Consume a massive Mission burrito

Burritos are a fiercely defended food in California, defined by where they’re made. Los Angeles loves slender, pared-down burritos. The opposite is true in San Francisco’s Mission district, where a burrito is a foil-wrapped behemoth: a tortilla the size of a manhole cover bursting with rice, black beans, meat, and an unending list of ingredients that would empty the shelves of most Latino markets. Buried in a blizzard of guac, sour cream, and salsa, these giants bear little resemblance to anything you’d find in Mexico—but are recognized as a flagship innovation of the Mexican-Americans who settled in this neighborhood.

Experience it for yourself—sharing not allowed—in any one of these delicious (and dirt-cheap) taquerias:

• El Farolito
• La Cumbre (415/863-8205)
• El Tonayense trucks
• Papalote