The Top 25 College Town Burrito Spots

By Tyler Hakes

Burritos tend to become a staple in a college student’s diet. Not only are they relatively cheap and quick, but they’re also delicious–and fairly nutritious, depending on how you have them prepared.

Chains like Chipotle have been springing up on college campuses all around the country for close to a decade, providing pretty good burritos for a fair price. But let’s not overlook the real heroes–the small, independent burrito spots that offer insanely authentic Mexican fare or mind-blowing delicious modern fusion spins. While a quick  burrito on the go may suffice at times, other times you just need something different–something better.

We embarked on a hunt for the best college town burrito spots from around the country, relying on reviews, recipes, and photographic evidence to give us a peek into the cuisine that’s offered on different campuses. All told, we reviewed a list of nearly 100 different burrito spots and chose the ultimate winners–our top 25, drool-inducing burrito spots.

25. La Choza

Town: Boulder, CO
College: University of Colorado – Boulder

La Choza in Boulder has students and locals raving after transitioning from a tiny shack to a slightly larger, stand-alone restaurant. The combination of impossibly cheap fare and a variety of burritos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seems to be plenty to keep people running back for more.

24. Mi Cabanita

Town: Lafayette, IN
College: Purdue University

This small Mexican spot in Indiana is noted for incredibly tasty tacos, tortas, and, of course, burritos. A local point of pride, Mi Cabanita is lauded especially for its queso, guacamole, and salsa–all made in house.

23. Taco De Mexico

Town: San Luis Obispo, CA
College: California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)

This unassuming spot boasts some of the best, authentic Mexican grub on the west coast–which is saying a lot, given the prevalence of similar restaurants. As the name might imply, they are well-known for tacos, but fans also rave about their burritos including fresh-made tortillas and healthy portions for a cheap price.

22. Taco Lucha

Town: Manhattan, KS
College: Kansas State University

This funky and eclectic, Lucha Libre-themed burrito spot makes from-scratch food based on traditional Mexican street fare.

21. Tlaloc El Mexicano

Town: Athens, GA
College: University of Georgia

This Georgian gem blends traditional Mexican and Salvadorian fare and receives rave reviews on its entire menu of items. Burritos are just a small portion of what they serve, but nonetheless worth checking out at one of the most popular Mexican places in the southern US.

20. Carrburritos

Town: Chapel Hill / Carrboro, NC
College: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Carrburritos serves up some of the best burritos on the eastern seaboard along with a hearty side of clever wordplay. Their burrito menu offers a mix-and-match assortment of sizes and fillings, including their famous salsa, which is also available for purchase in stores around the area.

19. El Paso Taqueria

Town: Eugene, OR
College: University of Oregon

This tiny food stand near the Univeristy of Oregon campus has made a big impact locally. Not only does it have a perfect, 5-star rating on Yelp, but some reviewers have accused the place of adding “garlic cocaine” to the food–apparently, it’s that good.

18. Mission Cantina

Town: Amherst, MA
College: Amherst College, Hampshire College, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Heaping plates of Mexican fare to be found here in western Massachusetts. Patrons seem to love the salsa sampler, but their burritos have also been noted to be extra-delicious.

17. Mundo’s Latin Grill

Town: Logan, UT
College: Utah State University

With a flare for the gourmet (at least, in appearance), Mundo’s is voted not just best burritos, but also the best restaurant in the area. They offer smothered (and plain) burritos that look just as good as they taste, for a price that’s pretty in-line with other burrito spots.

16. Chela’s

Town: Ann Arbor, MI
College: University of Michigan

Cheap, authentic, fresh, and flavorful are the words that Wolverines use to describe the food from Chela’s. Their menu is simple and their food isn’t full of a lot of frills. But they do the basics really, really well.

15. Black Bear Burritos

Town: Morgantown, WV
College: West Virginia University

This spot is a local favorite that mixes good beer with good burritos. Their menu offers a variety of surprising flavors and combinations, including tofu, bleu cheese, Rueben, and Philly cheesesteak options. Reviews also note the cool, “artsy” vibe that you can usually only find in a college town atmosphere.

14. Kun Fusion Grill

Town: Eugene, OR
College: University of Oregon

We would be remiss not to include a second spot from the home of the Ducks. This isn’t your traditional Mexican fare. As the name implies, Kun Fusion serves up a unique spin on Asian-meets-Mexican cuisine from the side of their mobile food truck. Burritos have been known to be larger than your forearm.

13. La Michoacana

Town: Charlottesville, VA
College: University of Virginia

Cash-only, authentic Mexican dishes beloved by locals and passers-by. La Michoacana (or LaMich, as it’s affectionately known around town) burritos come sauce-covered and piled high with veggies and cheese. Beware that dishes are served on paper plates–you’ll want to use two hands.

