Meet the Wrap Stars of
Santa Barbara Burrito Week
Seven Days of $8 Burritos
During the Santa Barbara Independent’s
Fourth Annual Burrito Week
By Indy Staff | September 19, 2024
Always hearty and comforting, typically stuffed with energy-giving proteins and stomach-filling starches, and yet flexible enough these days to showcase just about any flavor imaginable, the burrito is the world’s most dynamic handheld hunger-killer. From al pastor to falafel, roasted veggies to melted cheese, breakfast fare to late-night eats, the burrito possibilities are boundless.
There’s no better time to explore these creative creations than during the Santa Barbara Independent’s Burrito Week, a tasty tradition that we launched in 2021. For our fourth annual eating affair, more than 20 different burritos are being served for just $8 at 18 restaurants from today until September 25.
What follows is a colorful guide crafted by our own team of burrito enthusiasts, featuring information about each restaurant, details on what’s inside every offering, and a list of restrictions that may apply.
Tell us what you think and tag photos of your Burrito Week victories at #SBIndyBurritoWeek on Instagram. We’ll publish our favorite experiences in next week’s issue. You might even win a $25 gift card to a participating restaurant!
And make sure to tune into @sbindependent this week, where we’ll be highlighting a few of these burritos with extra photos and videos every day.
— Matt Kettmann
Beast Taqueria
Bluewater Grill
Corazón Comedor
Crushcakes
Home Plate Grill
Hook’d Bar & Grill
Los Agaves
Los Arroyos
Little Heart Cafecito
Maíz Picante Taquería
On the Alley
Padaro Beach Grill
Petra Café
Super Cucas
Taqueria La Unica
Taquería Santa Barbara
Yellow Belly Tap & Restaurant
S.B. Food Connection
Beast Taqueria’s Beast Burrito
With large portions, high-quality ingredients, and Chef Ramon Velazquez’s signature attention to detail, Beast Taqueria’s fare is already some of the best on State Street. But for Burrito Week, it’s a total steal.
The Guadalajara-raised Velazquez is the mastermind behind the Public Market darling Corazón Cocina; the homestyle cuisine of Corazón Comedor; and the new elevated coastal Mexican hotspot in Montecito, Alma Fonda Fina. At Beast, Velazquez creates hearty and playful dishes that pair beautifully with a frosty brew from their shared-space neighbors, M. Special.
Their Beast Burrito could hold its own next to a Greatland IPA, but with its flavor-packed ingredient list, you might be too distracted by the sheer deliciousness of this “beast” to remember you even ordered a beer. The special’s fresh flour tortilla is grilled to perfection and loaded with zesty and tender chicken, beans, cheese, onions, cilantro crema, French fries, cabbage, and salsa. Try it with their fresh guacamole and hot-out-of-the-fryer chips, or sweet and savory plantains coated in cotija cheese and crema.
Whatever you choose off the menu, in the wise hands of Velazquez and his team’s authentic Mexican cooking, don’t be surprised if your inner beast takes over. —Rebecca Horrigan
634 State St.; beasttaqueria.com
Bluewater Grill’s Firecracker Shrimp Burrito
& Panko Chicken Burrito
Bluewater Grill is one of Santa Barbara’s charming tourist spots that tends to slip my mind until visitors come to town and I want to show off the sparkly Pacific Ocean beauty of our city to full advantage. But why should the visitors have all the fun? Burrito Week provides the perfect excuse to enjoy the view from the iconic lighthouse building on Cabrillo Boulevard while enjoying their two special creations.
The first is, not surprisingly, seafood. The firecracker shrimp burrito fills a flour tortilla with a nice helping of shrimp, subtly tasty coconut ginger rice, firecracker sauce, and avocado. Also available is the panko chicken burrito. The crispy panko breading (used on their delicious calamari steak) on the chicken pairs nicely with chipotle dirty rice, and Pepper Jack cheese in a flour tortilla.
Both burritos are surprisingly light combinations that aren’t as spicy as they sound. The salsa verde they serve them with adds a nice kick without overwhelming the flavors. Pro tip: Happy hour is Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m., and there’s even free parking in the lot behind the restaurant. —Leslie Dinaberg
Dine-in only. 15 E. Cabrillo Blvd.; (805) 845-5121; bluewatergrill.com
Corazón Comedor’s Comedor Burrito
Corazón Comedor is the younger sibling of Ramon Velazquez’s Corazón Cocina, the Mexican street food staple located inside Santa Barbara’s Public Market since 2014. Comedor opened just up the street in 2022, serving more upscale bites that reference the flavors of Velazquez’s childhood in Guadalajara.
