Hola! to Belmont's Burrito Cafe

Thursday and Friday were suppose to be part of the "quiet" opening for Belmont's newest restaurant, Cafe Burrito, that is adjacent to Belmont's Studio Cinema at 374 Trapelo Rd.

But the employees had to close the store early on Thursday when they ran out of food and Friday saw trucks parked outside the Central Square location to urgently restock supplies in the brightly-colored restaurant.

"Yesterday and today have really busy," said one of the cafe's employees.

And today, Saturday, Aug. 11, Cafe Burrito is holding its official grand opening as Belmont welcomes the first Mexican restaurant in town.

On Friday, a line of lunch-time customers ordered burritos, quesadillas, Mexican grilled cheese and tacos, lemonade and smoothies, and sat down at the two tables and along counter space that faced Trapelo.

Michele Gallo from nearby Bartlett Avenue came with friends to "try it out" while orders were also coming in from a bank across the street.

"We really didn't think that we would have this many people," said head chief Dan Whalen, who once assisted in the making of gelatos at the former Angelato at the same location as the restaurant.

On Friday, he was behind the counter with his assistant, Kathy Day, filling orders as owner James Bramante – he also owns the Studio and West Newton cinemas with his brother – scrambled to help where ever he could.

Whalen, a self-professed "foodie" who writes a popular blog, The Food in my Beard, created the cafe's food fare "to keep things different but also giving greater choices on a standard menu."

Included on yesterday's menu was BBQ chicken, pulled pork and coffee-infused beef along with a seasonal salsa (that would be peach this summer) that come with the signature "Mission-style" burritos that customers will be made to order.

The cafe will also have a complete early morning menu with espresso drinks, organic loose teas and bakery items.

The hybrid coffee/pastry cafe and Mexican-inspired restaurant have been popular in the San Francisco Bay area, a trend that Bramante hopes will garner the same

For Gallo, not only was the meal – bean and rice burrito – great but having a new eatery, especially a Mexican one, "is something we have been hoping for for a while. It's great that it's here."