Over the weekend, some pals and I hosted our second-annual cookie swap party. It’s a lovely new tradition that brings us together in the dead of winter to eat too much sugar and gossip and then go home with tons of treats stuffed in our bags. But the most interesting food-related conversation of the evening wasn’t about sweets, it was about burr…eets? The apartment where we met, in St. Louis Park, is just a stone’s throw from the original home of Brito’s Burrito—which, as it happens, has quietly become a favorite among the friend group.
While brothers Manuel and Luis Brito opened that first St. Louis Park location in 2022, you don’t have to live near Texa-Tonka to check out Brito’s. Outposts in Minnetonka, Monticello, Circle Pines, St. Cloud, Chanhassen, and Loring Park in Minneapolis have quickly followed. The Brito brothers worked in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years before setting out on their own, according to an interview last year with St. Cloud Live, and they wanted to do something in their own style “for the people.”
Clearly, it’s catching on. So, earlier this week, we drove out to the delightful Texa-Tonka Center, resisting the siren song of Axman Surplus to check out the Brito’s where it all began.
At Brito’s, burritos start with a tortilla the size of a hubcap. Well, no—more accurately, they start with a small mound of fresh dough, which is pressed into its substantial flattened size and grilled as you watch. From there, the process will be familiar to those who frequent that other burrito chain: Pick your protein and your preferred style of rice and beans, then add from a wide selection of veggies, salsas, and cheeses. Want fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime? That’s an option!
We opted for a carnitas and a chicken burrito, though Brito’s does also have bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and nachos. (I really want to experience a quesadilla made on one of these giant tortillas sometime soon.) After watching the line cooks load them up with a selection of veggies and salsas, we snagged a seat at the counter in the small and humble dining room, which is painted a shade not unlike the vintage Timberwolves green.
Peeling the foil back from these bad boys reveals that they’re definitely two-handers; both were absolutely stuffed (though I could have used a little more protein). But because the tortilla is made fresh and filled while it’s still hot off the griddle, a sort of alchemy occurs, wherein all of the ingredients come together, ensconced in the soft, stretchy tortilla sling. Despite its massive size, you can set it down, or stand it on its side, without the whole thing falling to pieces. Extra points for structural integrity, Brito boys.
The meat is excellent—juicy, flavorful carnitas and seasoned cubes of tender chicken—and all of the ingredients taste impressively fresh for a fast-casual chain. You know how sometimes you walk the line at a certain subterranean sandwich chain, stare at the veggies through the plexiglass, and think, “Hmm, I’m gonna skip the tomatoes today?” I don’t get the sense that that would ever be an issue at Brito’s Burrito. The fajita veggies were a standout, and the guac was flecked with cilantro and diced onions—I’m glad we ordered some to enjoy on chips. Of the salsas, my preference was for the hottest, an earthen reddish-brown blend with smoky richness.
And the prices! Even with a side of chips and guac ($4.25) and a tamarind Jarritos ($2.25), we got outta there for well under 30 bucks (before tip). Our carnitas burrito was just $8.45; the chicken came in at $9.70.
(I have to get guac no matter the upcharge. It’s a sickness.)
Location: Locations in St. Louis Park, Minnetonka, Monticello, Circle Pines, St. Cloud, Chanhassen, and Minneapolis
Hours: 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday
