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Written by Max Balzer, 12/04/2025
The 1320 Yonge campus has been abuzz for months about the looming opening of a new location of Chipotle Mexican Grill, the popular fast casual build-your-own chain. The signs first went up early in September, and now, three long months later, the location is ready to open.
Chipotle invited me to check out the Yonge & St. Clair location a early at a soft opening event. The restaurant is conveniently located at the corner of Yonge Street and Pleasant Boulevard, steps from the St. Clair subway station, a block south of Yonge’s intersection with St. Clair, and most importantly, two blocks north of York.
A Chipotle spokesperson told me that it’s equally important to them to serve classically-cooked, real food, and to establish local partnerships, and Yonge & St. Clair feels like a great fit for that goal. This location is bound to be a stop on the student body’s lunch circuit, and for good reason. It’s a well-rounded and thoughtfully designed location, with a corner unit right in the middle of the action, with Chipotle-classic floor-to-ceiling windows, and warm, welcoming team members behind the bar.
The food was more delicious than I’ve had at any Chipotle location before — prepared in a shiny, brand-new kitchen — and the ordering area flowed well as guests walked in from the front door and down the bar to the cashier, efficiency that will be appreciated during the 11:40 A.M. lunch block.
My Chipotle order has always been, and will always be, the online-order exclusive Quesadilla, and it came out hot and very fresh off of the grill. Behind the counter was quite the operation — upwards of 15 employees scurried around the kitchen moving bags of chips, grilling chicken and steak, and shuttling quesadillas and burritos from the griddles on the back wall. And yet, the warm and welcoming workforce managed to make turning around entrees in 90 seconds for a line-up of guests look effortless.
The restaurant is open and bright, with an established build-your-own bar area, a drink station, and a dedicated mobile pick-up shelf. It’s designed in the classic Chipotle style, with modern wood and leather features, plus industrial-style metal high tables that run through the centre of the restaurant. From the outside, the restaurant is bright, modern, inviting, and brings good energy to an increasingly dark and wintry Yonge Street.
Aside from the classic high tables, of which there are many, there are plenty of seating options, especially taking advantage of the large windows. On the right-side wall of windows, there are low stools at a long bar table providing window seats that look out on the Pleasant and Yonge intersection. Further back, three double tables are a quieter place to sit away from the busy centre of the restaurant. And at the front, another double table and three more window seats look out on Yonge Street.
I chatted with the restaurant manager on the way out who told me how exciting this new location was for her community. Many of her friends and family, as well as the employees’, were at the event, too. She shared that she’s looking forward to serving everyone in this neighbourhood with this new location — including us, after we let her know the York rush to expect on opening day.
The new Chipotle Mexican Grill at Yonge & St. Clair will open Thursday, December 4th at 10:45 A.M.
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