Cafe Rio Opens in Farmington, Closes in Layton (Temporarily)

Cafe Rio in Farmington gave free meals to the first 300 people at its ribbon-and-giant-burrito cutting today, Oct. 25. photo by Valerie Phillips

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill celebrated its opening in Farmington today with a ribbon-and-giant-burrito cutting, a donation of $2,500 to the Utah Food Bank, and free meals for the first 300 people through the doors.

Located at 426 Cabela Drive (bordered by Cabela’s and McDonald’s), this is the 30th Cafe Rio location in Utah. The opening also marks the fast-casual Mexican chain’s 20th anniversary.

Edgar Contreras of Cafe Rio and Farmington’s mayor, Jim Talbot, cut a 2-foot burrito as part of the ribbon cutting ceremonies of the new Cafe Rio. photo by Valerie Phillips

In talking to Cafe Rio’s marketing director Stacy Young, I found out that the Layton location will be closed the next three weeks for renovations. When it re-opens, the funky mismatched tables and chairs will be switched out for the more sleek, sophisticated interior of the newer CR locations. For an idea of what it will look like, you can take a peek at the Farmington location.

The fresh-Mex assembly-line concept is still the same, where you watch your meal as it’s being built to your specifications. But the ceiling height was raised in the new locations so  customers can better see into the kitchen and watch as the cooks chop tomatoes, squeeze limes, grill meat, and roll out tortillas.

Emcee Jennifer Burns (center) presented a $2,500 check to Jim Yorgason of the Utah Food Bank on behalf of Cafe Rio during the Farmington grand opening. Angie Osguthorpe, president of the Davis Chamber of Commerce (right) was also on hand for the ribbon-and-burrito-cutting.

The Cafe Rio opening makes six Mexican restaurants in Farmington City — Francisco’s Mexican Grill in the downtown area,  Javier’s on Shepard Lane, near Burt Brothers, and Costa Vida, Barbacoa and Chipotle all at Station Park. I’ve also seen an announcement that Tortilla Union Southwest Grill of Seattle will open a Station Park location in early 2018.

That’s a lot of salsa going on.

 

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