Chipotle to Open Monday in Riverside “If all the Stars Line up Correctly”

Back in early September a representative from Chipotle addressed the ARC signage subcomittee with plans for signs at 1233 East Putnam Ave. This signaled the chain’s plans to expand beyond their popular spot on 49 Greenwich Ave, next to MacInspires.

It  also meant the end of a long run for Hunan Cafe, which had operated out of the end spot in Riverside Commons for many years.

The green awning must stay, said the Architectural Review Committee members to Chipotle’s representative back in September. Only the word Chipotle can be illuminated. Town rules don’t allow illuminated logos.

Screen Shot 2014-09-03 at 9.25.10 AMNine months later, the wait may be over. Hunan Cafe is gone and Chipotle is set to open.

The restaurant chain is unique in its promise “…to to source vegetables grown in healthy soil and pork from pigs allowed to freely root and roam outdoors or in deeply bedded barns.”

The value proposition aligns well with those of residents in Greenwich. The restaurant sources from farms rather than factories, which Chipotle admits means spending more on ingredients than many other restaurants.

On Sunday, there was a fair amount of activity inside the restaurant, but a a sign on the doors of the restaurant read, “NOT QUITE YET. If all the stars line up correctly, nothing unforeseen happens and fate smiles upon us, we will be opening Monday, May 18th at 11:00am.”

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Customers will access the popular Mexican grill via the five-way intersection at the nexus of Rte 1 and exit 5 off I-95. Judging from the popularity of Chipotle on Greenwich Avenue, in Riverside, the new location will become a destination and the busy intersection which will have to accommodate added traffic, which is likely the last thought on the minds of Chipotle lovers.

See also: Chipotle is Coming to Riverside, Greenwich Hardware Yields to “Posh Spa” on the Ave