Spicy Destinations: Breaking Bread Burrito Express on South Padre Island

Bottom Line: Breaking Bread Burrito Express on South Padre Island in Texas delivers some freshly-made and filling burritos along with a friendly atmosphere.

When I am traveling, I am always looking for some interesting food stops, particularly local joints that you won’t find in other towns. South Padre Island in Texas is a favorite beach destination of mine, and it offers some pretty good food choices as well. Sure, some of the big chains are there as you would expect in any tourist location, and there are plenty of places selling good seafood. But that part of Texas is known for its Mexican food as well, and while driving down the strip a little place called Breaking Bread Burrito Express happened to catch my eye. I was on the island with a friend trying to spot sea turtles (this is nesting season and we saw one twenty-five years ago this month) and I put it on the list of places to try.

It’s a small little restaurant in a strip center that also sports a gourmet coffee shop, and it has maybe a dozen tables for people to sit at. But don’t let the size fool you because this place is delivering big flavor. As the name suggests, burritos are their thing, though you can also get tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, and bowls. The twist is that you pick what you want that they put it all together for you. They don’t particularly emphasize the spicy side, but they have plenty of ingredients available to kick up the heat.

The proteins include Bistek (seasoned and slow-cooked beef), Pollo (that’s chicken for us Gringos), Carnitas (seasoned and slow-cooked pork), and Barbacoa (season and slow-cooked cow cheek, don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it). For the breakfast proteins, you have the standard eggs, bacon, and sausage along with chorizo (spicy Mexican sausage) as well as the meats mentioned above. You can also add black beans, refried beans, charro beans, roast potatoes, Spanish rice, and/or garlic lime rice plus any of a large assortment of veggies and condiments. Hungry yet?

You pay one price ($7 for a breakfast burrito and $12 for a lunch/dinner burrito) and there is no extra charge for the add-ins (everything just has to fit in the burrito). They use fresh, locally-made extra-large flour tortillas and they toast up that burrito once it has been packed together (quite expertly by the staff) to take it to the next level.

On my first visit, I got a breakfast burrito that included eggs, chorizo, potatoes, shredded cheese, Pico de Gallo, jalapenos, and Salsa Roja. If your mouth is not watering at this point, I suggest checking your pulse. Sometimes with a large burrito like this, the flavors can all get lost in the mix. But not when you are using fresh and mostly locally-sourced ingredients. Burrito Express does just that and delivered an excellent breakfast wrapped in a tortilla that was quite filling.

After a successful morning trip, I knew I had to go back and try them out for lunch. (Just not the same day because that breakfast burrito carried me through to dinner!) Upon returning, I went with the carnitas, some Spanish rice, shredded cheese, queso fresco, Pico de Gallo, jalapenos, and guacamole. The carnitas were perfectly seasoned and tender and quite authentic (I live in San Antonio, so I have had my share of carnitas). They were the highlight of the burrito while the rest of the ingredients helped bring it all together because they are so fresh and tasty.

On the last day on the island, we made a stop on the way out and got one more breakfast burrito for the road. That time I subbed the Salsa Verde for the Salsa Roja and wished I had done that all along. That green sauce had a delicious flavor and added an extra little kick of heat that made it the perfect send-off from the island. (Though I should have bought a dozen of the tortillas to take home with me.)

Breaking Bread Burrito Express is a local place that is family owned and it delivers excellent food and a friendly, cozy atmosphere. We sat and talked with the owners while we were feasting on our burritos and they were preparing for the next wave of customers, and we enjoyed swapping stories about the island. They also have a food truck located at the front of the island which offers burgers and barbeque along with the Mexican food selections. We didn’t get around to trying that while in town, but it will be on my must-stop list when I return. And if you happen to be on the island, I highly recommend checking out Burrito Express and their food truck for some good food, friendly people, and great local flavor. They are open every day but Sunday and the hours shift based on the season.