We’re very much spoiled for choice when it comes to the joy of the burrito in Manchester. Packed full of slow-cooked delight, spiced rice, piquante salsas and smoky hot sauces, once you’ve got these portable snacks in your head, nothing else will quite do the job.
So herein the best examples in the city…
Listo Burrito
Formerly Changos, you’ll know Listo Burrito for its snaking daily queue forming just before lunchtime. Stuff your soft flour tortilla with their famous chilli con carne, slow-cooked, smoky barbecue pork shoulder or a fistful of plant-based meatballs, before lashing on guac, oak-smoked chipotle hot sauce or the irresistible mango, lime and fiery habanero.
St James Bldg, 91-93 Oxford St, Manchester M1 6ET
Pancho’s
Pancho’s is an institution, a linchpin of the Arndale food court, and purveyor not only of fine burritos, but also the ingredients with which to make them, from exotic dried chillies to authentic hot sauces. But the burritos that they shift by the dozens and dozens daily are something else – notably the pastor, with pork and ancho and guajillo chillies with spices and pineapple. Wash it down with a Jarritos too, for added Mexican vibes.
Arndale Food Market, 49 High St, Manchester M4 3AH
Pico’s
Look, we can argue over why a taco spot is in a round-up of burritos, but what is a burrito if not a 360 degree taco? Whatever the case, Pico’s at Mackie Mayor is perhaps the very best to do it in this fine city, with toppings changing daily, and flavours exploding on the palette. If you’re militant about your slow-cooked pork or brisket being fully encased in a flour tortilla sausage, then perhaps avoid Pico’s. If this doesn’t matter so much, then fill thine boots and thank us later. Maybe buy us a taco.
Smithfield Market Hall, 1 Eagle St, Manchester M4 5BU
Barburrito
A Manchester success story, Barburrito now has 21 outlets across the UK, since opening their first spot in Piccadilly Gardens in 2005. The burritos are still on point. Choose from shredded pork, barbacoa beef, grilled or vegan chicken or Mexican sauteed vegetables, and then layer up with spiced rice and zingy salsas. Don’t forget the varying grades of hot sauce, from piquant to burns unit.
One Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester M1 1RG or Manchester Arndale, Manchester M4 3AQ
La Capilla
Stockport’s La Capilla (which also has an outpost in Heaton Moor too, in the 113 mini food hall) does a mean line in burritos, from pork carnitas and braised beef to chipotle black bean, with their meats all marinated for a minimum of 16 hours before being slow cooked and wrapped up in a flour tortilla. Like the hot sauces? You can take a bottle away with you.
28-29 Market Place, Stockport, SK1 1ES and 113 Heaton Moor Rd, Heaton Moor, Stockport SK4 4HY
Don Tacos
So yes, they might be best known for their tacos. But Don Tacos burritos are also a thing of belly-filling beauty. Their fully loaded pollo asado is crammed with grilled chicken breast, refried beans, Mexican red black turtle beans, pico de gallo, jalapeños, lettuce, soured cream, salsa roja, fresh guacamole and cheese, before being toasted. There’s literally nothing stopping you getting a few birria tacos on the side either.
61-63 Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M14 5TB or Unit E3, One Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester M1 1RG
La Casita
A lovely little Mexican joint in Chorlton, La Casita is a haven of brilliant burrito action with a choice of tortillas stuffed with very wonderful things indeed. The amazing Cochinita Pibli is very much ‘the one’, a slow-cooked pulled pork marvel. The pork is marinated in oranges, lime and ‘Mayan’ flavourings and is packed with some serious spice. Head off piste while you’re there, they’ve got a wealth of authentic regional Mexican specialties too.
372 Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 8AZ
Luck Lust Liquor & Burn
Providers of the finest Cali-Mex cuisine this side of Cali (or Mex, for that matter), LLL&B must bang out a million plus burritos a week to the hungry NQ masses. Their Cali Surf is jammed full of torpedo shrimp, birria beef, nacho cheese, pico de gallo, guac, crema and ‘shrettuce’, or try the Firebird with vegan fried chicken and buffalo sauce. You can’t lose, really.
100-102 High St, Manchester M4 1HP
Fuel Cafe Bar
Perfect if you’re a veggie or a vegan, Fuel Cafe Bar in Withington have been knocking out quality vegetarian dishes for years now, and one of their most popular concoctions is their heaving Chilli Burrito. You’ll be hard pushed to finish one of these beauties, coming packed to bursting with homemade bean and vegetable chilli, alongside salad, slaw, chips, cheese and salsa.
448 Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M20 3BW
