‘Welcome to Moe’s!’: Southwest-Style Food Chain May Come to Wallingford

The taco-and-burrito-serving food chain, Moe’s Southwest Grill, is looking to bring its business to Wallingford.

The restaurant chain submitted an application to the Planning & Zoning office earlier in March seeking to open one of its establishments in the former Pocket Wireless building, which is located in the Route 5 plaza that also houses the Holiday Stadium 10 Cinemas, Oriental Express, Breugger’s Bagels and the Wood-n-Tap, among other stores.

According to paperwork filed with the P&Z office, Moe’s said it wants to convert the former 2,087 square-foot retail space into a dining establishment, a move that will also require reducing the parking in that section by 20 spaces.

Moe’s is expected to formally present its restaurant proposal during P&Z Commission's regular monthly meeting on April 8.

Town Planner Kacie Costello said the commission could very well vote on Moe’s plan that evening, provided that the restaurant chain is ready to go with all of its paperwork and requests. 

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Because the plaza generates 100 peak-hour cars every day, Moe’s had to apply for a special permit as the restaurant is expected to have an effect on traffic, Costello explained.

The special permit process is a typical procedure in this situation, Costello said, since restaurants have a different level of traffic generation when compared to a retail space.

Moe’s is a relatively new food chain, having started in 2000 in Atlanta, GA, according to the company’s website. There are other locations in Connecticut, including in West Hartford, Glastonbury, Hartford and Mansfield.