The other San Diego burrito: a flour tortilla rolled tight around carne asada, pico de gallo and guacamole. No fries; sometimes a smear of beans. The straight-up Tijuana original that came before the California version.
Where to eat it: 5 restaurants across 1 city.
The carne asada burrito predates the California burrito by decades, dating to working-class kitchens in northern Mexico and crossing the border via the same Tijuana-and-San-Diego corridor that brought the fish taco and adobada. Border-shop kitchens like Aibert's, Roberto's and Lolita's served carne asada burritos through the 1960s and 70s before the fries innovation arrived. The dish remains the simpler, purer plate; surfers and skaters in Pacific Beach kept it in rotation as the California burrito's older cousin.
Common allergens: Gluten
Tip from the editors. The traditional version skips sour cream; if you want to add it, use a Mexican-style crema instead of supermarket sour cream for the right pour and tang.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Lolita's Mexican Food on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, the California-burrito counter selling the canonical version for under twelve dollars.
Try: California burrito under $12, breakfast burrito $8-10
El Comal in San Diego is the North Park family-owned Mexican kitchen on Illinois Street, a longstanding interior-Mexican counter known for carnitas, chilaquiles and Sunday mole.
Signature: Carnitas plate, Chilaquiles, Mole Poblano
Order: The carnitas plate with handmade tortillas; weekend chilaquiles before noon.
Tip: Cash on hand speeds the counter; the courtyard patio runs warmer than the indoor room.
Tacos El Gordo in Chula Vista, San Diego, the open-until-4am Tijuana-style trompo carving adobada tacos for around three dollars and California burritos under twelve.
Try: Vertical-trompo adobada tacos under $4
Salud Tacos on Logan Avenue in Barrio Logan, San Diego, the Chicano taquería near Chicano Park with a steady rotation of asada specials.
Try: Asada taco, carne asada burrito, Chicano specials
Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop in Mission Hills, San Diego, the wrestling-themed counter on Washington Street where Surfin' California burritos last until 11pm on weekends.
Try: Surfin' California burrito, four-dollar tacos, late-night chips and guac
More cities are in research. Want carne asada burrito covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.