12. Mucha Lucha

Town: Tempe, AZ
College: Arizona State University

Known as a hip and fresh spot for Mexican near ASU, Mucha Lucha is revered for its “life-changing” food. From street tacos to wet burritos, everything has an authentic base with a bit of local flare.

11. El Oasis

Town: Lansing, MI
College: Michigan State University

You won’t get much flash and pizazz from this MSU staple. As a year-round, stationary food truck, El Oasis is known for the staples–simple ingredients done to perfection. Just shy of cracking our top 10, this spot should definitely make the list of best in the Midwest.

10. Adrian’s

Town: Mesa / Tempe, AZ
College: Arizona State University

Two spots from the Tempe area made our list, and for good reason. We couldn’t pass on either one. Adrian’s is one of those don’t-judge-a-restaurant-by-its-exterior kind of places. Small and unassuming, this spot holds down a perfect, 5-star Yelp rating with over 100 reviews. Patrons commend their unbelievably fresh tortillas and say this is like having lunch at your Mexican friend’s place.

9. La Regia Taqueria

Town: Iowa City, IA
College: University of Iowa

This authentic Mexican spot in the middle of the heartland is known for no-nonsense, true-to-form tacos and burritos. The secret to it being one of the nation’s best is, of course, the fresh ingredients. This taqueria doubles as a grocery store and meat market, where patrons from in and around the UI can pick up Mexican staples of all types.

8. Casa Latina

Town: Berkeley, CA
College: University of California Berkeley

From mole to carnitas, Casa Latina is the premiere spot for authentic Mexican near UC Berkeley. Its fans rave about the juicy, fall-apart meat, authentic Mexican recipes, and all of the trappings of a fantastic dining experience. The only problem you may have it deciding which one of their delicious meals to choose.

7. Maize Mexican Grill

Town: Champaign, IL
College: University of Illinois

If you’re looking for that perfectly-packed burrito, here’s your spot. Maize offers a mouth-watering assortment of burrito options, each one wrapped tightly and grilled to sheer perfection. As with most authentic Mexican spots, you won’t find a ton of variety here–pick a meat and enjoy. Beans, lettuce, sour cream, and cheese come standard.

6. La Tienda Latina

Town: Gainesville, Fl
College: University of Florida

This Florida favorite is known for simple, great Mexican. Fans rave about the sauces–especially the green–which add a dash of flavor and spice to their dishes. On the other side of the house, they have a market packed full of fresh ingredients for those who want to try to recreate the magic in their own kitchen.

5. Taco Loco

Town: Sommerville / Cambridge, MA
College: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

If the collective IQ of this area is any indicator, we would be pretty stupid to pass up Taco Loco. This is one of those dead-simple Mexican spots, but they offer a pretty wide assortment of toppings and fixing, which you can build into your own creation. Oh, and it’s incredibly affordable. Reviewers on Yelp say this east-coast gem is serving up food to rival the stuff found out in California.

4. La Mission

Town: Berkeley, CA
College: University of California Berkeley

This spot is often considered the best Mexican in all of the Bay Area. With over 750 Yelp reviews to back it up, they offer an assortment of mouth-watering burritos, from staples like chorizo and al pastor to those of the wet variety–like our mole friend, pictured here.

3. El Pelón Taquería

Town: Cambridge, MA
College: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

These smart kids seem to have it all. This authentic Mexican spot offers up all of the dishes you’d expect, but with a couple of extra tricks up their sleeve. The El Guapo–their most raved-about burrito offering–is a grilled steak burrito with plantains, jack cheese, and fire-roasted salsa. Sounds pretty handsome to me.

2. MartAnne’s Burrito Palace

Town: Flagstaff, AZ
College: Northern Arizona University

Modern Mexican cuisine and cocktails are the calling card of MartAnne’s in Flagstaff. The food and decor both seem to blend retro Americana with beloved Mexican favorites. MartAnne’s is also open for breakfast and they don’t skimp on their plates. If you’re lucky enough to swing through this one for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, be sure to bring your appetite.

1. Elvira’s Grill

Town: Claremont / Upland, CA
College: Claremont Colleges (Pomona, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer)

The number one spot on our list is a bit more upscale than many of the other entrants. Elvira’s is surrounded by college campuses and offers dressed up Mexican fare with something a little extra. Their burrito choices aren’t anything too crazy, but they seem to offer a beautiful selection of sauces and meats that pair exceptionally well. If the Yelp reviews are any indiciation, the only misstep here is waiting any longer to visit.

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