Burritos and More Cooked to Order at Sloppy's

Grid View

• 3884 4th Avenue

The corner plaza at 4th Avenue and University in Hillcrest is about to double its food offerings — Sloppy's Burritos is fast approaching its February opening (adjacent to Sake House Yu Me Ya) and just a couple doors down, Project Pie is also due to launch in just a few weeks.

Matt Belkin (nicknamed "Sloppy") and Sylvia Szudelski are originally from the Bay area, and the Sloppy's concept was born out of their frustrated search for a proper Mission-style burrito (meat, beans, rice, cheese, salsa, guacamole) in San Diego. As avid surfers, they're into healthy eating, so Sloppy's menu includes tofu (from San Diego Soy Dairy) as a protein option and five varieties of tortillas, including whole wheat, spinach and garlic-green onion.

The kitchen won't be using anything frozen or from a can, and the meats, including grassfed beef, will be "flash-grilled" to order on a teppanyaki-stye griddle; Belkin says the cooking process will take a speedy ninety seconds. There will be about 36 seats, and an outdoor patio, but Sloppy's will also have a takeout-only counter for people in a hurry.

Keeping things extra simple is the flat rate for any dish (besides burritos, you can also order rice bowls and salads), $7.25 for any combination of meats and fixings. The couple's guacamole, a secret recipe that's been entered into a Guacamole Bowl contest, will be prepared fresh all day long at a guac-station in the front window.

Though they're starting in Hillcrest, Belkin and Szudelski hope to expand the concept to include a handful of local locations — and are currently in the search for a Little Italy home for a second Sloppy's.
· Sloppy's Burritos [Official Site]
· All Plywood Reports on Eater San Diego [~ESD~]