La Espiga de Oro
Neighborhood: Mission District, San Francisco
Address: 2916 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
La Espiga de Oro tells you exactly what it’s about the second you walk in — trays of fried things everywhere, chicharrones front and center, and a setup that says we fry, we move fast, we know the drill. This place feels confident, practiced, and very comfortable doing one thing well.
What We Ordered (and What to Order)
I went with the Chicharrones Burrito, which is very clearly the correct move here and not something to freestyle.
The Burrito Bible Score
Chicharrones Burrito — 7.4/10
Meat: 8/10
Salsa: 7.3/10
Fillings: 6.8/10
Tortilla: 7.7/10
Balance: 7/10
Misc: 7/10
The chicharrones run the show — crunchy, fresh, and easily some of the best in the city, even if some bites skew a little hard. Both salsas absolutely rip: the verde is bright and punchy, and the red is so good I spilled it all over the counter, froze for a second, then sheepishly asked for more like someone who should’ve paced himself (learn from my mistakes). The fillings mostly stay out of the way, which is fine because they’re not the point, and there’s a noticeable block of melted cheese at the bottom that’s tasty, slightly aggressive, not sure if I’m about it, but also not against it. Our regular readers know we’re suckers for a lightly browned tortilla, and the grill work here absolutely plays to that bias.
Smart Moves Here
Order the chicharrones — this place knows fried pork
Use both salsas, the verde is some of the better in the city
Bottom Line
This burrito is for people who want crunch, flavor, and confidence from the kitchen. La Espiga de Oro delivers some of the best chicharrones in the city, backed by two genuinely great salsas, in a laid-back, no-nonsense setting run by people who clearly know what they’re doing. Fighting words, but I liked the chicharrones here more than La Palma Mexicatessen across the street. Come hungry, go with the chicharrones, and let the burrito do its thing.