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Magnolia Grille, North Hollywood

36 Mind-Blowing Breakfast Burritos in LA

The best handheld breakfast available in town.

by Farley Elliott Mar 10, 2015, 2:47pm PDT

13 comments / new

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Magnolia Grille, North Hollywood

| Farley Elliott

by Farley Elliott Mar 10, 2015, 2:47pm PDT

13 comments / new

A great breakfast burrito can be as divisive as it is delicious. There are neighborhood allegiances to consider, overall quality, price and (this being L.A.) location. All of these factors must also be filtered through a bright morning lens. How hungover did you get the night before? What outfit are you willing to wear out to breakfast? Because there are so many moving parts, truly picking the best breakfast burrito seems an impossible, and highly personal, task.

Here instead are 36 of the best, from all around the county. There are beachy options in Malibu and Redondo Beach, low key joints in Downey and Sierra Madre, and even a breakfast star hidden away in Beverly Hills. Just don't ever skimp on the salsa.

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Amigo's Tacos

Skip the line at Brother’s and head to Amigos for a knock-off that might be better than the current champion. Just watch out for the seriously spicy salsa.

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3216 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA

Art's Burgers

The legendary El Monte stop Art’s Burgers still doses out breakfast burritos with egg and cheese only for less than $2. A three-meat option is just over $3.

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11629 Valley Blvd, El Monte, CA 91732

Astro Burger

Well known for a semi-secret line of vegan and vegetarian options, this diner-like drive thru does a mean (if a tad small) breakfast burrito as well. And it doesn’t need to be healthy.

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5601 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

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Athenian Grill

This Reseda specialist feels like an East Coast Greek diner throwback, but with one of the most balanced breakfast burritos in town. No overwhelming potato here, just thin strips of fully griddled hashbrown goodness.

7042 Reseda Blvd, Reseda, CA 91335

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Big Tomy's

One of the endless Original Tommy’s knock-offs, this south Culver City strip mall staple offers the full run of breakfast options, plus hashbrowns and plenty of cheese. Want chili or pastrami instead? Just ask (and be sure you have the cash).

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11289 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Brother's Burritos

It’s all about the options at this Hermosa Beach haunt, which opens at 7:30 a.m. on weekends and lets guests build their own burritos from nearly two dozen options.

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24 11th St, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

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Burger Factory

Hollywood’s resident hangover fix, Burger Factory weighs in with options for meat, potatoes, egg, and (crucially) avocado, all for $5.50. They even deliver.

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6050 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Burrito King

Ever a hipster’s best bet, the breakfast burritos at this Sunset Bvlvd. walk up window are never very fancy (usually just egg, bacon, and cheese, but isn’t that the point?

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2109 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Cofax

The current darling of the breakfast burrito scene, Cofax’s smoked potato concoction is one of the most inventive, and downright delicious, options in all of L.A. It helps that great coffee is readily available too. Yes, you can go vegetarian too, but why would you?

440 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

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Coffee Commissary

Does adding egg to a hearty brisket burrito count? It does when it’s from Coffee Commissary in Burbank, which keeps early hours and slow smokes their brisket for half a day.

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3121 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91505

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Frank's Charbroiler

Fairfax has Cofax now, but long before those boys there was the manly burrito at Frank’s Charbroiler, just south of West 3rd. Order the mix — it’s the best of every possible breakfast burrito world.

363 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Guerrilla Tacos

What can’t Wes Avila do when he puts his mind to it? Though not always available, this semi-frequent breakfast burrito tends to come with Cook’s Ranch pork belly sausage, which is its own level of awesome.

826 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

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Huckleberry Cafe & Bakery

Santa Monica’s upscale favorite, Huckleberry is a bruncher’s best friend and a hungover person’s worst nightmare. Skip the interminable lines for a pick up order of perhaps L.A.’s best breakfast burrito.

1014 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

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Jinky's Cafe Sherman Oaks

Jinky’s is synonymous with breakfast, especially in Sherman Oaks. Don’t be fooled by the healthy-ish options; the Desperado burrito packs a morning punch.

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14120 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

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Jose Chiquito

Don’t count the Grand Central Market out yet as an overworked bastion for the rich and those able to wait in line. Breakfast ‘wraps’ at Jose Chiquito are still fast, cheap, and delicious.

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317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA

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King's Burgers/Got Sushi?

Things get weird this far north. Straight from Northridge’s own breakfast-burger-sushi stop, the avocado-laced burritos here are great for the morning-after local college crowd.

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9345 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91324

Lily's Cafe & Pastries

As everyone in Malibu knows: Lily’s breakfast burritos are phenomenal. Order one up to go and then pull over in full view of the ocean for the full experience.

29211 Heathercliff Rd, Malibu, CA 90265

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Lucky Boy Drive-In Restaurant

Pasadena’s own Lucky Boy often earns nods as the best around, and it’s not hard to see why. Size matters here, with portions big enough to feed an army — without skimping on the technique.

