Any time is "burrito time" with the right attitude!

Let's be honest with ourselves: burritos are awesome. Californian, fried, breakfast, smothered—it doesn't matter what adjective is in front of the word, seeing burrito on a menu is a good sign that it's time to order a burrito. And Denver's diverse dining scene has no shortage of awesome burrito hookups. So many, in fact, that you could easily order burritos from a different place every day, and it would be years before you had to revisit a place.

We're about to save you a couple of years worth of empirical burrito experimentation: here are the best burritos you can find in Denver.

Honorable Mention: Illegal Pete's

Courtesy of Illegal Pete's

Anybody familiar with Denver's restaurant scene should know about Illegal Pete's. In many ways, this restaurant is like a better version of Chipolte, offering a similar build-your-own burrito setup with similar toppings and ingredients available. What sets Illegal Pete's far, far above Chipolte is the sheer quality of the food available there. From their slow-cooked carnitas to their fresh pickled jalapenos, this place is a seriously awesome go-to for a burrito on the go. As an added bonus, they actually mix the content of your burrito before they wrap it. Your days of biting into a mouthful of pure tortilla and guacamole are over! 

Best Smothered Burritos: 3 Margaritas

Courtesy of 3 Margaritas

This restaurant is a Denver staple for a reason: it's awesome. In fact, 3 Margaritas could have easily won several of the other awards on this list too, but "best-smothered burrito" feels the most appropriate. While margaritas might not be direct grading criteria for this article, the fact that 3 Margaritas has frequent weeknight specials on delicious house margaritas certainly helps! 

Best Breakfast Burritos: El Zarape

Courtesy of El Zarape

Don't be fooled by El Zarpe's compact storefront and hand-drawn lettering: this place is top-tier. In fact, seasoned burrito connoisseurs will recognize El Zarape as the go-to place for drive-thru breakfast burritos in Denver. Even better, these breakfast burritos are those inexpensive, small ones, allowing you to sample the entire menu in a single meal. Just don't expect to run around too much afterward. 

Best Late-Night Burritos: Tacos Rapidos

Courtesy of Tacos Rapidos

If you're looking for a late-night refuel (or just trying to snack away an impending hangover), it's hard to do better than Tacos Rapidos. While their burritos might not feature the same picturesque plating as some of the other places on this list, they more than compensate with an abundance of delicious fillings. Seriously, each burrito feels like you're eating a whole cow, pig, or chicken coop worth of meat. No matter what strange late-night decisions lead you to Tacos Rapidos, any item from their burrito menu is sure to be a winner. 

Best Sushi Burritos: Motomaki

Courtesy of Motomaki

Okay, sushi burritos might not seem like an obvious contender on this list, but hear us out. If there's one food (or set of ingredients) that perfectly handles the transition to burrito format, it's sushi. If nothing else, you can think of the burrito presentation as a single GIANT roll—one that you can comfortably hold like a burrito and eat with both hands. Regardless of how you slice it (or munch it), Motomaki's top-notch menu of sushi- and poke-derived burritos more than earns it a place on this list. 

If you'll excuse us, burrito doesn't look like a real word anymore.