The results are in for the 2023 Phoenix Burrito Bowl. Here's who won

Felicia Campbell, Arizona Republic
·8 min read
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Over the last four weeks, you voted in the bracket-style runoff to decide which restaurant makes the best burrito in metro Phoenix.

The votes are in and you've named Rito's the top burrito maker in the Valley.

Missed the action? Check out the week-to-week results and meet the original 16 contenders below.

It's official: This historic, family-run Mexican restaurant makes best burritos in Phoenix

Phoenix Burrito Bowl round 3 winners

The final two contestants in the 2023 Phoenix Burrito Bowl are family-owned, longtime Phoenix classics.

Charlotte Hansen, 60, owner of Rito's Mexican Food, poses for a portrait outside the Crown location on Seventh Street on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in Phoenix. Hansen took over the business from her parents and founders Rito and Rosemary Salinas in 2012. Their green chili burrito, one of their signature items, is a recipe from her mother.
Charlotte Hansen, 60, owner of Rito's Mexican Food, poses for a portrait outside the Crown location on Seventh Street on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in Phoenix. Hansen took over the business from her parents and founders Rito and Rosemary Salinas in 2012. Their green chili burrito, one of their signature items, is a recipe from her mother.

Rito's Mexican Food, which opened in 1977, earned more votes than Chula Seafood.

Josephine Hernandez, left, a co-owner at The Original Carolina's Mexican Food, and Supervisor Felix Corona, pose for a portrait at the restaurant's 1202 E Mohave Street location in Phoenix on March 28, 2023.
Josephine Hernandez, left, a co-owner at The Original Carolina's Mexican Food, and Supervisor Felix Corona, pose for a portrait at the restaurant's 1202 E Mohave Street location in Phoenix on March 28, 2023.

Carolina’s Mexican Food, which originally opened in 1968, earned more votes than Los Dos Molinos.

How to vote in the championship round of the 2023 Phoenix Burrito Bowl

Voting has now closed for the 2023 Phoenix Burrito Bowl.

Voting for each bracket begins Monday morning and ends Sunday at midnight. Come back to this page to vote each week between now and April 2. The burrito champion will be announced on Monday, April 3.

Before casting your vote, let's meet the teams

We presented the original 16 contenders in two conferences — Eastern and Western — with Central Avenue serving as the dividing line between the two.

Phoenix Burrito Bowl round 2 winners

  • Chula Seafood earned more votes than Bacanora.

  • Rito’s earned more votes than Taqueria El Fundador.

  • Carolina’s earned more votes than Tacos Chiwas.

  • Los Dos Molinos earned more votes than Asadero Norte De Sonora.

Phoenix Burrito Bowl round 1 winners

  • Chula Seafood (Eastern Conference) earned more votes than Mochilero.

  • Rito’s (Eastern Conference) earned more votes than Filiberto’s.

  • Bacanora (Western Conference) earned more votes than Casa Corazon.

  • Tacos Chiwas (Eastern Conference) earned more votes than Testal.

  • Asadero Norte De Sonora (Eastern Conference) earned more votes than Ta Carbon.

  • Carolina’s (Eastern Conference) earned more votes than Leo’s Tacos & Burritos.

  • Los Dos Molinos (Eastern Conference) earned more votes than Taqueria El Sol.

  • Taqueria El Fundador (Western Conference) earned more votes than El Super Taco.

Meet the teams in the Phoenix Burrito Bowl's Eastern Conference

Representing the east side from Calle 16 in Phoenix to downtown Chandler. These burritos are easy to roll with.

Chula Seafood

Chula Seafood
Chula Seafood

Chula Seafood is arguably the best place for fresh fish in the Valley and the Uptown location uses the haul to make a burro stuffed with grilled fish or shrimp, french fries, guacamole and a tangy Baja sauce The only burrito on the Chula menu is enough to earn it a place on the team. Simply put, it's the finest seafood burrito this side of Central Avenue.

Details: 100 E. Camelback Road, Suite 172, Phoenix. 602-354-3599, chulaseafood.com.

El Super Taco

El Super Taco in north Phoenix makes outstanding birria, which can be served as a massive burrito.
El Super Taco in north Phoenix makes outstanding birria, which can be served as a massive burrito.

