Iowa Burritos

Top 10 Best Burritos in Iowa

A curated ranking of the top burritos spots in Iowa, based on reputation, consistency, and standout local appeal.

Iowa’s burrito scene is stronger and more geographically diverse than many diners might expect. Across the state, restaurants serve sauce-covered burritos in Cedar Rapids, traditional carne asada and al pastor in Iowa City, creative combinations in the Quad Cities, customizable college-town favorites in Ames, and breakfast burritos in Johnston. This Discovery Matt Food Map ranking highlights independent and locally rooted Iowa restaurants that stand out for flavorful meats, fresh ingredients, signature preparations, consistency, local reputation, portion size, and geographic reach.

1
El Super Burrito & Lupita’s Bakery
Cedar Rapids
El Super Burrito & Lupita’s Bakery takes the top spot behind one of Iowa’s most distinctive signature burritos. Its original Burrito Ahogado is filled with a choice of meat, rice, beans, cheese, lettuce, and pico de gallo before being covered with green salsa and finished with guacamole, sour cream, and additional cheese. The family-owned restaurant’s long Cedar Rapids history and burrito-focused identity make it the strongest overall choice for No. 1.
Known for: Original Burrito Ahogado, Burrito Bombero, carne asada, family-owned atmosphere
2
La Regia Taqueria
Iowa City
La Regia Taqueria is a longtime Iowa City destination for traditional Mexican street food. Its burritos can be filled with options such as carne asada, al pastor, carnitas, chorizo, chicken, or seafood and paired with fresh toppings and house salsas. The restaurant’s casual atmosphere, adjoining Mexican market, and reputation for authentic flavors make it one of the state’s most dependable Mexican restaurants.
Known for: Carne asada burritos, al pastor, fresh salsas, adjoining Mexican grocery
3
D’Lua Taco Shop
Bettendorf
D’Lua Taco Shop gives the Quad Cities a broad and creative selection of substantial burritos. Its menu ranges from traditional meat-filled versions to combinations featuring fajita meat, chicken with queso and rice, potatoes and chorizo, green salsa, or steak and fries. Generous portions and a willingness to move beyond standard burrito fillings have helped it develop a loyal Bettendorf following.
Known for: Fajita burrito, chicken queso rice burrito, queso fries burrito, all-day Mexican breakfast
4
Mr. Burrito
Ames
Mr. Burrito is a favorite among Iowa State students and Ames residents looking for a fast, filling, and customizable meal. Diners can select from meats such as asada, pastor, carnitas, barbacoa, chicken, and chorizo before adding rice, beans, vegetables, sauces, and other toppings. Fresh preparation, vegetarian flexibility, and generous portions make it one of Central Iowa’s strongest burrito specialists.
Known for: Build-your-own burritos, carne asada, barbacoa, Iowa State campus following
5
La Morenita Tienda y Taqueria
Washington
La Morenita Tienda y Taqueria offers one of Iowa’s most authentic market-and-restaurant experiences. Located inside a Mexican and Central American grocery, the kitchen serves burritos filled with options such as asada and other traditionally prepared meats alongside tacos, gorditas, pupusas, and sopes. Its unpolished setting and direct connection to the surrounding community make it an important southeastern Iowa destination.
Known for: Asada burritos, Mexican grocery setting, traditional tacos and gorditas, Central American products
6
California Burritos
Bettendorf
California Burritos offers a locally rooted alternative to the major fast-casual burrito chains. Customers build their burritos by choosing a tortilla, protein, rice, beans, vegetables, salsa, cheese, and other toppings, with steak, chicken, carnitas, and fish among the available options. Its famous California fries and relaxed format have made it a popular Quad Cities choice.
Known for: Custom-built burritos, steak burritos, California fries, fresh toppings
7
El Rey Burritos
West Des Moines
El Rey Burritos has earned a longstanding following in West Des Moines through generously sized burritos and an extensive Mexican menu. Diners can order straightforward steak and meat-filled burritos alongside larger specialty combinations with rice, beans, vegetables, cheese, and sauces. Its casual service and focus on satisfying portions make it one of the Des Moines area’s most established burrito stops.
Known for: Oversized burritos, steak burritos, broad Mexican menu, West Des Moines tradition
8
Estela’s Fresh Mex
Iowa City
Estela’s Fresh Mex builds its burritos around ingredients prepared in-house, including tortillas, marinades, and several signature salsas. Customers can customize traditional lunch and dinner burritos, but the restaurant is especially notable for breakfast versions filled with combinations of eggs, chorizo, bacon, carnitas, potatoes, avocado, and cheese. The variety and all-day freshness make Estela’s one of Iowa City’s most versatile options.
Known for: House-made tortillas, breakfast burritos, signature salsas, customizable fillings
9
Bandit Burrito
Johnston
Bandit Burrito combines a fast-casual format with meats, salsas, and fillings prepared in-house. Its regular burritos can be customized with a range of toppings, while the breakfast menu features large flour tortillas filled with potatoes, cheddar, eggs, meat, green chile, and other additions. The strength of its breakfast offerings gives Bandit Burrito a distinctive place in the statewide ranking.
Known for: Breakfast burritos, green chile, customizable toppings, house-prepared fillings
10
Burrito Factory
Muscatine
Burrito Factory rounds out the ranking with its signature Wet Burrito. The substantial burrito is filled to order before being covered with house-made sauce and melted cheese, creating a richer alternative to the traditional handheld style. Freshly prepared tortillas, homemade salsa, hand-made tamales, and strong hometown support make it one of eastern Iowa’s most notable burrito destinations.
Known for: Signature Wet Burrito, house-made sauce, freshly prepared tortillas, Muscatine following

How this ranking was built

Discovery Matt Food Map rankings are curated using a mix of meat preparation, tortilla quality, ingredient freshness, filling balance, signature burritos, consistency, portion size, local reputation, originality, and geographic spread. For this Iowa ranking, extra weight was given to restaurants specifically known for burritos rather than places where burritos are only a minor part of a much larger menu. El Super Burrito earned the No. 1 position because the original Burrito Ahogado gives it one of the most recognizable signature orders in the state. La Regia ranked highly for its traditional Mexican cooking and Iowa City reputation, while D’Lua, Mr. Burrito, and La Morenita represent different styles of Iowa burrito dining. Iowa City and Bettendorf received two representatives each because both have particularly competitive independent Mexican food scenes. Cedar Rapids, Ames, Washington, West Des Moines, Johnston, and Muscatine were included to recognize worthwhile burrito destinations across eastern, central, and southeastern Iowa. Major national chains were excluded in favor of independent restaurants and locally rooted businesses.

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