Since 2000, Tienda Santa Cruz’s carniceria and bakery has been a cornerstone of the St. Johns’ community. People flock here to eat some of Portland’s favorite tacos, but the burritos are similarly obsession-worthy, gargantuan and creative. Regardless of whether it’s a chile relleno, vegetarian, or one of a dozen meat-filled burritos, eating it without the avocado salsa would be a mistake. Santa Cruz is currently open for takeout only.

A Lombard street staple, King Burrito has been serving its famous burritos for over two decades. While the pandemic has made everything takeout only, the impressive list of burritos on the menu remains the same. The ingredients vary from burrito to burrito, but all of them come without rice. The namesake burrito is one of the most popular options, and contains both a chile relleno and loads of juicy steak.

With several locations scattered around Portland, La Bonita has become synonymous with quality fast-casual Mexican fare. The burritos here are famous for being almost as large as a newborn baby, with all the classic burrito ingredients and a short-list of proteins and veggies to choose from. While the size is the main draw here, seasoned customers know that you can also choose to make it a “wet” burrito by smothering it in sauce or mole. The newest Division street location is currently takeout only.

The burritos coming out of Pod 28’s Saint Burrito are certainly atypical. Guajillo-ancho chile chicken, crispy carnitas, or seared veggies are balanced with refried black and pinto beans, pico de gallo, and red rice. The level of detail in the elements adds complexity not found in other burritos. Adding seared peppers and zucchini for a buck is well worth it. Onsite outdoor dining is available at the center of the pod.

The many locations of Los Gorditos around the city have a stellar reputation for good reason: not only is the food good, but all the restaurants are also very vegan- and family-friendly. The company even makes its own house-made, gluten-free soyrizo. There are plenty of meat options for the carnivores as well, including the chicken-beef-and-pork-filled garbage burrito — it tastes better than the name implies. Los Gorditos is open for takeout at all locations, and orders can be placed online here.

While far from many other points on the map, El Jefe’s special chicken makes it the ultimate burrito pilgrimage. The chicken at El Jefe is freshly grilled over a huge charcoal fire, giving it a smoky flavor that can be hard to find at other burrito spots. And for those not in the mood for chicken, El Jefe also has options like birria, al pastor, and lengua. El Jefe has no onsite dining and is takeout only.

Breakfast burritos were not included in this map — except for the ones at La Osita. La Osita’s burritos teeter the line between breakfast and lunch, serving a combination diners will likely want to eat past noon. Choose between the breakfast-y Osita Burrito filled with eggs and chorizo, or the more lunch-like La Maria Burrito that’s filled with carne asada and sauteed vegetables. La Osita is located in a parking lot off of SE 122nd and Market, and is takeout only.

Originally more of a beer cart, Upside Down is currently serving up an eclectic range of Mexican fare for takeout or onsite outdoor consumption. Upside Down hosts a standard burrito filled with proteins like Texas-style chorizo and chile verde beef stew, making it one of the standout guisado burritos near the river. The cart is located right off of SE Milwaukie and Franklin.

With a solid reputation for amazing tacos in tow, Tight Tacos brings the heat to the burrito scene. While the normal burrito offers an impressive variety of meat and non-meat options, it’s entirely overshadowed by the newest burrito family member, the Hellarito. This burrito is the upgraded version, housing nacho cheese and house-cut fries. Diners looking for maximum indulgence should try the Hellarito with the juicy al pastor. Tight Tacos is only open for takeout.