The pile of mesquite wood in front of this tiny restaurant is the first sign that you're in the right place. You can taste the smoky goodness in the carne asada, chicken, carnitas and birria burros that come generously stuffed with meat, rice, beans, guac and pico with a side of grilled jalapeño and onions. Don't skip the condiment bar, filled with essentials like shredded cabbage, cilantro, chopped onion, radishes and salsas.

Details: 14620 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix. 602-585-2150. Search El Super Taco on Facebook.

Rito's Mexican Food

The green chile beef burrito is the signature item at Rito's in the Garfield neighborhood of Phoenix.
The green chile beef burrito is the signature item at Rito's in the Garfield neighborhood of Phoenix.

This old-school Mexican restaurant has been making absolutely iconic bean and cheese and green chile beef burritos near downtown Phoenix since 1977. One juicy bite and you'll understand the staying power.

Details: The original Rito's Mexican Food location is at 907 N. 14th St., Phoenix. 602-262-9842. Find other locations at ritosmexicanfood.com.

Casa Corazon

The al pastor burrito at Casa Corazon is made with sweet chile glazed pork.
The al pastor burrito at Casa Corazon is made with sweet chile glazed pork.

Al pastor at Casa Corazon is prepared on the flattop in the northern Mexican style rather than the spit, but that only makes the chile-glazed pork that much juicier. Order it stuffed in an expertly made al pastor burrito, then head to the expansive salsa bar.

Details: 2637 N. 16th St., Phoenix. 602-334-1917, casacorazonrestaurant.com.

Tacos Chiwas

Tacos Chiwas barbacoa burrito with shredded beef cheek, cilantro and white onion.
Tacos Chiwas barbacoa burrito with shredded beef cheek, cilantro and white onion.

Tacos Chiwas is the Mexican place everyone talks about, and who can blame them? There's little not to love about their burritos, which come splashed with lush refried beans and a scattering of raw onions and cilantro, bundled in a perfect flour tortilla toasted on the griddle.

Details: 127 W. Main St., Mesa. 480-590-7163. Other locations at tacoschiwas.com.

Asadero Norte de Sonora

Asadero Norte de Sonora's grilled chicken burrito with cabbage, beans, cheese, and guacamole.
Asadero Norte de Sonora's grilled chicken burrito with cabbage, beans, cheese, and guacamole.

Asadero Norte de Sonora is, first and foremost, a grilled meat destination. And while the obvious choices are mesquite-licked grilled chicken, carne asada, cabeza and barbacoa burros, they also make a simple, but outstanding, bean and cheese. It's a true burrito ringer.

Details: 122 N. 16th St., Phoenix, 602-253-4010 asaderonortesonora.weebly.com/menu.html.

The Original Carolina's Mexican Food

Carolina Valenzuela opened her namesake restaurant with her husband, Manuel, in 1968, and the slogan "best tortillas in town" continues to live up to the original hype for the army of zealous fans who stand by the claim. The best way to enjoy the epic flour creations is the burritos — chorizo-stuffed breakfast or amped up three ways with red chile, green chile and beans.

Details: 1202 E. Mohave St., Phoenix. 602-252-1503, carolinasmex.com.

Los Dos Molinos

The adovada burrito at Los Dos Molinos may look beautiful, but it will shake you to the core.
The adovada burrito at Los Dos Molinos may look beautiful, but it will shake you to the core.

For the heat-lovers, nothing compares to Los Dos Molinos. The carne adovada burrito brings the signature fire as the cheese-covered burrito is smothered Christmas style in red and green chile sauce and inside, the New Mexican-style pork chunks have been slow braised in blazing red chile, providing layer-upon-layer of scorching flavor.

Details: Los Dos Molinos, 260 S. Alma School Road, Suite 137, Mesa. 480-969-7475. Other locations at losdosmolinosmesa.com and losdosmolinosphoenix.com.

Meet the teams in the Western Burrito Conference

Representing the West Valley, from Grand Avenue in Phoenix to Peoria and Avondale. These burritos are the real deal.

Mochilero Kitchen

Veggie burrito with flour tortilla, black beans, cilantro lime rice, cabbage, roasted seasonal vegetables and guacamole from Mochilero Kitchen in Peoria.
Veggie burrito with flour tortilla, black beans, cilantro lime rice, cabbage, roasted seasonal vegetables and guacamole from Mochilero Kitchen in Peoria.

