Ah, the California burrito: San Diego’s unofficial mascot and the city’s answer to, ‘What’s for dinner… and possibly breakfast?’ Wrapped in a tortilla lies not just a meal, but a lifestyle – the very essence of San Diego living.
In our SanDiegoHumor Instagram stories, we asked our followers where their best California Burrito was in San Diego. We had over 600 votes, and after aggregating all of the submissions … we have the results for the top restaurants for the best California burrito in San Diego.
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What makes a California Burrito Different?
A California Burrito (also referred to as Cali Burrito) is a type of burrito that originated in San Diego, California. It typically consists of carne asada, sour cream, guac, cheese, pico de gallo, and french fries all wrapped up in a large tortilla. Understanding this recipe is very important as we see restaurants boch the Cali Burrito all across the nation.
Lolita’s Mexican Food (51 votes)
Everyone loooooves Lolita’s. Here the California burrito isn’t just a meal, it’s a culinary event. What Lolita’s does different is their skinny-cut fries instead of thick-cut fries. This gives your big ‘ole burrito a lot more crunch to the bite. It also perfects the meat to fries ratio.
Speaking of the meat…. let’s just say if there was an award for well-seasoned burrito fillings, Lolita’s would have a trophy case. Don’t forget to say ‘yes’ to the guacamole – it’s fresher than a San Diego morning. And if you think you’re full, think again. Their churros are the sweet encore you didn’t know you needed. Get ready to roll into foodie bliss at Lolita’s.
There are multiple Lolita’s locations in San Diego:
📍 413 Telegraph Canyon Rd. Chula Vista, CA 91910
📍 4516 Bonita Rd., Bonita, CA 91902
📍 7305 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92111
📍 601 East Palomar St., Chula Vista, CA 91911
📍 871 Showroom Pl., Chula Vista, CA 91914
The Taco Stand (37 votes)
The Taco Stand Cali Burritos have cheese toasted directly onto the tortilla! Find me someone who doesn’t love a little toasted cheese. The Taco Shop also makes sure their beef is well seasoned. What makes the Cali Burrito stand out here are the sauces, especially the avocado, habanero, and chipotle sauces. And it doesn’t hurt that these things come with a lot of cheese. You won’t catch a clump of ingredients here, these burritos are well mixed guaranteeing to have your taste buds dancing at every bite. Get a to go box, these burritos can rival a forearm in size.
A true San Diegan could make a day out of a burrito hunt. Start in Encinas and Take the Scenic Route up the coast to find your own best burrito spot while stopping to check out the waves in between.
Check out the multiple Taco Stand locations in San Diego:
📍 642 S Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024
📍 645 B Street, San Diego, CA 92101
📍 3000 Upas St Suite 105, San Diego, CA 92104
📍 621 Pearl Street, La Jolla, CA 92037
📍 4646 Convoy Street, San Diego, CA 92111
Mike’s Taco Club (OB) / Harry’s Taco Club (PB)
(36 votes)
There’s a lot of hype out there about Mike’s Taco Shop California burritos, and rightfully so. The carne asada is really juicy and grilled to perfection. The seasoned fries could support the flavor of a meal on their own.
Mix it up with The Surf and Turf California Burrito. It comes with shrimp and top notch chipotle sauce. Mike’s is also famous for its margaritas and its horchata.
📍 5060 Newport Ave, Ocean Beach, CA 92107
In 2020, Mike’s Taco Club opened another location called ‘Harry’s Taco Club‘ located in Pacific Beach. The PB location is right next to our favorite bar in PB, Cass Street Bar & Grill. Harry’s Taco Club has locations in Pacific Beach, Point Loma, Ocean Beach, and Del Mar.
📍 4612 Cass Street, San Diego, CA 92109
📍 5049 Newport Ave, San Diego, CA 92107
📍 1446 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014
📍 3665 Voltaire St, San Diego, CA 92106
Roberto’s Taco Shop (33 votes)
Driving through SD you are guaranteed to find a Ruberto’s and for good reason. You KNOW it’s going to be authentic MexiCali. What makes the best California burritos at Roberto’s stand out is the carne asada. It is perfectly seasoned making it a burrito you’ll be dreaming about.
Roberto’s serves up their cheese ranging from coarsely grated to sometimes even lumpy. This cheese balance between meat and fries is perfect for our San Diego cheese lovers out there. Try it with the spicy red salsa, you won’t be disappointed.
