Boca Grande offers on-campus alternative for student burrito fix

Julie McKinney

Students don’t have to go to Chipotle to find belly-busting burritos anymore.

Spicy salsa, cool guacamole and all the same trimmings can be found on the Kent State campus.

The newest addition to Kent State Dining Services, Boca Grande Burritos, has been open since last month in Prentice Caf‚ and will debut its second location today at Kent Market 2, on the second floor of the Student Center.

An official grand opening will take place today at 10:30 a.m. for Kent Market 2 and at 4:30 p.m. for Prentice Caf‚.

All students who pass through the line on Monday will receive a Frequent Buyer Card, said Autumn Piller, marketing manager for Dining Services.

“The cool thing about this is the first 100 customers to go through the line (on Monday) will be given a free T-shirt and their picture will be taken that will go up on our Web site,” she said. “So, they can be part of KSU Dining Services history for the official Grand Opening of Boca Grande Burritos.”

In Spanish, “boca grande” means big-mouthed, making it an appropriate name for the two-pound burritos.

“It was definitely filling — I’m not hungry (now),” said Matt Moak, freshman music composition major, after finishing his Boca Grande burrito.

Like Chipotle, Boca Grande offers burritos, fajitas, burrito bowls and salads. Students also have the choice of chicken, tofu, steak and vegetarian options.

“We wanted it to be a Chipotle-style thing,” said Lyndsay Kimbro, senior special education major and Prentice Caf‚ student manager. “It’s good especially for people who don’t have cars — they can get it right here on campus.”

Kimbro said newer students are more attracted to Boca Grande, but now that they are officially open, hopefully more students will eat there.

Contact room and board reporter Julie McKinney at [email protected].