As big as your forearm, the short rib burrito is an elevated take on a classic that still keeps it real with a perfectly crisp, tender tortilla that tastes homemade. Keeping it veg? Go beyond bean and cheese with chunks of roasted sweet potato, shredded cabbage and slivered shishitos in the vegetable burro.

Details: 6791 W. Happy Valley Road, Peoria. 623-440-5588, mochilerokitchen.com.

Taqueria El Fundador

Taqueria El Fundador's Pastor burrito with beans, salsa and onions.
Taqueria El Fundador's Pastor burrito with beans, salsa and onions.

A West Side staple that's been around since 1985, Taqueria El Fundador is known for its spinning trompo of achiote glazed al pastor pork crowned with a pineapple. Try it stuffed in burro. Or go rogue with a spicy beef chile verde burro.

Details: 3245 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. 602-233-9818, tefphoenix.com.

Filiberto's

A late-night feast at Filiberto's, with an Arizona burrito and carne asada French fries.
A late-night feast at Filiberto's, with an Arizona burrito and carne asada French fries.

Everyone has their favorite Filiberto's. We're partial to the chile relleno and Arizona burros from the location on Seventh Avenue and Indian School Road. Everyone also has their favorite late-night order, so don't let us sway you. Vote for yours from any of the 'berto's west of Central.

Details: 4201 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix. Other locations at filibertos.com.

Bacanora

The carne asada burrito at Bacanora is packed with thick cubes of rare skirt steak.
The carne asada burrito at Bacanora is packed with thick cubes of rare skirt steak.

It's kind of fancy, but so are you. At this much-lauded restaurant, Nogales-born chef René Andrade goes all out with mesquite-grilled dishes, including the carne asada burrito, made with thick slabs of medium-rare skirt steak and his now-famous pinto beans wrapped in a bulging flour tortilla.

Details:  1301 NW Grand Ave., Unit 1, Phoenix. 602-612-4018, bacanoraphx.com.

Believe the hype: Bacanora is one of the best restaurants in America. Here's why

Testal

Burritos at Testal on Grand Avenue.
Burritos at Testal on Grand Avenue.

Casual and saucy in all the best ways, this Grand Avenue spot makes its burritos in the style of Chihuahua, the largest state in Mexico. Rolled with the ends left open, most are filled with stew-like guisados ranging from chile colorado to rajas roasted peppers and onions in a rich cream sauce. The best part is the tortilla itself, made from scratch using owner Fernando Hernández's mother's recipe.

Details: 1325 NW Grand Ave., suite 1, Phoenix. 602-384-9993, testalphx.square.site.

Ta' Carbon

The burrito game is strong at Ta'Carbon in Glendale.
The burrito game is strong at Ta'Carbon in Glendale.

If you're a carne asada fan, you know Ta' Carbon. If you don't, you better ask somebody. The mesquite grill stays smoky as the restaurant turns out epic portions of grilled meat, best served in a golden brown, griddled flour tortilla.

Details: 5834 W. Camelback Road, Glendale. 623-463-8134, tacarbon.com.

Leo's Tacos & Burritos

A lunch burrito filled with birria beef at Leo's Tacos & Burritos on Feb. 23, 2023, in Avondale.
A lunch burrito filled with birria beef at Leo's Tacos & Burritos on Feb. 23, 2023, in Avondale.

Leo's birria burritos (both the lunch and breakfast versions) have won hearts and minds in Avondale. The breakfast adds cheese, potatoes and eggs, while the lunch piles on cheese, beans, pico and potatoes. In both cases, the slow-cooked beef birria remains the star.

Details: 10277 W. McDowell Road, Suite 100, Avondale. 623-292-3218, leostacosandburritos.com.

Taqueria El Sol

A chile verde burrito from Taqueria El Sol in Glendale.
A chile verde burrito from Taqueria El Sol in Glendale.

This woman-owned Glendale shop and food truck puts the carne in the carne asada burrito, but the pro move is to order the chile verde, which tops the grilled steak with chile verde, onions, cilantro and cheese.

Details: 5713 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale. 602-376-2280, soltacotruck.square.site.

Reach the food, dining and nightlife editor at felicia.campbell@azcentral.com. 

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: This is the best burrito in Phoenix: Results of the 2023 Burrito Bowl