Comedor’s eponymous breakfast burrito is an elevated classic with fluffy farmers’ market eggs, melty Oaxacan cheese, potatoes, frijoles de rancho, and crema. When I came into Comedor’s welcoming outpost to try it for myself, the chef added chipotle-spiced shredded chicken to my burrito for a more satisfying and protein-packed wrap. (That’s an add-on to the Burrito Week special.)
Before serving, the burrito is lightly toasted to give it more structure and a slight crunch; in my opinion, all burritos should be crisped in a pan to avoid sogginess. As with all other entrees at Comedor, the burrito comes with a three-piece salsa flight and habanero crema, the perfect sauce to drizzle on any dish that could benefit from more spice.
The Comedor Burrito has crunch, richness, creaminess, and substance; all components to turn a good morning into a great one. —Stephanie Gerson
Available 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 29 E. Victoria St.; (805) 679-5397; corazoncomedor.com
Crushcakes’ Crush Your Day Breakfast Burrito
Don’t let the name fool you. Crushcakes has been crushing it with way more than cupcakes since they opened their doors in 2008. Joining us for Burger Week earlier this year, and jumping on the burrito bandwagon now with their Crush Your Day breakfast burrito, the eatery is showcasing their full breakfast and lunch menus one marvelous mouthful at a time.
Don’t let the simple list of ingredients in this burrito fool you, either. The combination of scrambled eggs, cheddar and Jack cheese, roasted potatoes, and a choice of either applewood smoked bacon or avocado, all wrapped inside a grilled whole-wheat tortilla, results in a satisfyingly hefty entrée that is definitely more than the sum of its parts.
[Click to enlarge] Crushcakes’s Justin Blum and its Crush Your Day Burrito | Credit: Sarah Sinclair
I confessed to Crushcakes owner Shannon Gaston that the burrito was so delicious, I found myself poking around to see whether there was another ingredient inside contributing to the flavorful finale. It’s just that good. Gaston credits the fresh, clean, local ingredients that they use in all of their recipes as the secret behind the vibrant taste. “Well,” she adds, “Chef Edwin’s roasted potatoes are also pretty incredible.”
Served with tortilla chips plus Chef Edwin’s homemade salsa that clings lovingly to each morsel it touches, the Crush Your Day breakfast burrito is not to be missed. It’s being served all day at both locations. But if you want to crush your day completely, get over there for breakfast to start crushing early. —Sarah Sinclair
1315 Anacapa St., (805) 963-9353; 5392 Hollister Ave., (805) 845-2780; crushcakes.com; @crushcakescafe
Home Plate Grill’s Train Wreck
& Chili Colorado Mojado
Home Plate Grill is stepping up for Burrito Week yet again, dropping not one but two distinct face-stuffers on us all. One is perfect for on-the-move chomping in the morning hours; the other is a wetter affair best enjoyed while seated with fork and knife.
Let’s first consider the Train Wreck, a breakfast burrito on steroids (or maybe that should be statins). Packed with scrambled egg, crispy bacon, luscious house-made sausage gravy, crunchy tater tots, and gooey cheddar cheese, this gets a quick griddle press to tighten up the otherwise unwieldy insides. “I like this because you can take it to-go,” said my 14-year-old son. “It’s portable, unlike other messy burritos.”
[Click to enlarge] Home Plate Grill’s Angelina Cravey-Taylor and its Chili Colorado Mojado | Credit: Matt Kettmann
But this casual café, which was opened in this El Encanto Heights mini-strip mall by Ken Johnston back in 2016, doesn’t shy away from that style either. Cue the Chili Colorado Mojado.
It starts with simmering slow-cooked beef in a savory red sauce, then adding rice, chili beans, and piquant red onions inside the flour tortilla, which is slathered in more red sauce, cotija cheese, and sour cream. The dark-hued sauce recalls mole more than Colorado to me, delivering salty, spicy waves of complex flavor in each dripping forkful. —Matt Kettmann
Available 8 a.m.-2 p.m. daily. 7398 Calle Real, Ste. C, Goleta; (805) 845-3323; homeplategoleta.com
Hook’d Bar & Grill’s Best Dam Burrito
I’ve put away a lot of burritos in my day. More than I’d care to admit. I’ve also eaten a few for Burrito Week. More than a few. The Best Dam Burrito — served at Hook’d Bar & Grill on the sunny shores of Lake Cachuma — is, in fact, one of the best I’ve enjoyed. Here’s why.
