On the Richmond Burrito Trail: Cutting Boulevard's Taqueria Chavinda
We found it! This is the burrito we were searching for, and we found it in an unassuming yet exceptional taqueria tucked next to Uncle Sam’s Liquors on Cutting Boulevard.
We found it! This is the burrito we were searching for, and we found it in an unassuming yet exceptional taqueria tucked next to Uncle Sam’s Liquors on Cutting Boulevard. Taqueria Chavinda delivers exactly what the Richmond Burrito Trail has been searching for. Their burritos are massive, packed with flavor, and don’t cost much.
It has been almost exactly 10 years since we last visited, and not much has changed. Taqueria Chavinda is a small restaurant with a few tables and a high counter facing the kitchen, allowing burrito eaters like us to watch the preparation of our tubular lunch.
You get a truly massive burrito, lovingly assembled right on the grill. The process itself is almost hypnotic: first, a tortilla hits the heat, creating that perfect toasted flavor. Then come the layers — rice, pinto beans, a generous heap of grated cheese, fresh cilantro, and onions (no tomatoes here). A few spoonfuls of cream flung from a big bucket add a rich creaminess. Then, the saucy meat — completes the masterpiece.
But Taqueria Chavinda’s burrito artisan has one more trick up her sleeve. She gives all the ingredients a couple of gentle tosses, mixing your beans with your rice with your cheese and onions and cilantro before rolling your burrito up right on the grill.
Danielle Parenteau-Decker
And the salsas? Oh, the salsas. The green tomatillo salsa is bright and fresh, but it’s the red sauce that steals the show — deep, complex, and fiery in just the right way. You only get a small container, but just a little dab on your burrito, she says with a kiss to the air, signals the sauce is really the burrito's cake topper.
Everything is freshly made in-house. The burritos here are generously sized but loosely wrapped and delightfully comforting from all that gooey, stretchy melted cheese. Every bite delivers a mix of textures and flavors that remind us why burritos are an art form.
But that’s not all — Taqueria Chavinda invites you back on the weekends for menudo, providing a front-row seat on how it is prepared. The handmade tortillas are pressed and cooked to order right before you as the tripe is chopped and combined with a rich, red broth.
The result? A comforting, flavorful bowl perfect for a cold, rainy day, complete with onions, cilantro, limes, and a bit of heat from that aforementioned red salsa. So maybe for some, menudo is less approachable than a burrito, but authentic dishes like this are where the flavors that make our burritos so delicious come from.
Taqueria Chavinda’s burrito tips the scale at 829 grams and pokes out of your to-go bag. It comes with chips and salsa for just $14. Bring cash because the card machine doesn’t always work.
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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