Chipotle

When Chipotle founder Steve Ells opened a humble burrito shop in Denver in 1993, he had dreams that were both much bigger and much smaller than what he’d eventually create. In short, Chipotle — which opened as Chipotle No.1 — was meant to be a cash cow that Ells could eventually funnel into a fine dining establishment. But the BYOB (build your own burrito) joint blew up, and is now synonymous with the fast-casual, counter-serve spots that are crucial to every roadtrip, ski day and bout of dinner indecision the world over. The original location, 1644 E. Evans Ave., is still a Chipotle.