First, the burrito itself is exceptional on every level. The oak-smoked brisket has that deep, rich flavor you get from treating meat with love and patience. They make it right there on the edge of the water in an old-school pit smoker, starting with six hours of indirect heat, then slow-cooking overnight. The cilantro rice, lime crema, and fresh pico de gallo give a bite of zest, and the black beans, Jack cheese, and flour tortilla round out what is truly a perfectly balanced, highly delicious burrito.
Second, where you get to enjoy this meal is nothing short of spectacular. As far as Santa Barbara views go, it’s right up there with Brophy Bros. and The Boathouse, only instead of looking out at the ocean, you gaze on the freshwater reservoir that filled to the brim last winter and teems with trout, bass, and catfish. Boats gently bob along the new marina, and Hurricane Deck beckons in the distance. All of this, by the way, is a short 30-minute drive from town.
Third, the people behind Hook’d — Craig Lingham and Dustin Farnum — have single-handedly elevated what was once a dinky snack shack into a hip bar and grill that blows any other campground café out of the water. They host live music, have deep connections to the lake, and represent all that’s good about local ownership. And they make a damn fine burrito. One of the best. —Tyler Hayden
Available 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 116 Lakeview Dr., Lake Cachuma; (805) 350-8351; hookdbarandgrill.com
Los Agaves’ Pastor, Carnitas,
Chicken, or Garden Burrito
First impressions can mean a lot, and Los Agaves’ Garden Burrito makes a great one. It looks pretty. The slightly browned, stuffed tortilla sits next to a perfect pyramid of nutty rice, crisp lettuce, and fresh pico de gallo, made with bright-red tomato and deep-purple onion. The guacamole on the plate is vibrant, contrasting the bright white sour cream.
The burrito itself balances its flavors and textures perfectly. Creamy Monterey Jack cheese mingles with the crunch of fresh bell peppers and carrots. The slightly smoky grilled zucchini combines with soft pinto beans. Here is a burrito that is filling and moist without being heavy or soggy. Round out the next bite with a dollop of guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo in equal measure and you’ve got yourself a perfect blend of warm and cool, rich, and piquant.
From the airy and bright De la Vina location, Los Agaves’ owner Carlos Luna, who opened his first Milpas Street location in 2008, says that the restaurant goes for natural flavors and fresh ingredients and that it sources its produce and seafood daily from local vendors.
If for some reason you’re craving meat, you’re in luck. Los Agaves’ Pastor, Carnitas, and Chicken burritos are all also available for Burrito Week. —Christina McDermott
600 N. Milpas St., 2911 De la Vina St., and 7024 Market Place Dr.; los-agaves.com
Los Arroyos’ Runaway Burrito
[Click to enlarge] Orbelin Munoz (left), Jorge Nava and the Runaway Burrito | Credit: George Yatchisin
Structural integrity is undervalued in most burrito-making, so that’s where Los Arroyos’ Runaway Burrito steps in. It’s meant to be hand-held, so you can walk or drive and still devour. There’s no muss and fuss of sour cream or guac atop (there is avo wisely inside). Then there is a hardening, tasty sear of the finished rolled tortilla on the plancha.
And there’s plenty of goodness in either of the two different meaty preparations you can opt for: an al pastor that’s juicy and offers just a hint of extra-flavorful fat, a grilled chicken redolent of BBQ’d good times and smoke, and brown beans and cheese that ooze and holds the whole amalgam together. If you’re talented, bite off the top and pour a bit of one of Los Arroyos’ stellar salsas in — maybe the avocado one that provides an acid counterpoint or the quemada that brings heat, but not too hot.
There’s a reason Los Arroyos has been pleasing area customers for 25 years. Speaking of that, the original Figueroa Street location has just been spruced up — new floors, new booths, new chairs — to look more like the Montecito location (enough said, no?). So, if you choose not to run away, you’ll have a much lovelier space to sit.
—George Yatchisin
14 W. Figueroa St., (805) 962-5541; 1280 Coast Village Rd., Montecito, (805) 969-9059; 5764 Calle Real, Goleta, (805) 770-8209; losarroyos.net
Little Heart Cafecito’s Carpintero Burrito
Ever since we launched Burrito Week four years ago, hungry Indy staffers have happily headed out to seek and devour anything a restaurant puts before us. About the only thing that could be considered “work” about this assignment is monitoring email on the day our Food & Drink Dude-in-Chief Matt Kettmann’s list of participants goes out in order to be first to nab a putatively great burrito.