📍 444 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91910
📍 1406 Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950
📍 3095 Clairemont Dr # C, San Diego, CA 92117
📍 4770 Voltaire St, San Diego, CA 92107
📍 7710 Hazard Center Dr, San Diego, CA 92108
📍2744 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92104
📍518 Oceanside Blvd #111, Oceanside, CA 92054
📍1525 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
📍16773 Bernardo Center Drive RTS, 16773 Bernardo Center Dr d, San Diego, CA 92128
📍420 Robinson Ave UNIT F, San Diego, CA 92103
📍471 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas, CA 92024
📍12401 Woodside Ave, Lakeside, CA 92040
📍1858 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
📍1155 Scott St, San Diego, CA 92106
📍2206 Carmel Valley Rd #3704, Del Mar, CA 92014
📍274 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024
📍1900 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024
📍445 N Hwy 101, Solana Beach, CA 92075
📍9740 Cuyamaca St #C, Santee, CA 92071
📍3462 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116
Ortiz’s Taco Shop (21 votes)
A stark contrast to Roberto’s fast Mexican chain, Ortiz’s on Voltaire next to the airport, finds itself as a hidden gem. The location is perfect to take a burrito on the road and chill out at Sunset Cliffs. Which made our Best Places to Watch the Sunset in San Diego BTW.
As far as the beast of a burrito itself, we’ve experienced the carne asada to be quite tender and well seasoned. The cheese is soft, the fries are crispy. Enjoy it with the horchata. Our only note on this one – no airport pickup is complete without a burrito in hand. Plan ahead, bring an Ortiz CB. They travel well.
📍3704 Voltaire St, San Diego, CA 92107
Nico’s Mexican Food (17 votes)
Check out Nico’s for your grab and go, best California Burrito. The service is fast, and the beach is nearby. They are cash only so hit up an ATM on your way (it’s more expensive to use the one inside). Mexican food is the key to every local’s heart. If you are looking to be Social in San Diego Without Going to Bars grabbing a burrito and exploring somewhere new is the perfect activity.
The California burritos are large and have a nice cheesy pull at first bite. What is the difference between a California burrito and a carne asada burrito? The fries at Nicos are one of the biggest differences here. They are crispy and well salted. You have to get it with the green sauce to truly appreciate its goodness.
📍5151 Morena Pl Ste. A, San Diego, CA 92110
📍4918 Newport Ave, San Diego, CA 92107
La Perla Cocina (17 votes)
La Perla finds itself making its way up on our best Cali Burrito list. It’s a casual, no frills Cali burrito experience. What makes La Perla unique is their Oaxacalifornia burrito – made by using oaxaca cheese. The burrito is huge and the carne asada is full of flavorful. All locations are really conducive to a grab and go experience.
📍1224 Rosecrans St, San Diego, CA 92106
📍1880 Grand Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
Vallarta Express (14 votes)
Vallarta Express is famous for its tasty salsas, particularly its green and orange salsas. It’s also famous for making the classic California burrito. The burrito is packed with carne asada which is nice and juicy, the fries are typically cooked to a perfect crispy texture, and the pico de gallo has a fresh and subtle flavor. Unlike other burrito spots, what does a California burrito have on it at Vallarta includes guac and sour cream. It’s a different experience, but we’re not mad about it.
Vallarta’s is not shy about filling the burritos with a lot of carne asada. If you are looking for a hefty burrito, this is the spot for you. In our opinion, the carne asada is not as flavorful as other burritos but to each their own.
📍4277 Genesee Ave, San Diego, CA 92117
📍1375 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
📍9313 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92126
📍5341 Jackson Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
📍2952 Harding St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Lucha Libre Taco Shop (14 votes)
Hitting the trifecta of Mission Hills, North Park, and Pacific Beach, Luncha Libre has you covered for burritos in San Diego, California. At each location you’ll find a fun, unique “Mexican wrestling” ambiance. Unlike the many grab and go burrtio options, here you’ll want to hang out for a while.
They offer several variations on the California burrito. Of course, the Classic California Steak Burrito is our go-to. However, we’ve also been impressed with the Pluckin’ California burrito recipe, which is made of chicken, pico de gallo, fries, cheese, and avocado. It’s best enjoyed with the restaurant’s legendary cilantro crema sauce.
If you want something with a powerful, savory chile marinade, try the Adobada California burrito. Our seafood friends rave about the Surfin’ California burrito. It has shrimp and carne asada, pico de gallo, cheese, fries, avocado, and a tasty secret sauce.
📍1810 W. Washington Street, San Diego, CA 92103
📍3016 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104
📍1037 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
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