On the Richmond Burrito Trail: Cutting Boulevard's Tacos Zaragoza

You know that feeling when you pull up to a taco truck and it’s not flashy — no neon, no Instagram signage, just a faded menu and the hum of the generator — but something tells you you’re in the right place?

That’s Tacos Zaragoza.

It’s parked quietly but confidently in front of a boarded-up fire-damaged home on South 15th and Cutting. The kind of house that Zillow tries to sell as a “rare opportunity” with “fire damage” and “strong property values,” like they’re hoping some cash buyer doesn’t know how to read between the lines. But we’re not here to flip houses.

As much fun as we had eating all kinds of Richmond Pizza, after 40 burrito-less days, the Richmond Burrito Trail was more than ready to dig into some new slabs.

We ordered two Zaragoza Burritos. One was Steak. One was Al Pastor.

While we waited, we had a chance to talk shop with a fellow burrito enthusiast. He likes Tacos Zaragoza because of the prices and cleanliness. The burritos from Las Palmas up the street used to be huge and cheaper. We laughed about how prices are up everywhere now, agreeing this one was a deal at only $13.20 per 640-gram burrito.

The steak came first.

Big and hot — like, unexpectedly hot. The kind of burrito that releases visible steam when you open it up. Full of chopped beef, not ground, and definitely not the sad, gray cafeteria meat you get when someone’s given up. This beef had texture, man. Crispy edges, dark crust like it had spent time on a flat-top with stories to tell. The kind of meat that makes you sit down even if you didn’t plan to.

Tacos Zaragoza's Al Pastor Burrito with chips and salsa.

But then came the al pastor. And that one, that’s the burrito that sticks with you.

Chunks of pork that were somehow both tender and still proud to be chunks. No mush. Just bite after bite of red-slicked glory. The pork had that deep chile flavor, smoky-sweet, and just a little heat. Grilled onions tucked inside like secrets. The red grease soaked straight through the flour tortilla, perfuming it with the kind of flavor only fat can deliver when it gets to work on carbs. It was not messy — intentional, like it knew what it was doing.

There was cheese — real, stringy, melty cheese. Sour cream that cooled it down just when it needed to. Fresh onions and cilantro that reminded you someone in that truck still cares. Pinto beans (fine), a bit of Spanish rice (restrained, thank you), and a vinegary red sauce that didn’t knock you over, but had enough edge to cut through the richness.

OK, so some refried beans and guacamole would really kick this handheld feast to another level. But there’s a certain kind of joy that doesn’t make a big scene. It just rolls up, grills some pork, and hands it to you wrapped in foil. That’s what this was. —A reminder that something doesn’t have to be perfect to be perfect right now.

The burritos come with sandwich bags filled with corn chips and extra salsa.

Let us know where to eat next, and check back next week for another stop on the Richmond Burrito Trail.

The Grandview Independent has been embarking on a culinary adventure to explore every taqueria, food truck, and restaurant in Richmond. This initiative, dubbed the “Richmond Burrito Trail,” aims to showcase our city’s diverse and delectable burritos.

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