Flash back five years to an overwhelmed young man from the California Bay Area trying to navigate his first week living in New York City. Now living by Union Square, there was no shortage of questions running through my head, but one stood out above all others, “where the heck am I supposed to get a good burrito around here?” Sure there were no shortage of Mexican food chains on the blocks surrounding me, but growing up with countless delicious mom and pop taquerias around me, I learned not to settle for merely a passable burrito. Thankfully it wasn’t long before I found myself enticed by the smells of grilled meats emanating from somewhere near my dorm. So I followed my nose and found Dos Toros, my go to source for burritos on the east coast.

Founded by two brothers also from the Bay Area who faced the same burrito withdrawals I did when they moved to NY, Dos Toros takes the fast food burrito and merges it with more authentic Mexican sensibilities. While the place may look at first glance like one of those other burrito places, what sets it apart are the small touches they bring to their food. Their freshly steamed tortillas and rich flavorful rice instantly sets themselves apart from the drier and blander competition. Their naturally raised meats are perfectly seasoned and charred, plus their various house hot sauces offer the perfect compliment to any level of heat seeker. And then there’s the cherry on top, smooth guacamole from Haas avocados giving it a perfect notes of both salt and sweetness. Matched with some freshly fried house tortilla chips and you’ve got yourself a satisfyingly filling meal

Since discovering the New York chain almost five years ago, I’ve found myself making a weekly pilgrimage to one of their 12 locations no matter where I’m living. Between the warm staff assembling your meal for you and their strong social media footprint, I’m certainly not the only person to have been charmed by this taqueria. Though they may only be located in New York and Brooklyn currently, with this still young company set to open their 13^th location later this month, don’t be surprised if this delicious burrito spot continues to grow. And as along as they maintain their west coast authenticity, I’ll be making my weekly trip wherever they show up next