On the Richmond Burrito Trail: Lidia’s Restaurant brings big flavors to Fourth and Nevin

Lidia’s Restaurant is the latest stop on Richmond’s Burrito Trail. It offers Mission-Style Burritos in a building that has long served the community. Located near Kaiser Permanente, the Richmond History Museum, and Nevin Community Center, the restaurant occupies the same space that housed La Perla Delicatessen – a neighborhood institution for 63 years before its closure in 2012.

We hiked across town to Lidia’s Restaurant, located in a richly painted red building at the corner of Fourth and Nevin. It is hard to miss. The sign said open so we headed inside but found most of the lights off, and the counter was uncrewed, which left us questioning if the eatery was actually open.

Natural light streamed in through the barred windows, and we noticed a couple of people scrolling their phones in a waiting-for-lunch kind of way. So we pressed on ordering a Carne Asada Super Burrito when our order taker emerged from the back.  

Lidia’s Super Steak Burrito is a standout, featuring a generous portion of tender, well-seasoned steak, balanced with creamy refried beans, melted cheese, sour cream, crunchy pico de gallo, and fluffy Spanish rice. Lidia’s also put an end to our Guac Drought. We don’t think a burrito is required to have guacamole to be good, but we do think a burrito without guacamole can’t be great.

The 722-gram slab had a pleasant heat but nothing we would call spicy. It comes with chips and salsa for $14.54. Our mysterious wrap artist in the back of the restaurant expertly constructed an eminently satisfying burrito. When done correctly, something happens inside a burrito. The refried beans start melting the cheese into the rice, the saucy meat starts flavoring the cheesy rice and beans, and then the guacamole and pico de gallo push the yumminess to a new level. We ate the whole thing and were not left hungry.

Lidia’s Restaurant also offers a number of non-taqueria fare, including Italian-inspired dishes such as fettuccini alfredo with shrimp, burgers, and fries. You wouldn’t know it from photos posted on Yelp, which are replete with photos of tacos, menudo, soups, and the often-mentioned Green huarache, a dish of fried masa dough in the shape of an oval topped with green salsa, beans, and other ingredients.

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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