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640 S Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, CA 91106

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Lucky Guys #2

Anyone playing fast and loose with their arteries is advised to head for the Suicide, a matrimony of cheese, ham, bacon, sausage, chili, beans, and hash browns.

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12801 Bellflower Blvd, Downey, CA 90242

Lucy's Mexican Drive-in

Mid-City’s absolute best breakfast burrito is available for drive thru pickups. A thin crisp of hashbrowns, plenty of cheese, sausage and just enough egg — and its available 24 hours a day.

1373 S LA Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019

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Lupe's Place

Who knew that La Cañada Flintridge could sport such a worthwhile taqueria? This out of the way find keeps things old school by mixing their ingredients into a big messy hash consistency, but add some salsa and away you go.

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1446 Foothill Blvd, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011

Magnolia Grille

Get an early start at this place (they open at 6 a.m.) because lines often form for the oversized breakfasts, including the griddled $9 burrito.

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10530 Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601

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Mary's Market & Canyon Cafe

Mary’s is for locals. Tucked into the base of the Angeles National Forest, this roadside shack serves tasty morning burritos for well under $5. It’s as quaint as they come.

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561 Woodland Dr, Sierra Madre, CA 91024-1443

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Nick's Cafe

Nick’s is a Chinatown staple, having offered their back-breaking breakfasts for nearly 80 years. Skip the benedicts and head for the secretly awesome breakfast burrito. After all, anyone who’s been cooking eggs for this long knows what they’re doing.

1300 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA, 90012

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P&G Super Burger

Covina’s own P&G Super Burger isn’t just about the pastrami and chili cheese fries. Their bacon avocado option is a trusty local staple, and available until noon.

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1030 North Citrus Avenue, Covina, CA 91722

Pepe's Mexican Food

Not only does Pepe’s open at 6 a.m. for those early morning breakfast burrito eaters, they also offer a dozen different combinations and don’t skimp on the freshly cooked eggs.

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511 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA

Phanny's

There’s a reason Redondo Beach locals love their Phanny’s breakfast burritos: they’re served all day. Assorted combos and a vegetarian option help too, of course.

Avenue C and Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

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Snug Harbor

This egg-loaded monster flies under the radar because its not close to the beach, but don’t let Snug Harbor’s longtime position on Wilshire and 24th keep you from trying one of the Westside’s best.

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2323 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403

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Tacos Por Favor

A longtime Santa Monica taco tradition, the breakfast burrito here is worthy of its own mention. Tightly wound with fresh ingredients, it’s a simple pick-me-up that won’t lay you down for an entire day.

1408 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404

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Tacos Villa Corona

When even Anthony Bourdain knows about your breakfast burrito, you know it’s good. This Atwater Village mom and pop shop sports long lines on the weekends, but for good reason: it’s one of the best anywhere in town.

3185 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039

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Taqueria El Tapatio

Glendale’s perennial frontrunner is Taqueria el Tapatio, a no-frills walk up option that leaves a bit lacking by way of service but hits where it counts: the morning chorizo breakfast burritos.

1266 S Glendale Ave, Glendale, CA 91205

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Taqueria la Mexicana #5

This San Diego-style taqueria does a brisk carne asada business, but their breakfast option (yes, it’s proper etiquette to sub in fries for potatoes) is a local Long Beach mainstay.

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1901 E Carson St, Long Beach, CA

The Corner Deli & Grill

Need a breakfast burrito recommendation? Just ask college kids. UCLA knows the best are found for cheap at nearby Corner Deli, as they have been for almost 15 years.

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1660 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

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The Farm of Beverly Hills

This one is for the fancy folks. Available on the brunch menu, the weekend burrito fits quality scrambled eggs, aged cheddar cheese and applewood smoked bacon inside of a warm tortilla — with a $12 price to match.

439 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

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The Griddle Cafe

Overloaded, overstuffed, and overindulgent describes just about everything on the menu at the Griddle, but the breakfast burrito is perhaps the bulgiest of them all. The Caballero is a knife and fork affair, all the way, with sour cream and pico de gallo on top just to make sure.

7916 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046

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The Oaks Gourmet

An early adopter of the recent wave of cheffed up breakfast burritos, the option at The Oaks sports eggs that haven’t been fried hard yet, so there’s still some softened goodness inside. Add in thick cut bacon and scallions, and it’s a feast.

1915 N Bronson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068

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13 Los Angeles Gourmet Shops for Building the Perfect Picnic Basket

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Amigo's Tacos

3216 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA

Skip the line at Brother’s and head to Amigos for a knock-off that might be better than the current champion. Just watch out for the seriously spicy salsa.

Open in Google Maps

3216 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA

Art's Burgers

11629 Valley Blvd, El Monte, CA 91732

The legendary El Monte stop Art’s Burgers still doses out breakfast burritos with egg and cheese only for less than $2. A three-meat option is just over $3.

Open in Google Maps

11629 Valley Blvd, El Monte, CA 91732