The burrito business in Toronto is booming. Whether craving traditional Mexican flavours, southwest staples, or novel chow mein-stuffed variations, you'll find burritos on the menus of homegrown chains, thriving independent gems, and international franchises citywide.
Here are my picks for the top burritos in Toronto by neighbourhood.
See also:The Best Burritos in Toronto
ANNEX
The menu at Playa Cabana boasts burritos like the toluca choriza ($16) featuring house-made chorizo that's topped with egg, or the mar y tierra ($18), a surf n' turf style option loaded with sauteed tiger prawns and chipotle-marinated rib-eye steak.
BALDWIN VILLAGE
Mission Burrito in the Village by the Grange food court offers about a dozen different San Francisco style burritos. Prices start at $6 for a veg-friendly bean and cheese, while the "meat lovers" with a choice of any two meats and double cheese costs $10.85.
BEACHES
Gourmet Gringos started as a food truck and now boasts multiple locations across the GTA. Burritos here start with a base of rice, black beans, pico de gallo, and shredded cheese, and are then tailored to order with a choices like beef short ribs, barbacoa, pork carnitas, or chicken tinga.
CLUB DISTRICT
Burrito Bandidos is a staple in this neighbourhood, offering pre-movie meals and post-bar snacking. The menu has the usual assortment of meat, poultry, and vegetarian fillings, plus the ever-popular fried halibut. Prices start at $6.37 and max out at $13.50.
CORKTOWN
Taccorito deals in Tex-Mex favourites and their burritos come in small ($7), medium ($8), and large ($8.79) sizes. Have them stuffed with chicken, steak, chorizo, pulled pork, grilled tilapia, beans or, veggie patties.
THE DANFORTH
Ten different burrito options await you at Grillies where the big bundles are built with a choice of protein including chicken, beef, pork, salmon and sea bass, which can then can be topped with varying degrees of hot sauce and salsa, fresh vegetables, hot peppers, and more.
ETOBICOKE
Fat Bastard does burritos in three ultra-satisfying sizes - li'l, big, and huge, in six classic varieties ($7.39 to $10.89) like ground beef and pulled pork, as well as nine specialty options like butter chicken and sweet chilli Thai chicken ($8.39 to $11.89). Noteworthy toppings here include noodles (instead of rice) and coleslaw.
FINANCIAL DISTRICT
At Z-Teca, the choices start with flour or whole wheat tortillas to which the counter will apply heaping scoops of cilantro-lime rice, and options like black beans, roasted corn or fajita vegetables. From there add grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, beef barbacoa or pork carnitas, then have it finished off with monterey jack cheese and salsa.
HARBOURFRONT
Found in the Waterpark Place Food Court on Queens Quay, Freshwest Grill adds southwest seasonings to its meats via overnight marinade. Once flame-grilled, you'll find options like chicken or steak ready to be wrapped up into bespoke burritos with additions like house-made salsas, sautéed fajita vegetables, rice, cheese, sour cream, and beans.
THE JUNCTION
The Junction Burrito at La Revolucion is predesigned with rice, refried beans, gaucamole, sour cream, and a mix of cheeses. Of course, you'll still have to decide between beef, chicken, pork, chorizo or veggies.
KENSINGTON MARKET
Big Fat Burrito originated in this 'hood and continues to satisfy local appetites with beastly burritos ($7-$12). Select between fillings like sweet potato, chicken, steak, pulled pork, ground beef, or veg, or take advantage of the unique all-day breakfast burrito packed with scrambled eggs.
KING EAST
Bolet's Burritos dishes out a stellar assortment of overstuffed burritos filled with flavourful meats, seafoods or veggies ($5.25-$7.50). Packed tight with beans, rice, yams, fresh veggies and salsas, these hand held options are hearty and ultra-filling.
KING WEST
The DIY salsa and hot sauce bar is one my favourite features at Wilbur Mexicana on King West. Order the Wilbur-ito ($9) loaded with a choice of chicken, steak, or pork, plus rice, beans, cheddar and jack cheese, guac, pico de gallo, and lettuce - then ramp it up to whatever level of spiciness you can handle.
KOREATOWN
Tacos El Asador is a bustling, no frills taqueria where you can polish off burritos loaded with biftec, chorizo, chicken or beef.
LESLIEVILLE
Chino Locos is hardly traditional, but hey, burritos stuffed with chow mein noodles and General Tso chicken are pretty damn delicious.
LIBERTY VILLAGE
Found inside The Roastery Cafe, Loco Burrito operates only on weekdays between 11am and 3pm. The menu boasts footlong burritos for $8 packed with a choice of sweet potato, bean and cheese, steak, chicken, soy fillings.
LITTLE ITALY
Burro Burrito gets high marks for its burritos ($9.80) stuffed with chorizo con papas (sausage and potato), chicken tinga, and spicy shrimp a la Diabla. Personalize at the counter with white or whole wheat tortillas and the usual array of toppings.
NORTH YORK
In N Out Burrito finishes its tidy tortilla packages on a flat top, so whether you order the mango chicken or plain ol' ground beef, the exterior will be toasted to a perfect golden brown.
PARKDALE
Burrito Boyz offers the option to enjoy any two fillings in your burrito ($5-$10.20) from choices like bean and cheese, veggie soy, chicken, steak, sweet potato, shrimp, or fried haddock or halibut. Have the counter tailor-make your burrito with a rainbow of toppings including the signature chili lime burrito sauce.
QUEEN WEST
Mr. Burrito makes shawarma and burritos available with just one pit stop. The menu bills standard array of Tex-Mex flavours plus unusual cultural mash-ups like the Philly cheesesteak burrito and the falafel burrito.
SCARBOROUGH
Big Bite Burrito isn't tied to tradition, and as a result you'll find the menu boasting fillings like deep fried jerk-spiced chicken with buffalo sauce. There's also the usual contenders including pulled pork, steak, shrimp, and veg. Prices start at $6.50.
ST. CLAIR WEST
Asada Mexican Grill is a family-run, fast food grill where burritos ($8.95) can be customized to order. Try traditional Mexican fillings like carne or pollo asada, al pastor, chorizo and cochinita pibil, plus Baja-style fish or shrimp (add $3).
YONGE & DAVISVILLE
The namesake burrito at Chacho's Fine Mexican Dining is the cochinita pibil with chorizo. It comes loaded with hot red onions, veggies, refried black beans and crema.
YONGE & EGLINTON
Not exactly a local treasure, but still worthy of nod, Chipotle takes this neighbourhood because they do indeed make a good burrito.
YONGE & LAWRENCE
Milagro is sit-down cantina slathers flour tortillas with refritos, then packs them full of rice, crema, guacamole and crumbly panela cheese. There's three varieties to choose from including a standout, Adobado featuring beef and bacon with three chilie adobo.
What did I miss? Disagree with my selections in the comments.
Lead photo from Gourmet Gringos.