El Carrito

El Carrito is a small Mexican restaurant on Logan Avenue in San Diego's Barrio Logan, housed in a converted trolley car that has served food since the 1940s and known today for chilaquiles.

History

The name means little car, a reference to the old streetcar that once ran along Logan Avenue and now holds the restaurant. In the 1940s Barrio leader Al Johnston bought the car and ran it as an eatery that also offered shoe shines, and it became a gathering place for neighborhood residents. Muralist Salvador Torres is said to have shined shoes there to raise money for a medical procedure. Milo Lorenzana and Carolina Santana, who helped open the ¡Salud! taco shop and own the Por Vida coffee bar nearby, later took over, repainted the car and added umbrellas and outdoor tables.

Menu

The current owners cook with family recipes from Santana's mother. Chilaquiles come in five versions, including the Chicanos with avocado sauce and Monterey Jack and the house El Carrito with poblano sauce and roasted corn, with optional meats such as carne asada, carnitas, chorizo, shrimp and fish. Café de olla, tortas, burritos and omelets round out a breakfast-heavy menu.

Reviews

References

1. "El Carrito in Barrio Logan Preserves a Little History". San Diego Magazine. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
2. "The best Mexican restaurants to try in Barrio Logan, San Diego". TheTravel. Retrieved 2026-10-10.