Chipotle has announced the opening of a restaurant called Farmesa in Santa Monica, California. The concept will soft launch with an abbreviated menu and limited hours before officially rolling out next month.
Farmesa is a fast-casual restaurant featuring bowls that include a protein, green or grain, two sides, a choice of five sauces, and a topping option. They range in price from $11.95 to $16.95.
"One of our strategic objectives is to create or invest in emerging culinary spaces and restaurant concepts that fit within Chipotle's food with integrity mission and make fresh food daily," said Brian Niccol, chairman and CEO of Chipotle, in a statement. "Our New Ventures team, which was created in 2022, developed a unique restaurant concept that uses classic culinary techniques with flavorful ingredients in a fast-casual setting that we're excited to test and learn on before we determine a broader rollout strategy."
The flagship location is within a ghost kitchen provided by Kitchen United Mix. Meals can be ordered online via food delivery apps or onsite.
"Launching Farmesa in the Kitchen United Mix food hall in Santa Monica and partnering with third-party partners for pickup or delivery will allow us to reach a large number of consumers, learn quickly, and evolve our concept and menu so that we can deliver on our goals before expanding," said Nate Lawton, VP of new ventures at Chipotle, in a statement.
James Beard Award-winning Chef Nate Appleman, who serves as the director of culinary innovation at Farmesa, created the menu for the restaurant. He previously led Chipotle’s menu innovations in the mid- to late- 2000s.
Each bowl will launch with a limited run to help the team learn cooking techniques and maximize output, according to the company. The concept's full menu will include dishes like Classic Santa Maria-Style Grilled Tri-Tip Steak, Everything Spice-Crusted Ora King Salmon, Whipped Potatoes, Golden Beets, Sprouted Cauliflower, and Sweet Potato Chips.
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