Our favourite handmade burritos place are saying goodbye for the moment. Yes, one of the most iconic restaurants in East Los Angeles is closing its doors, and we are so sad about hearing this new… We’re talking about Azteca Tortillería, located on Cesar Chavez Boulevard, we are sure you know what place are we talking about, huh?
It’s been over five decades of serving burritos, filling our bellies and satisfying the cravings of so many, for sure! But now, the Tortillería is bidding farewell to its original location on July 13. The reason: a rent increase and new restrictions imposed by the property owner.
The closure has caused shock among the loyalist customers who for years lined up, sometimes for over an hour, to enjoy their legendary chile relleno burrito (yummy, god). But not all is lost, wait for it, the second location, opened in 2023, will remain open and operating seven days a week, just two miles from the original spot, thank goodness!
Half a century of history and flavour
A local institution, a historic one, we’d say. Even recognized by the prestigious Michelin Guide, which in 2021 awarded it the Bib Gourmand, a distinction for restaurants offering great quality at a good price, of course!
It also appeared on Pulitzer Prize winner Jonathan Gold’s list of the top five burritos in Los Angeles. And yes, it’s our favourite place to eat burritos too!
Handmade burritos every day
In its small dining area, you could see the team preparing fresh flour tortillas, soft and perfectly elastic. According to Michelin, these tortillas had “a richness and texture that others cannot match”, in other words, delicious! The menu featured nearly twenty different types of burritos, but the absolute favourite was the chile relleno burrito, filled with a poblano pepper, refried beans, and cheese, yummy, just thinking about it makes our mouths water!
Why is the original location closing?
According to sources close to the business, the closure is not due to a lack of customers, quite the opposite. It’s because of a rent increase and new limitations imposed by the property owner… after 50 years!
A closure that leaves a mark
For decades, La Azteca was a meeting point for families, workers, tourists, and lovers of authentic food. Its wall full of awards and press clippings said it all, it was a place that marked a before and after in the world of burritos. Now we’ll only have the other location to enjoy this wonder.
The new Azteca, just two miles from the original
For those who can’t live without their chile relleno fix (like us), the new location will keep operating as usual, so there’s nothing to fear!
It might not have the nostalgic weight of the original, but the recipe, the team, and the flavour will remain the same.
A new chapter for a legend
La Azteca on Cesar Chavez Boulevard says goodbye and closes the end of an era, but not the end of its legacy. It all comes down to the dynamics of the real estate market (and well, a bit of capitalism too, let’s not leave that out), but for now, nothing can stop our favorite Tortillería.
A piece of Los Angeles history is closing, but its flavour will thankfully live on for a long time. Please don’t make us say goodbye to poblano peppers, we’re not ready yet! You probably understand too, with just one bite, it’s easy to see why people crossed the entire city for one of these burritos, right? Long live Azteca Tortillería!
