Super Burrito brings San Francisco-style grub to Williamsburg by way of Rockaway Beach

By Scott Lynch

(Scott Lynch)

Eugene Cleghorn and Sam Neely, proprietors of the superb Super Burrito out at Rockaway Beach and, as of last week, on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, first moved to Brooklyn from the Bay Area in 2006. Burrito-wise, they were in for a shock.

“We were young and naive, and just assumed that most cities had a serviceable burrito,” Neely tells Brooklyn Magazine. “And the first one I had here … I didn’t even understand what it was.”

Back then they would fantasize over beers about opening a Mission-style burrito truck together, but it wasn’t until they wound up working the line at Rippers on the beach, in 2013, that the dream started to take shape in the real world, first as a series of popups, then as a concession stand at both the Beach 97th and Riis Park, and, finally, in the summer of 2020, with a brick and mortar Super Burrito over at Beach 69th in Arverne, Queens.

“Initially we were like ‘let’s go to Brooklyn,'” said Cleghorn. “But we both live in Rockaway, and it’s a community that’s supported us, and we have followers that aren’t just the beach-going masses, so we decided to do the first one out there. We opened in July 2020, selling burritos out the door, no one allowed inside because of the pandemic.”

The place was a hit. “It was advantageous for us to be at the beach because there was nothing else for people to do that summer,” says Cleghorn. “And everyone was about outdoor space.” But last year they started looking in Williamsburg, where they used to spend a lot of time when they first moved here, for a location that could carry their burgeoning burrito empire through the off season. The spot they found, in the neighborhood’s southeast corner where some of that old aughts-era DIY energy can still be found, was perfect. And the interior, done up in a groovy early 1980s beachside earth-tone palette, only adds to the throwback vibe.

Fully loaded (Scott Lynch)

The Super Burrito menu here is stacked with excellent options, anchored, unsurprisingly, by Neely and Cleghorn’s San Francisco Mission-style burritos. These are magnificent beasts, stuffed with your choice of carne asada, al pastor, grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, or poblano peppers, plus rice, beans, jack cheese, pico de gallo, and salsa.

The carne asada burrito (Scott Lynch)

You don’t need anything more — it’s a massive meal as it is, and comfortably under $20 — but you can include avocado, sour cream, or extra meat if you want. Key ingredient: the La Colonial flour tortillas, suppliers of iconic Bay Area spots like La Taqueria. Neely and Cleghorn ship these chewy beauties in by the hundreds.

If you really want to stuff yourself silly, the smothered burrito is crazy delicious. Basically it’s any burrito you want, glopped-up with more melted cheese and drenched in a zingy red enchilada sauce.

Smothered grilled chicken burrito in enchilada sauce; $14.95 (Scott Lynch)

The Super Burrito bowls sub out the tortillas for lettuce and are also very good.

 Al pastor pork burrito bowl; $12.95 (Scott Lynch)

There are also tacos, chips and queso, chips and guac, and some great, griddled-up quesadillas. Look for a bunch of specials involving seasoned ground beef coming soon, and a rad-sounding “hamburguesa” with melted American, ham, and jalapeño pepper jelly.

As for the meat, the tender and fatty carne asada beef, the pineapple-y al pastor pork, the juicy chicken were all terrific, so order with confidence across the board. Good sodas and, as soon as their liquor license comes in (it was “due” in mid-November), beer and pre-made cocktails make up your beverage choices.

Speaking of liquor, the other, more unexpected part of Super Burrito is a retro backroom lounge bar, which is ready for action the second that license arrives. It’s not a speakeasy — the door is clearly marked — but it does have a different vibe from the counter-service restaurant up front. Or, at least, it’s definitely dimmer and hip in a dive-bar kind of way. In addition to all the booze, you’ll be able to order the full Super Burrito menu back here until 10:00 p.m., then a late-night menu until closing.

The backroom lounge (Scott Lynch)

The bar wasn’t part of the original plans, but the space they found here on Bedford was so large, and their rent so reasonable, they decided to go all in on community-building and create a place where their friends and “neighborhood old heads” could hang out. As Heely puts it: “In this robot world, we’re on the side of humanity.”

The Williamsburg Super Burrito is located at 320 Bedford Avenue, between South 3rd and South 2nd Streets, and is currently open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The bar area will stay open until around midnight or 2 a.m., depending on the night. (347-599-0533)