The Top Burrito Joints in San Francisco

Everybody who's anybody knows that burritos in San Francisco's Mission District taste better than burritos anywhere else. Why is this? It's a good question, but, for the purposes of this article, I'm simply going to tell you where to find them and which are the best. You can answer the tough questions yourself. Here is the list of the top burrito joints in San Francisco's Mission District:

El Farolito

Let's say you've had a long night out and are assiduously hunting for tasty fillings. This is the spot to go to. How can you tell? There's a 40 foot line snaking out onto Mission St. Open late, serving food fast, cheap and so very tasty, El Farolito is not a quality taqueria, but a quantity one. The meat is not the best in the Mission, but the toppings are tossed in liberally and the salsa (try the green) is to die for at 3 in the morning. Extra bonus: El Farolito is directly across from the 24^th Street BART station. Grab a burrito and hop the train home.

La Cornetta

My personal favorite in the Mission is La Cornetta. Located in the heat of the District at 23^rd and Mission, this large taqueria has everything and anything you could want. Seafood, brains, tongue, carne asada, pork marinated and grilled in various sauces, La Cornetta has variety in spades. The line moves slower than El Farolito and the burrito's are a little more expensive, but the overall quality is better. Nachos are incredible here. As are the carne asada burritos. (A quick side note to those not familiar with San Francisco's top burrito joints: always opt for the "super" burrito. For a dollar or so more, taqueria's will pack guacamole, sour cream, and cheese into your burrito, elevating it to something celestial.)

Taqueria Cancun

Another awesome Mission taqueria,Cancun grills the burrito's tortilla to give it an extra crunch that the competition lacks. This place can really hit the spot. The carne asada is excellent. Thick, juicy cuts of steak billow out of burritos packed with slices of avocado and the usual trimmings. A spicy cerviche can also be procured for the more adventurous patrons. Taqueria Cancun sits at 18^th and Mission, just a few blocks from the 16^th street BART station.

Taqueria Papalote

Just a block off of Mission Street (24^th and ), Papalote has a slightly different flavor and menu than other top San Francisco
burrito joints. The meat is, in this reporter's humble opinion, the best. But, the fillings can sometimes be lacking. And the salsa is, unfortunately, sub-par. However, some customers love this place for two distinct reasons: first, the meat, as I stated earlier, is phenomenal. The chile verde (a pork slow roasted in a green chile sauce) is absolutely out of this world. Secondly, Papalote has more off a sit-down feel to it than other of San Francisc's top burrito joints. With a spacious layout and a decent selection of beers, this is not the order and run taqueria like Farolito. Pull up a chair and stay awhile and enjoy the great quality of this great taqueria.

If you find yourself hungry and in San Francisco, be sure to drag yourself down into the Mission District to taste some of these excellent and cheap taquerias. Also, it is imperative that readers realize that this list is by no means comprehensive. The Mission District area crawls with great Mexican restaurants and a large part of the fun is uncovering your own particular favorite. Just remember, always, always make your order a super burrito and chances are you'll find yourself in one of

San Francisco's top joints.