Chipotle Coming to Madison

Chipotle Mexican Grill is coming to Madison.

The fast-casual restaurant chain will use part of the space at 6 Main Street that formerly housed Atlanta Bread Company.

Chipotle signs in the window advise "Burritofication in Progress." A company spokesman said Friday the opening is "still too far off to put a date to it" and that it could open mid-year.

Chipotle has a restaurant in East Hanover at 368 Route 10.

Atlanta Bread closed at the end of October after its lease was up and not renewed. The owner of the property decided to divide the space in two with Chipotle to use the section closest to Main Street.

It is not known if another tenant has been lined up for the space next-door.

Chipotle sells burritos, tacos and salads that it boasts are made from fresh, high-quality ingredients. Chipotle opened its first restaurant in Denver, Colo., in 1993 and currently operates over 1,400 restaurants.

A recent New Jersey retail real estate report mentioned a Chipotle location in Madison, as well as new locations in South Plainfield, Toms River and West Windsor. Chipotle said in February the company expects to open 165 to 180 new restaurants in 2013.

A zoning application for the Madison Chipotle was approved by the borough's zoning officer Nov. 8. Around a month before that, Atlanta Bread posted a sign denying rumors it was going to be replaced by Chipotle.