8 NYC burritos worthy of the West Coast 

The endless hunt for good burritos on the East Coast can be exhausting. Here are some spots around the city that might just stop your search, just in time for National Burrito Day.

Susan Behrends Valenzuela

(Illustration by Susan Behrends Valenzuela)

Clara Spray, Staff Writer
April 6, 2023

As a New Mexico native, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect burrito on the East Coast — one that might just live up to those I can find on the other side of the Mississippi. New York City is notorious for its poor selection of burritos, but I think I finally found a collection of joints that live up to my expectations from home. So the next time you’re craving an authentic burrito, check out one of these spots.

Best near campus

Electric Burrito

81 St. Marks Place, New York 

Best known for its California Burrito, this counter service spot gives West Coast burritos, complete with French fries, their moment in the spotlight. The California Burrito includes the spot’s signature crispy, golden fries, along with cheese, pico de gallo and your choice of protein. The California Burrito is $12-14, while their others are around $9-16.

The exterior of Electric Burrito, which has a neon sign against a white background that reads “Electric Burrito.”
(Kevin Wu for WSN)

Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery

215 Ave. A

Zaragoza is dishing out absolutely massive burritos from a food counter inside of a family-owned Mexican bodega in Alphabet City, a short 20-minute walk from Washington Square Park. The burritos are made with beans, lettuce, pico de gallo and sour cream, along with a variety of meats. Each burrito comes smothered in your choice of salsas. Be sure to say hi to the bodega cat while you place your order.

(Manasa Gudavalli for WSN)

Best breakfast burritos

Santa Fe BK

178 N. Eighth St., Brooklyn

Husband-and-wife duo John Watterberg and Melissa Klein opened Santa Fe BK in 2021, selling incredible breakfast burritos from a takeout window in Williamsburg. Inspired by New Mexico, where Watterberg grew up, the restaurant handpresses its tortillas before filling them with eggs, green Hatch chiles, and your choice of potato, bacon, or sausage. One burrito will set you back $9.

The exterior of Santa Fe B.K. with crimson window frames and walls and a turquoise door.
(Augustin Langlet for WSN)

Ursula Brooklyn

387A Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn

Albuquerque native Eric See opened Ursula in 2020, describing its concept to WSN as an “interpretation of New Mexican food through the lens of New York.” Ursula quickly gained recognition when they were nominated as “Best New Restaurant” by the James Beard Foundation in 2022. Its New Mexican-style burritos are made with eggs, hash browns, Hatch chiles, and your choice of chorizo, bacon, vegetables or pinto beans, coming out to about $12.50.

 

Most unique

Forsyth Fire Escape

601 W. 26th St., inside Chelsea’s Olly Olly Market

Forsyth Fire Escape only has one food item on their menu — the scallion pancake burrito. The burrito is wrapped in a scallion pancake and filled with pernil, fried queso blanco, guacamole and lemongrass chili crisp oil. The restaurant first opened during the pandemic, using a rope and bucket to lower its burritos to customers from an apartment fire escape. Eventually, it expanded into a Chinatown bodega before moving to Chelsea’s Olly Olly Market this past fall. (The Chinatown location is still listed on the restaurant’s website, but is marked as “currently paused.”)

[Read WSN’s full review of Forsyth Fire Escape.]

The interior of Forsyth Fire Escape. In the foreground is a bar area with chairs. In the background is a kitchen area with ceilings decorated with Chinese ornaments, such as lanterns.
(Kevin Wu for WSN)

Best chains

Tacombi

Tacombi is serving up some noteworthy seafood-inspired eats. Combined with incredible tortillas, the fresh fish burrito is a welcome addition to this creative Mexican eatery best known for its tacos. Burritos will cost you about $13-14 at any of Tacombi’s 11 locations across the city. Two locations operate near NYU’s Washington Square campus, at 255 Bleecker St. in the West Village and 267 Elizabeth St. in SoHo.

The outdoor seating structure at Tacombi, a Mexican restaurant in Greenwich Village. The name of the restaurant can be seen on a white sign above the structure. Behind the seating structure are white apple blossom trees in full bloom.
(Camila Ceballos for WSN)

Taqueria Diana

Taqueria Diana serves California-inspired Mexican dishes from the East Village, Hell’s Kitchen and Williamsburg. Owned by Matthew La Rue from the Meatball Shop, Taqueria Diana prides itself on its quality of food and attention to detail. Burritos range from $9-10.50. The location nearest to campus is at 129 Second Ave. in the East Village.

The exterior of Taqueria Diana with a red awning and text that reads “Tacos, Burritos, Nachos, Quesadillas.”
(Kevin Wu for WSN)

Summer Salt

Summer Salt is serving up Southern California surf culture cuisine in New York City. Its burritos come two ways — “California Style,” with shoestring fries, and “Mission Style,” with Mexican rice and pinto beans. Both include traditional burrito ingredients like cheddar jack cheese, pico de gallo, and a choice of protein, and some unique ingredients, including Baja Sauce and thinly sliced cabbage. Summer Salt will run you about $14-16 for one burrito. A new location just opened at the Urbanspace food hall at Union Square.

The Summer Salt booth in an indoor space with signs that read “Summer Salt,” “Baja California Seafood ampersand Grill” and “Tacos, Burritos, Bowls.”
(Kevin Wu for WSN)

Contact Clara Spray at [email protected].