Great news for fans of Mexican and Central American cuisine. St. Paul-based El Burrito Mercado, one of the oldest, biggest and best of the local Latino markets, has opened up a Minneapolis branch in the Midtown Global Market, and is now serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Service is cafeteria style, featuring many of the same items as their St. Paul location: tacos, tamales, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas and guisado platters – pork, beef or chicken stews ($7.50). Prices for the platillos Mexicanos range from $5.50 for the vegetarian platter to $11.99 for the fajitas combo, with most items under $8. Most platillos include rice, beans and tortillas. Also available are pupusas, a traditional Salvadoran food: thick handmade corn tortillas stuffed with cheese or pork rinds ($2.65).

Breakfast items include huevos con chorizo o nopalitos (eggs scrambled with chorizo or cactus, $5.99); chilaquiles (corn tortillas cooked in red or green salsa with cheese and sour cream, $5.95), huevos rancheros ($5.25) and more. 

Author: Jeremy Iggers

Jeremy Iggers is a journalist, university instructor and social entrepreneur with interests that include food, philosophy and global-local connections. Previously, he was a staff writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and publisher of the Twin Cities Daily Planet. He lives in south Minneapolis with his wife Carol and two cats.