California burrito is the specialty of San Diego, which is also the place where it was invented. It was originally made as a way to feed the city's hungry surfers, because there is a dominant beach culture in San Diego. The burrito usually consists of a flour tortilla stuffed with carne asada, large amounts of cheese, french fries, sour cream, and guacamole.

It is believed that the potatoes and avocados were added to the burrito in order to mask or neutralize the intense Mexican spices. Interestingly, the earliest mention of California burrito was found in an article from the Albuquerque Tribune, published in 1995.