New restaurants set to spice up Swampscott

SWAMPSCOTT – Vinnin Square will be getting “muy caliente” with Chipotle Mexican Grill seeking a liquor license and a Qdoba Mexican Grill moving into the old Blockbuster space around the corner.At a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting Wednesday night, board members approved the petition of the Chipotle at 450 Paradise Road for a special permit seeking a wine and beer license for their restaurant, said Chairman Marc Kornitsky.Town Administrative Assistant Maureen Shultz said Chipotle representatives have the application to apply for the license, but have not turned it in yet. After the application is turned in, it will be up to the selectmen whether to approve the license.The board members also approved the petition for a special permit, plus parking and loading requirement permits to change the vacant Blockbuster Video at 1016 Paradise Road to a Qdoba, just a few parking lots over from Chipotle.The proximity of the restaurants, coupled with their similar service with bars filled with varying types of meat, tortillas, cheese, sauce, salsas and guacamole could lead one to predict these restaurants will be fighting for customers, but this won’t be their first time sharing, and thriving in, a neighborhood.Both Chipotle and Qdoba share a road in both Saugus, with Chipotle at 444 Broadway and Qdoba at 366 Broadway, and in Peabody, with Chipotle at 201 Andover St. and Qdoba at 229 Andover St.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].