This Colorado Build-Your-Own Burrito Chain Serves Traditional Green Chili (It's Not Chipotle Or Qdoba)

There is no shortage of restaurant chains that got their start in the Centennial State, with many of them now holding territory across the country. But while these restaurants may have popped up in Colorado, they don't necessarily showcase much of the local cuisine. This is, of course, not a state that is known for its food quite like, say, Louisiana, but there are some dishes that Coloradans hold dear. Stopping into an Illegal Pete's — a fast casual burrito chain from Boulder — customers can order up one such Colorado delicacy: green chili.

Now, when we say green chili, we aren't just talking about the roasted peppers. On Illegal Pete's menu, and throughout the kitchens of Colorado and New Mexico to the south, green chile (as it's dubbed by the chain) also refers to pork chili verde, a braised pork stew that's typically made with tomatillos and plenty of green chiles. At the burrito restaurant born on The Hill near the CU Boulder campus, this green chili is offered in two forms, pork-filled and vegan, primarily meant for smothering burritos in rich, spicy, savory flavor.

The restaurant's suggestion for the ideal way to enjoy this Colorado favorite is what it calls the OGCB, or Original Green Chile Burrito. Illegal Pete's is a build-your-own burrito chain, but does sometimes feature items like this that come with a specific lineup of ingredients. In this case, the OGCB contains cilantro-lime rice, pinto beans, braised beef barbacoa, sour cream, a mixture of sharp cheddar and Oaxaca cheeses, and, naturally, plenty of its signature green chile poured over the top.

In many ways, Illegal Pete's is very similar to some other restaurant chains born in the Denver area. It is, by and large, a fast casual, build-your-own burrito restaurant, much like certain more widespread chains. The first Chipotle restaurant was in Denver, as was the first Qdoba — though it was called Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill back then. All three of these chains got started within a matter of years, with Chipotle in 1993 and the other two in 1995, but their trajectories have been quite different. Chipotle now has roughly 4,000 restaurants around the world, while Qdoba has around 800, and Illegal Pete's just 14 (nearly all of which remain in Colorado). But the model at Illegal Pete's is slightly different, offering amenities that separate the chain from its fast casual competitors.

The most significant difference that customers will find at Illegal Pete's is that each of the restaurants also boasts a full bar and selection of craft beers. Some Chipotle restaurants do serve alcohol — and select Qdoba restaurants have been known to, as well — but not like Illegal Pete's. Along with that green-chile-smothered burrito, patrons can sidle up to the bar for a cold pint, a variety of different margaritas, or house cocktails like the Illegal Peach — a boozy, peachy take on an Arnold Palmer. There's even an ample mocktail menu.

Boasting just one out-of-state location in Tucson, Arizona, Illegal Pete's may not have expanded in quite the same way that its fellow Colorado-based burrito chain competitors have, but it has stayed true to its roots. The chain has maintained a commitment to supporting the arts, promoting community, and continuing to sling that Colorado classic, chile verde.