Mission-Style Burrito

The Mission-style burrito — a large flour tortilla wrapped around rice, beans, meat, salsa, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole, rolled into a tight cylinder and wrapped in foil — was invented in San Francisco's Mission District in the 1960s, either at El Faro or La Cumbre (both claim credit). It is not Mexican — Mexican burritos (where they exist, primarily in northern Mexico) are smaller and simpler. The Mission burrito is a San Francisco creation: the rice-inside-the-burrito innovation, the massive size, the foil wrap, and the assembly-line format (Chipotle's business model is directly descended from Mission taqueria service) are all specific to San Francisco. The burrito has become America's most popular portable Mexican-American food.

A large (30cm+) flour tortilla, steamed or warmed on a flat grill to make it pliable, filled with: Mexican-style rice (cooked with tomato and cumin), refried beans or whole pinto beans, a protein (carne asada, carnitas, al pastor, chicken, or barbacoa), salsa (mild, medium, or hot — the customer chooses), sour cream, shredded cheese, and guacamole. The tortilla is folded at the bottom, rolled tightly from one side, and wrapped in aluminium foil. The foil holds the burrito together and creates the eating format: peel back the foil as you eat.