FOOD + DRINK
Breakfast burritos The star of every New Mexico morning
Need fuel for a day of skiing or boarding? Here ya go— Taos Diner's 2-pound burrito, “The Charles,” smothered in both red and green chile.
By J.R. Logan
I
n Taos, the breakfast burrito is without a doubt the universal breakfast of champions. Burritos start with a base of eggs and a tortilla, but the sky is the limit when it comes to combinations of meat, cheese, chile and other fixin’s. Here’s a quick list of must-try, under $10 breakfast burritos, from the fast-and-no-frills, to a heavy weight behemoth that might knock you out before your day even begins.
The Charles TAOS DINER
This big boy weighed in at almost 2 pounds (seriously, I took a scale) and is not for the faint of stomach. A massive flour tortilla embraces eggs, home fries, pinto beans, bacon and cheddar-jack cheese, then it’s smothered in red or green chile and topped with cheddar-jack and feta cheeses, and diced tomatoes. Believe it or not, the feta cheese is what sends this baby into orbit. The tangy bite of the cheese combined with the chile (I highly recommend going Christmas — red and green — on this one) is divine. taosdiner.com
K AT H A R I N E E G L I / TA O S N E W S
Breakfast Enchiladas MICHAEL’S KITCHEN
Ok, so technically this isn’t a burrito. But the breakfast enchiladas are novel enough that they’re worth a mention on this list. Michael’s enjoys a loyal following of visitors and Taoseños alike — just check out the line spilling on to the sidewalk at 304 Paseo del Pueblo Norte on any given summer Sunday. Michaels’ corn tortilla enchiladas are filled with eggs, smothered in chile and served with pinto beans. By going the enchilada route, Michael’s managed to pair corn tortillas with eggs and chile. The result is heavenly. michaelskitchen.com
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D I S C O V E R TA O S M A G A Z I N E W I N T E R / S P R I N G 2 0 2 0
At one time an actual chow cart, Mante’s is now housed in a real building at 402 Paseo del Pueblo Sur. Opened just this year is a second location on the south end of town at 1541 Paseo del Pueblo Sur. Mantes is a locally owned joint dishing up fast-food standards with plenty of New Mexican specialties. One thing sets the Mante’s breakfast burrito apart from the rest — the crunch. Monte’s folds in a crispy layer of hash brown-like potatoes that add a special oomph to this one. Monte’s is always fast, and the drivethough is especially handy.
Lota Breakfast Burrito
MARY JANE’S HOME COOKING
(575) 770-1171
MANTE’S CHOW CART
(575) 758-3632
Chorizo breakfast burrito with red chile This stand-alone trailer at 616 Paseo del Pueblo Sur (across from the Taos Valley Lodge) is a local’s favorite and consistently picked as Taos’ best roadside food stand. For good reason. Mary Jane’s whips up fast, quality fare at a reasonable price. While it’s impossible to go wrong on the Mary Jane’s menu, the chorizo breakfast burrito offers a heaping helping of chorizo (minced, seasoned sausage) swimming with plenty of gooey cheese. Red chile is a must.
Bacon breakfast burrito with green chile
BLAKE’S LOTABURGER
Chorizo breakfast burrito with red chile from Mary Jane's Home cooking K AT H A R I N E E G L I / TA O S N E W S
New Mexico fast-food joint Blake’s Lotaburger whips up a respectable breakfast burrito. With one location on the north side and another on the south, Lotaburger is a good choice if you’re digging for quarters under your front seat but can’t get the thought of a hot, spicy burrito out of your head. Lotaburger offers all the standard meat and chile options. At under $5, why not experiment and get a couple for the road? lotaburger.com