Illegal Pete’s, a Colorado-based Mexican concept that’s stirred controversy because of its name, will make its Valley debut late this summer on Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe.
The chain will take over the former My Big Fat Greek Restaurant, which closed last December near Mill and Fifth Street.
Illegal Pete’s launched in Boulder, Colo., in 1995 and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Much like Chipotle, the quick-service menu focuses on assembly-line burritos, tacos, and bowls.
The restaurant uses antibiotic- and hormone-free Niman Ranch meats, preservative-free tortillas, and made-from-scratch salsas.
Nine of Illegal Pete’s 10 current locations are in Boulder and Denver. The chain expanded to Tucson in 2015, when University of Arizona students picketing its opening.
Owner Pete Turner defends the restaurant’s name, saying it simply refers to a ‘‘countercultural atmosphere’’ he’s trying to foster.
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