The offerings haven’t all been perfect, but this year, I got to visit Little Heart Cafecito and can report their Carpintero burrito to be a win-win-win, as some politicos are known to enthuse. Bright-yellow farmers’ market eggs, luscious potatoes, and a savory house-made chorizo. I don’t even like chorizo, but this was fresh minced pork seasoned just right. Outstanding. As are the salsas and the coffees.
Found on the Chapala Street side of downtown’s Public Market, the Cafecito is down the way from its big-sister restaurant Corazón Cocina and across from the ever-popular Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar. Frankly, I find everything I’ve tried at Cafecito and the Corazón to be delicious. Call me biased. But at eight bucks a burrito, such a deal! —Jean Yamamura
8 a.m.-2 p.m. S.B. Public Market, 38 W. Victoria St.; (805) 679-5649; littleheartcafecito.com
Maíz Picante’s Pastor or Carnitas or
Roasted Veggies Burrito
[Click to enlarge] Francisco “Paco” Cavazos and the pastor burrito | Credit: Ryan P. Cruz
Head Chef Francisco “Paco” Cavazos opened up Maíz Picante Taquería on Valentine’s Day 2023 after spending years learning from the best, then running some of the most popular, and authentic, Mexican food restaurants in Santa Barbara. Chef Paco was tapped by restaurateur Carlos Luna to run Los Agaves, then Santo Mezcal, after the budding Guadalajara-born chef finished an apprenticeship with world-renowned Oaxacan chef Alejandro Ruiz in Mexico.
At Maíz Picante, Chef Paco brought the same attention to detail and obsession with authenticity with a more street-taco-leaning menu (think house-made yellow tortillas made with nixtamal, a calcium-hydroxide-soaked corn that yields a softer and richer sweetness). Each plate comes to your table with a side of fixings and four different salsas: tomatillo, chipotle, habanero, or jalapeño.
For Burrito Week, Maíz Picante is offering your choice of carnitas; veggies; or marinated, thinly sliced pork al pastor — which spins on the giant trompo behind the counter in the kitchen. The burritos are simple and traditional Mexican-style, which means just the meat, beans, and melty Oaxacan cheese, wrapped in a fluffy and pleasantly stretchy flour tortilla.
I chose al pastor, which is sliced fresh to order and layered with flavors that are somehow both bright and deep, and sweet and savory. Paired with a different salsa for each bite and one of their cucumber-lime aquas frescas, the meal was a bona-fide Burrito Week treat and a testament to Chef Paco’s passion for Mexican cuisine. —Ryan P. Cruz
2714 De la Vina St.; (805) 586-2272; maizpicante.com
On the Alley’s Grass Roots Burrito
To munch your burrito with a free side of enthralling marina and mountain view, head on down to the Santa Barbara Harbor. There, On the Alley has promoted one of its trio of all-day breakfast burritos — the Grass Roots — to a Burrito Week star. While On the Alley, the more casual downstairs concern of beloved Brophy Brothers, normally slings more fish tacos or ahi poke, its Grass Roots is a vegetarian option. You even get to choose which way you want the potato prepared, either with On the Alley’s craveable tater tots (chopped up) or a hash-brown-style spud sprinkling.
Cheddar meltingly holds everything together, including both grilled red pepper and pasilla chilis, as you can’t have too many peppers; onion; avocado; ever a rich, guilty pleasure; and just enough well-scrambled egg to provide tasty protein. On the Alley also sneaks in two veggies generally out of the box for Mexican mixtures: crisp cauliflower for its brassica grassiness, and, of all things, fennel. As one particularly fond of the frond-waver, to me it seems a clever way to ease in anise sweetness in a crunch one might associate with the less assertive celery.
Two salsas add zip: a lively pico de gallo and a tangy, tomatillo-based green. If you need more kick, green and red Tabasco await on each table. Or even malt vinegar, if you want to go crazy. If you must, be virtuous and order it as a bowl sans tortilla. —George Yatchisin
Only available at 117 Harbor Wy.; (805) 962-6315; onthealley.com
Padaro Beach Grill’s Nacho Burrito
While the menu doesn’t regularly feature a burrito, Padaro Beach Grill draws crowds from across the county with this week’s limited release of their Nacho Burrito. The star is the homemade chili — made up of beans, meat, sauce, and spices — which goes perfectly with the shredded cabbage, crispy tortilla chips, and healthy portions of guac and sour cream. The crunch of the chips, creaminess of the guac and sour cream, and smokiness of the chili make for the perfect bite.
