A Brief History Of The Mission Burrito

If there’s one thing San Francisco’s Mission District is famous for, it’s the neighborhood’s exceptional burritos. Known for the quality and variety of its ingredients, the Mission burrito has become one of the most widely recognized burrito styles in the nation. Read on to learn more about what exactly makes a Mission burrito so special and the stories behind how the style was created.

While a standard burrito is a simple affair consisting primarily of beans, rice, and meat, the Mission burrito stands out for both its massive size and the sheer number of ingredients it incorporates. The burrito begins with an extra large, flour tortilla, usually press-steamed to increase flexibility and minimize the chance of breakage. This foundation is filled with a customer’s choice of rices, beans, salsas and meats. On top of these standard ingredients, customers can order a ‘super’ to include cheese, sour cream, avocado or guacamole, and sometimes shredded lettuce. Once this monstrous tortilla is filled to the brim, a well-practiced burrito roller will fold and roll the burrito into a tight, evenly-distributed, spill-proof cylinder. This is followed by an optional moment on the grill to brown the tortilla before the burrito is wrapped in foil and paired with a side of chips (usually complimentary).

While the size of the meal and the number of ingredients are the main guidelines to imitate the Mission style, what makes a true Mission burrito stand out is its exceptional quality. The mid-1900s saw a huge influx of Mexican immigrants moving to the neighborhood, bringing their culinary expertise with them. Since then, the district, which spans less than two square miles, has become densely saturated with Mexican restaurants. This has created intense levels of competition, forcing restaurants to improve the quality of their ingredients and the skill of their techniques in order to stand out among the crowd. The incredible resulting quality has created a cult of burrito-lovers and Mission-style purists within the community.

Claims over the creation of the original Mission burrito are heavily disputed, with multiple Mission District taquerias fiercely claiming their ownership over the concept. The two restaurants primarily cited in association with this creation are Taqueria La Cumbre and El Faro. La Cumbre owners Raul and Michaela Duran claim to have served the first Mission burrito on September 29th, 1969, proudly declaring this fact across their storefront. El Faro’s owner, on the other hand, claims he sold the first one earlier, on September 26th, 1961, using two six-inch tortillas instead of one large one. Whichever taqueria is the true creator, locals agree that the Mission burrito evolved into a distinct and popular style throughout the 70s and 80s, as fierce competition kept the price down and drove the quality of the burritos and their ingredients up. Today, despite rampant gentrification throughout the Mission District in recent years, the most authentic, affordable Mission burritos have yet to be squeezed out of the neighborhood.
By Courtney Holcomb

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.