichanga

Most things are better when deep fried—chicken, potatoes, even candy bars—and the burrito is no exception. In this form, they're called chimichangas, long considered the "soul food" of the Southwest, namely Arizona and the Northern Mexican states of Sinaloa and Sonora, which used to be part of well, Arizona. The chimichanga is wrapped in a flour tortilla that puffs up and turns golden-brown when fried; it's typically filled with cheese, beans, and shredded chicken or carne asada. While most burritos are rolled, these burritos are folded into a rectangle to help contain the fillings during the deep-frying process. Toppings like salsa, guacamole, and sour cream are served on the side, along with a mild tomato-based sauce. Get one at: El Charro Cafe in Tuscon, AZ
Breakfast Burrito

Perhaps one of the best examples of American ingenuity, this take on a burrito skips the beans, rice, and seasoned meats in favor of classic breakfast foods, tucked neatly into portable package of ideal on-the-go eating—something that seems to be the new national sport. Fluffy scrambled eggs are typically layered with potatoes, onions, and plenty of bacon or chorizo before getting rolled up in a flour tortilla. Rumored to have been invented in Santa Fe in 1975, the breakfast burrito has become so popular that chains such as Sonic, Hardees, and even McDonald's have put them on the menu. Breakfast-burrito veterans also amp up the eggs with plenty of hot sauce and a fistful of cheddar or monterey jack cheese. Get one at: Santiago's in Denver, CO (there's one the menu for $2!)
Grilled Stuft Burrito

Taco Bell is is not Mexican or Tex-Mex—it is it's own genre of American fast food, defined by creations like the beloved (and oddly spelled) Grilled Stuft Burrito. A large flour tortilla is stuffed with a choice of meats (grilled chicken, ground beef, or steak), refried beans, cheese two ways (a mysterious three cheese blend and a creamy pepper jack cheese sauce), and Fiesta salsa. The whole shebang is then cooked on a sandwich press to achieve a more flattened final product with a crispy exterior. The process was supposedly invented In order to make the already portable burrito even easier to eat on the go. Get one at: Taco Bell (nationwide)
Kati Roll

The tortilla of India is the paratha, a flat bread made from whole wheat flour and cooked on a griddle. Just like a tortilla, parathas are the perfect delivery system for a wide range of flavor-packed fillings, from chickpeas and eggs, to chicken to lamb. More a street food than a meal-time staple, kati rolls are compact and easily held in one hand unlike the standard American burrito. Given the kinship between the kati roll and the classic burrito, the snack is often thought of as a sort of "Indian burrito" by diners in the U.S. Get one at: Thelewala in New York, NY
Wrap

This bastardization of the already-bastardized burrito is a product of the American health-food movement. Often flour tortillas are swapped out for whole-wheat or spinach flatbreads, and traditional burrito fillings give way to less calorific options like chicken salad or tofu. You can find them at health-oriented sandwich shops that also sell smoothies, delis, and corporate-catering lunch spreads. While many of the chains that defined the early wrap craze have died off, the style has cemented itself in the American lunch canon, serving a bridge between the sandwich and the burrito. Get one at: Boloco, a chain with locations throughout Massachusetts and parts of New England

The Essential Taxonomy of Burrito Styles

Mexican-Style

Mission-Style

San Diego-Style

L.A.-Style

California-Style

Korean-Style

Wet

Chimichanga

Breakfast Burrito

Grilled Stuft Burrito

Kati Roll

Wrap

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