With the restaurant nestled between the 101 and the Union Pacific Railway, diners at Padaro Beach Grill can enjoy their feel-good food while overlooking the rolling waves and white sand at Santa Claus Beach in Carpinteria. Owned by Will Ransone, Padaro Beach Grill is a family-run restaurant that has been a favorite destination among locals for years, and it’s easy to see why. The outdoor seating — packed with palm trees, flowers, a sand pit, and loads of sun — feels more like sitting in a friend’s backyard than at a restaurant. —Aidan Kenney
3765 Santa Claus Ln., Carpinteria; (805) 566-9800; padarobeachgrill.com
Petra Café’s Vegan Green Falafel Burrito
I’ve had my fair share of falafel over the years across various international travels, but to find a location in the heart of Santa Barbara that successfully captures the flavors and ambience of my favorite falafel experiences was an unexpected treat.
Petra Café (formerly Foxtail Kitchen) delivers just that: a delicious menu and an environment guaranteed to take you out of the S.B. bubble, if just for the duration of a meal. With decor to match the Jordanian cuisine, diners can find cushioned, comfortable seating both indoors or on the back patio (where one can also enjoy some hookah, if that’s your thing).
The cafe’s Burrito Week contribution is their Green Falafel Burrito, and though I might consider it more of a wrap than a burrito, it’s both vegan and tasty, so I’m not complaining. Falafel, greens, cabbage, and hummus all wrapped in a green tortilla and drizzled with tahini. YUM. Accessories included a flavorful tzatziki and a deceptively hot habanero sauce (also flavorful, but try at your own heat risk).
The atmosphere evoked memories of the aforementioned international travels, and the staff was attentive and friendly. For a fully vegan offering this burrito week, look no further than Petra Café’s Green Falafel Burrito.
—Don Brubaker
11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; closed Monday. 14 E. Cota St.; (805) 845-6226; foxtailsb.com
Super Cucas’ Cucas Burrito
Super Cucas, specifically the Isla Vista location, has fed me at my best and comforted me at my worst. Their burritos have some sort of healing power — at least, I think so.
During my time at UCSB, Cucas was the spot for late-night eats and spilling gossip over hefty burritos and chips at one of the booths inside. The best part? I always had the other half of the burrito waiting in the fridge for me the next day.
The taqueria opened in 1991 and has remained a community staple with three locations in town, staying committed to including only the freshest ingredients. Their menu is expansive, but Cucas keeps its dishes simple and classic. The Cucas Burrito, with beans, rice, onion, cilantro, and your choice of meat, is just one of their many can’t-go-wrong options. If you like your burritos to melt in your mouth, look no further.
Meat options at Cucas include carne asada, chicken, al pastor, and carnitas. Yet, non-meat-eaters have an entire menu of vegan burritos from which to choose, featuring vegan chorizo, soy beef and pastor, and even the option to add vegan cheese. Before diving into your burrito, don’t forget to stop by the salsa counter for the only correct choice in my book: salsa quemada. —Stephanie Gerson
Only available at 626 W. Micheltorena St.; (805) 962-4028; supercucasrestaurant.com
Taqueria La Unica’s
Del Rey Burrito & Jalisco Birria Burrito
I’m pretty sure there is a home in my stomach reserved exclusively for Taqueria La Unica’s burritos. Like the commonly cited sugar-box, the burrito-box is situated on the left side of my stomach, closest to my heart, and is very loud when hungry.
The Del Rey burrito — complete with juicy al pastor and enough Chihuahua cheese to flip any frown upside down — is a well-loved meal in my household. The usual rice and bean suspects are spiced up with a layer of fresh pineapple, pleasantly surprising even the most seasoned of burrito-eaters. Throw a little salsa on top from the glorious salsa bar, and you’ve got yourself a winner.
And what better way to get a buddy in on the fun than to have another burrito on the menu this week? The Jalisco burrito will give your plus-one a run for their money, with the gorgeous side of birria broth emerging as the star of the show. After dumping it over every perfectly proportioned bite of rice, beans, cheese, and onions, we took the consommé home and ate it on, well, everything.
Important note: Both burritos are incredibly sturdy. No tortilla-disintegration disasters happening here.
