NC Mexican restaurant chain chooses downtown Rock Hill for its first site in SC
Rock Hill will have another food option in University Center with the planned opening of Dank Burrito early next year.
The North Carolina restaurant chain will open its newest location at 343 Technology Center Way in The Park at University Center. This is the company’s first expansion into South Carolina.
Dank Burrito offers burritos, tacos, bowls and salads. The 3,300-square-foot Rock Hill location will offer five craft beers, wine, canned beer and seltzers.
Menu options include a Danksgiving burrito, Cheerwine beef quesadilla and Nashville hot chicken burrito plus scratch-made salsa, slaw, kimchi and guacamole, according to a company announcement for the new site. Pork belly, honey trufle Buffalo chicken, carne asada, tree hugger (vegetarian) and cheesesteak options are available in burritos, bowls or tacos.
“Dank Burrito is not your typical burrito joint where the same tired flavors are used,” said owner Clarke Merrell. The company announced plans to open the new site in January.
It’s part of The Park, with 17,000 square feet of retail space and 450 parking spaces in one of several new decks in University Center.
Neighboring properties in University Center include the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center, the 225,000-square-foot Lowenstein Building office and retail area, a Cambria hotel, The Power Plant with apartments and a food hall, The Nest with other apartment space and multiple parking decks.
University Center is a central piece to the city’s redevelopment of former mill and industrial areas downtown. Some sites shuttered for decades are now opening businesses, apartments and retail space.
More Mexican food options in Rock Hill
Dank Burrito continues a Mexican food trend in the Rock Hill region, and specifically the city, toward new restaurants.
Several new Chipotle and Moe’s Southwest Grill sites have opened in York and Lancaster counties the past couple of years. There was the short-lived Cantina concept at Legal Remedy Brewing offering Mexican food dishes. Casa Tequila and Ay Papi Tacos & Tequila opened two years ago, both in Rock Hill.
The food hall at the neighboring Power House site added Chilango Tacos Y Mas earlier this year. Rock Taco opened in downtown Rock Hill just this month. Those spots don’t include a host of area food trucks with taco, burrito and similar options.
Highly anticipated Mexican restaurant in downtown Rock Hill is finally opening
Dank Burrito started as a food truck in Morehead City, North Carolina in 2014. The first storefront opened there the following year. A Raleigh food hall opened another in 2019.
The company intends to franchise more locations after the Rock Hill one, largely across the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.
