Best burritos in Tokyo

In Tokyo, finding decent burritos, or Mexican food in general for that matter, is still not as easy as it should be. Although tortilla wraps have even made it onto convenience store shelves in recent years, many restaurateurs still seem unable to put together a decent combo of rice, beans and veg, while the meat getting stuffed into your average Tokyo burrito tends to range from the passable to the straight-up strange. Accepting that putting together a top ten would be a challenge, we set out to find the city's best Cali-Mex comfort food – here are the results.

Tepito

Shimokitazawa's favourite Mexican makes one mean chicken burrito (¥1,000). Stuffed to the limit with juicy meat, cheese, beans and rice, this bad boy is both appropriately spicy and satisfyingly huge. In fact, small eaters might want to bring a friend to help finish the massive creation, which is best paired with a shot or two of Tepito's excellent tequila.
Tepito details

Hacienda del Cielo

This hip ninth-floor eatery in central Daikanyama does a ¥1,000 lunch set that comes with soup, salad, a drink, and, of course, their beefy, thickly stuffed burrito. Lacking in neither size nor flavour, this just might be the best restaurant-style specimen in town. Remember to head out onto the rooftop terrace during the warm season.
Hacienda del Cielo details

Baja

This tiny shop's tacos and beans attract a steady stream of customers, but it's their chicken burritos, filled with ample meat and veg, that really take the price. Spice lovers might feel slightly let down, but those who prefer milder salsa will enjoy the balanced tastes on offer. Also a nice choice for all you calorie-counters.
Baja details

Junkadelic

Turning out a strange Japanese hybrid of Tex-Mex cantina food that’s never less than tasty, this Nakameguro favourite's selection is headlined by the cheese burrito (¥950). The oven-baked creation is liberally topped with cheese, while the tortilla is wrapped around a mountain of refried beans, meat and more cheese. The sides of rice, beans and guacamole are also much appreciated.
Junkadelic details

Chiles Mexican Grill

Situated just off Harajuku's Takeshita-dori, Chiles serves up a fairly uninspiring selection of nachos, fajitas, tacos and quesadillas, all at reasonable prices. Their burritos, however, are highly customisable: choose from six kinds of meat, a variety of rice and bean mixes, and a couple of cheeses to create your perfect combo. The lunch sets (main dish with salad and drink) are good value too.
Chiles Mexican Grill details

American Dining Eat

Best known for their burgers, Eat's signature burrito, which is stuffed with veggies, meat and Spanish rice, is also a nice choice. Carnal options include chicken, pork (carnitas, highly recommended) and beef, while each burrito comes packed to the brim with lettuce, tomato and guacamole. The sizing will satisfy all but the most ravenous of eaters.
American Dining Eat details

Salsita

Vegetarians looking to satisfy their burrito cravings won't be disappointed at this Hiroo spot, a local favourite frequented by residents and embassy folk alike. Salsita's veggie burrito (¥1,000 at lunchtime) contains sautéed mushrooms, beans, onion and assorted greens, and is served with sides of salsa, sour cream and guacamole. Our only gripe is that portion sizes seem to have been reduced after the recent tax hike.
Salsita details

Wahoo’s Tacos & More

This Southern California eatery is best known for its fish tacos, but we have to highlight the burrito selection: the four choices are 'classic', veggie, cheese and 'wet' – opt for the latter (¥1,050) and enjoy the lettuce- and salsa-heavy, cheese-topped creation that's available with either red (tomato) or green (mayonnaise-based) sauce.
Wahoo’s Tacos & More details

Frijoles

Frijoles might score nada for originality, but a faithful cover version of Chipotle is better than no Chipotle. Operating four shops in the city, this chain may divide opinion, but their burritos are still far better than the Tokyo average. Available toppings range from meat choices like grilled chicken and carnitas to black beans, veggies and commendably hot salsa. We especially like the cheery service and the wide range of customisation options.
Frijoles details