Is D.C. a burrito town? That’s debatable. Like bagels, there isn’t one must-have burrito that comes to mind when one closes their eyes and thinks “burrito.” (In case you’ve noticed, this isn’t California.) Still, there are plenty of places to get a serviceable filled tortillas in this city. Here are some of the best in town, according to DCist writers.
Photo by Josh Bassett.
PEDRO AND VINNY’S BURRITO CART: Office workers around McPherson Square swear by Pedro and Vinny’s, a stand-alone burrito cart at the corner of 15th and K Streets NW. These hefty burritos come in three generous sizes and are loaded with beans (black or pinto), rice, chicken, guacamole, and cheese. Customize your lunch with a choice of flavored tortilla and a panoply of hot sauces, and be prepared for the food coma that follows. — Alicia Mazzara
Pedro and Vinny’s cart is located at 1500 K Street NW.
THE WELL-DRESSED BURRITO: In terms of burritos, there’s always perennial hole-in-the-wall. The Well Dressed Burrito is literally a hole in the wall, as its small space is tucked away in an alley off 19th Street between M and N Street. Compared the behemoth burritos of Chipotle, the Well-Dressed Burrito is cheaper (around $5 or $6 per wrap), bigger (seriously, they’re MAMMOTH), and better. The only downside is that it’s only open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and only on weekdays. —Matt Cohen from a previous list on Cheap Eats
The Well-Dressed Burrito is located at 1220 19th Street NW.
DISTRICT TACO: Let’s get this out of the way: Yes, this is primarily a taco joint (as the name bluntly suggests), and we’ve already talked about their delicious tacos. But, if you ever find yourself at this G Street NW abode craving something different than tacos, well, you’re in luck. Their burritos transcend the trappings of the restaurant’s taco-centric name, packed air-tight with your choice of meat (my suggestion: Al Pastor), and a variety of the fresh veggies and toppings the place grills up daily. The kicker? Distract Taco’s robust toppings bar that has dozens of sauces and garnishes to customize your burrito to just the perfect flavor. —Matt Cohen
District Taco is located on Capitol Hill (656 Pennsylvania Avenue SE) and downtown (1309 F Street NW).
TEX MEX BURRITO: The nail polish writing on the windows is faded. The sign that said “Burritos Fast” is no longer there. This dive on the northern part of Mt. Pleasant Road now goes by the name of Tex Mex Burrito. The product is pretty straight forward—a burrito with rice and black beans or served fajita style with peppers and onions. Chicken or beef only, the latter of which is ladled on in big chunks with a tomatoey broth. — Josh Novikoff
Tex Mex Burrito is located at 3213 Mount Pleasant Street NW.
TAQUERIA DISTRITO FEDERAL: I prefer to come here for the tacos and the tortas, but what is a burrito if not another vehicle for TDF’s tasty meat fillings? You can get your burrito stuffed with any of their 11 different meats, ranging from the usual suspects (carnitas, pollo, carne asada) to the offal (beef tongue, beef tripe, pork skin) and everything in between (al pastor, chorizo, goat, pork ribs). Avocado and cilantro add some contrast to this mess of seasoned meat, beans, and cheese. — Alicia Mazzara
Taqueria Distrito Federal has locations in Columbia Heights (3463 14th St. NW) and Petworth (805 Kennedy St. NW).
CHINITO’S BURRITOS: While it’s more of a neighborhood spot than a destination for residents outside of the H Street/Trinidad/NoMa area, the potential headache of dealing with WMATA to eat a burrito from the 7th Street and Florida Avenue NE restaurant is worth it. Despite being the only burrito joint in the area, Chinito’s doesn’t just fill the corn or flour tortilla filled void in that part of town. The a la carte menu – be careful you’ll have a $10 plus burrito if you go crazy – has your traditional ingredients and the portions are still the size of a newborn, but the coup de grace is in its variety. Tired of white or brown rice? Try fried rice instead. Or add a bit of Szechuan-style slaw for some extra kick instead of lettuce. While you’re at it: throw in a side order of their freshly prepared egg rolls and a Mexican Coke to complete the meal. —Andy Hess
Chinito’s Burritos is located at 635 Florida Avenue NE.
SUPER TACOS AND BAKERY: Super Tacos in Adams Morgan serves some of the most generous tacos and tastiest tortas in town. Any of their many meats can be stuffed in a burrito served with tortilla chips. The tortilla isn’t fried like a chimichanga, but the final stuffed product is thrown briefly on the griddle to give a nice sear on each side. Go for al pastor for a nice crunch or tongue for the soft chewiness that lengua offers. — Josh Novikoff
Super Tacos is located at 1762 Columbia Road NW.
H STREET COUNTRY CLUB: One of the greatest pleasures in this city is going to a sweaty dance class at Joy of Motion and then right afterward undoing all that exercise by moseying over to H Street Country Club with the sole mission of ordering a burrito the size of one’s head. I’m not sure who “Joe” is behind “Joe’s Burrito,” as it’s called on the menu, but whomever he is, he is a magician, because this combination of deceptively simple ingredients (rice, beans, tomatoes, onions, cheese and then chicken/pork/brisket/veggies) is pure enchantment. — Alexis Hauk
H Street Country Club is located at 1335 H Street NE.
TORTILLA CAFE: There are few things not to like about Tortilla Cafe. It’s located right in the thick of Eastern Market, it has outdoor seating and it’s cheap. On a morning trip to pick up veggies or shop at the flea market, try one of Tortilla Cafe’s breakfast burritos. Just under five bucks will get you a burrito stuffed with spicy Mexican sausage, and served with refried beans and pico de gallo. Yes, Guy Fieri ate there once, but we can’t hold that against them. —Sarah Anne Hughes
Tortilla Cafe is located at 210 7th Street SE.
BOLOCO: This Massachusetts-based chain chose the Washington area for their first shops outside of New England. Their globally inspired flavors—think tikka masala, Cajun, and Thai inspired flavors—come wrapped within original, small, and mini sized tortillas and served in a smart 19th Street dining room with free wifi and power outlets at each table. Their buffalo burrito has all the flavors you would expect from a bucket of chicken wings and a nice crunch from the bits of celery. — Josh Novikoff
Boloco is located at 1028 19th Street NW.
CHAINS: Have you ever heard of a little place called Chipotle? People seem to like their burritos. —Sarah Anne Hughes
Everywhere.
