New Chipotle restaurant in works for Pittsburgh Mills

A new eatery could be coming to the Pittsburgh Mills complex.

Developers are seeking to bring a Chipotle Mexican Grill to a spot near the Lowe’s store along Village Center Drive.

Plans are still in the initial stages.

Cardinal Realty applied for subdivision and land development approvals from Frazer supervisors. The company is in negotiations to purchase the parcel, which would be subdivided from a corner of the parking lot at Lowe’s.

Cardinal Realty representatives could not be reached for comment.

The company is scheduled to have a public hearing on the conditional use at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 during the next regular township meeting.

Chipotle was founded in 1993 in Denver and has grown wildly popular for its fast-but-fresh food approach.

It specializes in tacos, burritos, salads and bowls that are compiled within view from behind a glass counter for each customer.

The restaurant is noted for its sustainability goals, including a program to recycle plastic gloves worn during food preparation into waste bags that are used in-house.

The chain boasts using only 53 ingredients, and its slogan emphasizes “the only ingredient that is hard to pronounce at Chipotle is ‘chipotle.’ ”

There are nearly 3,000 Chipotle restaurants across the country, with nearby locations in The Waterworks near Fox Chapel and also in Hampton and Monroeville.

If approved in Frazer, the new restaurant would sit in the Lowe’s parking lot adjacent to the Starbucks plaza.

Supervisor Lori Ziencik said there is no timeline for construction or opening since the approval process just started.

“They have to get through these things first, but the wheels are in motion,” she said.