La Taqueria is a restaurant in San Francisco, California. In 2017 it was named one of America's Classics by the James Beard Foundation.

La Taqueria
Map
Restaurant information
Established1973
StateCalifornia
CountryUnited States
Websitehttps://lataqueriasf.com/

History

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Owner Miguel Jara, who grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, immigrated to the United States in 1961.[1] He missed the food from his home and decided to open a taqueria.[2] He opened the restaurant in 1973, building the space out himself.[3][4] At the time the designation "Mission-style" was not commonly used.[3] According to Bon Appetit it is credited with creating the style.[5]

The restaurant is located on Mission street between 24th and 25th, in San Francisco's Mission District.[4] Jara's parents had helped him buy the building for US$39,000 in 1972; after they died without transferring ownership to him, the business was the subject of a property dispute between Jara and his eight siblings.[6] A court ordered the building to be sold and the profits dispersed among the siblings, and in 2018 Jara and his sons purchased it for $1.7 million.[6][7]

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The restaurant focuses on Mission-style burritos.[1] Ingredients include meat, beans, cheese, and sauces.[1][3] Pork for the carnitas are simmered in lard and then roasted.[8] The recipes do not include rice, which is a common component in most Mission-style burritos.[9][2] On request the rolled burritos are finished on the grill to brown them, which is known as dorado-style; the option is off-menu.[3][10][5]

The restaurant also serves tacos and quesadillas.[4][11]

Recognition

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In 2017 the restaurant was named one of America's Classics by the James Beard Foundation.[12] In 2014 FiveThirtyEight named it the best burrito in the country.[13][12][14] The San Francisco Chronicle called the restaurant "the Mission's most famous burrito spot".[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "2017 America's Classic: La Taqueria". www.jamesbeard.org. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  2. ^ a b Peterson, Lucas (2017-04-26). "Watch: How La Taqueria Became a San Francisco Classic". Eater. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  3. ^ a b c d Canavan, Hillary Dixler (2015-12-04). "The Story of La Taqueria's Remastered Mission-Style Burrito". Eater. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  4. ^ a b c "La Taqueria". Southwest.fm. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  5. ^ a b Appétit, Bon. "La Taqueria Review". Bon Appetit. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  6. ^ a b Bitker, Janelle (2018-11-13). "La Taqueria's Owner Successfully Buys Its Building". Eater SF. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  7. ^ "The Best Burritos in San Francisco". Serious Eats. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  8. ^ "La Taqueria Carnitas Recipe". Sunset Magazine. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  9. ^ "Mission Burrito Recipe". NYT Cooking. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  10. ^ "La Taqueria - Mission - San Francisco". The Infatuation. 2022-08-22. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  11. ^ "La Taqueria". Time Out San Francisco. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  12. ^ a b Batey, Eve (2020-05-22). "Lauded Burrito Spot La Taqueria Reopens for Takeout". Eater SF. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  13. ^ Birdsall, John (2016-10-11). "The Story of the Mission Burrito, Piled High and Rolled Tight". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  14. ^ "After Winning Nation's Best Burrito Award, San Francisco's La Taqueria Inundated By Diners". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  15. ^ "One evening at La Taqueria, San Francisco's most famous burrito spot". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-03-06.

37°45′03″N 122°25′05″W / 37.7509°N 122.4181°W / 37.7509; -122.4181