When I asked my partner-in-burrito-eating-crime, Hanna, for her opinion, she could only find one word in between bites: “Fire,” she said. Burrito-boxes happy. —Margaux Lovely
3771 State St.; (805) 689-5619; taquerialaunica.com
Taquería S.B.’s Al Pastor Burrito
Right across the street from The Granada Theatre in the heart of downtown’s Arts District, Taquería Santa Barbara is no stranger to making a dramatic entrance.
The State Street taqueria is the passion project of Gerardo “Lalo” Umejio, who immigrated from Cuernavaca, Mexico, to Santa Barbara in the early 1990s. Following his wife’s death in 2013, he took a leap of faith from his housekeeping business to fulfill a long-held dream of opening a restaurant, which he did with his daughter Eva in spring 2020 — right as the COVID curtain was dropping. Following a few difficult months of take-out-only service, the Umejios were finally able to welcome dine-in customers inside, and they now serve a growing number of regulars as well as a steady stream of theater patrons looking for a quick and convenient pre-show bite.
The Mexico City–influenced menu’s star ingredient is easily the al pastor. With cameos in the taqueria’s popular Torta Cubana and Santa Barbara–themed alambres like La Misión, the spice-and-chile-marinated pork gets to hog the spotlight in Taquería S.B.’s Burrito Week offering.
The Al Pastor Burrito includes the titular ingredient — crisped against an open flame to mouthwatering perfection on a trompo showcased in the open kitchen behind the counter — along with refried beans, Mexican rice, cheese, onion, and cilantro. Emily Umejio (who helps her dad manage the restaurant now that her sister, Eva, has become a full-time lawyer) highly recommends pairing the burrito with their creamy, sweet-and-spicy pineapple salsa, which threatens to steal the show and elicit from even the fullest of burrito eaters an enthusiastic “Encore!”
—Jackson Friedman
1213 State St., Ste. A; (805) 869-6618; taqueriasb.com
Yellow Belly Tap & Restaurant’s
BA-GAWK Burrito
With rustic wood beams hovering over the bar and stickers stuck everywhere, Yellow Belly Tap & Restaurant exudes neighborhood joint vibes in all the right ways: a chalkboard loaded with draft beer options; patios in front and back to relax over friendly, flavorful food; and, best of all, smiles on the staff, greeting you as if they already know your name. (And they often do, having been in business about a decade now.)
Don’t let the laid-back looks fool you: Chef Andrew Holmes takes Burrito Week seriously. Just like last year’s Mother Clucker, he’s taking an Americana approach to this south-of-the-border format, featuring buttermilk fried chicken thighs as the star of their BA-GAWK Burrito. (You gotta order it in ALL CAPS too.)
“Keep your eyes on the thighs!” urged Holmes, and that’s easy, as he doesn’t skimp. The crunchy bits are surrounded by cilantro-lime rice, pinto beans, and jalapeño slaw, and then set off by his California pepper salsa, a bright-orange accoutrement that’s zesty and expertly spicy, at least for my taste. Add a bunch if you want a burn, or just a drip for extra pop.
The BA-GAWK manages to walk the line between hefty, thanks to the rice, and fresh, thanks to the slaw. So when done, you’re full, but not overloaded. Unless you had one too many pints, but that’s on you. —Matt Kettmann
2611 De la Vina St.; (805) 770-5694; yellowbellytap.com
S.B. Food Connection’s Tri-Tip Burrito
While S.B. Food Connection’s unassuming shop on Milpas Street may be humble, their delectable Burrito Week option is anything but. A massive serving of smoked tri-tip, Spanish rice, Peruvian beans, and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla, served with chips and their zesty homemade avocado or tomatillo salsas — this offering is a serious bang for your Burrito Week buck.
Joseph Silva, who ran the business as a food truck for years before opening their brick-and-mortar location in 2022, emphasized the heart and soul they put into their hearty fare. “We just make sure to take time and put lots of love into the food,” Silva said. “We use a nice, good, quality-choice tri-tip.”
It can be easy to overcook this flavorful cut of meat, but the pros behind the open kitchen take thoughtful care to ensure it retains that melt-in-your-mouth texture. When the cook brought out a large, hot plate of this heaping helping of tender tri-tip, savory rice, and beans smothered in a warm tortilla, of course the ultra-comforting food made an impression. But it was the proud smile of the creator behind the dish that truly set this meal apart.
—Rebecca Horrigan
Available 1-7 p.m. 900 N. Milpas St.; (805) 869-2007; santabarbarafoodconnection.com
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