I had both hands wrapped around a foil-sheathed burrito, hefting its weight like an edible dumbbell. Peeling back the silvery casing exposed a leopard-spotted tortilla neatly tucked into a familiar tubular shape. Cranking my jaw open wide, I took a big bite, then surveyed its interior as I chewed. There was a lot going on: a gooey layer of mozzarella and Monterey Jack, juicy pico de gallo, onions flecked with verdant bits of cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, a sizable patch of rice, and a large helping of vegan chorizo forged from tofu and mushrooms. As if that wasn’t enough, I drizzled on some smoked chipotle salsa. Heaven on earth.
I was happy I didn’t have breakfast that morning, because this burrito was going to require a fair amount of belly space, especially when paired with the jumble of crackly tortilla chips and house-made salsas on the side. I wasn’t complaining. Wimpy burritos are a contradiction in terms, an affront to tradition, an unsatisfying proposition to be avoided at all costs. This was a magnificent monster, pilgrimage-worthy and utterly satiating.
To enjoy one of your own, set out for San Pancho in Takoma Park, a San Francisco-style burritoria from chef David Perez and front-of-house guru Carolina McCandless, the husband-and-wife team behind celebrated Mexican restaurant Cielo Rojo. The new concept is grounded in the burrito culture of San Francisco, where the couple met while working at famed vegan Mexican restaurant Gracias Madre. The new spot takes over the original location of Cielo Rojo, which opened in a larger location just down Carroll Avenue at the beginning of the year.
The layout of the space is generally the same, with 20 seats inside and another 20 out front, but the aesthetic got a switch-up. The walls now sport black-and-white photographs from San Francisco’s Mission District, the beating heart of the city’s burrito culture. Meanwhile, the front of the bar is covered in cheeky modern tiles mimicking Mexican loteria (bingo cards) and featuring items such as El Bitcoin, El Mason Jar, and El VR.
San Pancho quesadilla Credit: Nevin Martell
It’s a straightforward operation. For lunch and dinner (or an epic afternoon snack), choose between a regular burrito brimming with Mexican rice, pinto beans, cilantro, onions, and pico de gallo, plus your choice of filling and soothing avocado salsa verde on the side; or get the super burrito, which includes all that plus melted cheese, guac, and sour cream (all burritos can be served as bowls). Filling options include grilled chicken, chicken wallowing in mole made with pepitas and peanuts, carne asada, barbacoa, shrimp in spicy diabla sauce, carnitas braised in dark Modelo beer and oranges, garlicky mushrooms kicked up with tequila, and house-made vegan chorizo. For another buck, you can add a salsa, including fiery habanero, guajillo tomatillo, and charred chipotle. Those not in a burrito mood can get a torta or quesadilla.
In the morning (8 to 11 a.m. on weekdays; 9 a.m. to noon on weekends), the operation focuses on breakfast burritos packed with eggs, refried pinto beans, potatoes, and rajas (sauteed onions and poblano peppers), along with your choice of melted cheese, barbacoa, chorizo, or vegan chorizo.
Breakfast burritos run $13 to $15 for standard options, while lunch and dinner choices are $13 to $18 without any upgrades, which can push the price over $20. “A lot of the taquerias in San Francisco are known for being affordable,” says McCandless. “And while we want to pay homage to Mission-style burritos, we want to offer an elevated experience with more premium ingredients, like local, hormone-free meats, cage-free eggs, and vegan Mexican-made Sonoran-style tortillas.”
Credit: Nevin Martell
The beverage options start off with Vigilante cold brew, coffee, espresso drinks, a horchata latte, and dirty horchata (horchata depth charged with cold brew). As the day progresses, more choices come online, such as maracuyá (passion fruit) and lemon mint nonalcoholic slushies, agua frescas, Mexican Coke, Topo Chico, frozen margaritas, a few Mexican beers, four wines, and tequila shots.
If you still have stomach space after your burrito (I didn’t), there’s vegan chocoflan (flan-topped chocolate cake) sitting in caramel sauce and hiding a hint of maracuyá.
San Pancho,7056 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park, Md. (301) 270-0876, sanpanchoburritos.com.