Cafe Rio

Infobox_Company
company_name=Cafe Rio
company_type=Restaurant
location=Utah / Arizona / Nevada
foundation=1997
industry=casual dining restaurant
homepage= [http://www.caferio.com/ www.caferio.com]

Cafe Rio is a restaurant chain prominent in Utah, with branches in Arizona and Nevada with emphasis on expanding to California and Idaho, serving a variety of Mexican style food. At the end of 2007, it consisted of eighteen restaurants, fifteen in the state of Utah, and three in Arizona and Nevada.

History

Cafe Rio was started in 1997 by Steve and Tricia Stanley in St. George, Utah. In December 2004, Bob and Kathleen Nilsen, along with SKM/Apax Partners purchased the chain, which at the time had six restaurants. Bob Nilsen and Company rapidly expanded the business and As of April 2007, Cafe Rio has 18 operating restaurants and opened the first out-of-state location in Gilbert, Arizona in July 2006. Cafe Rio’s recipes are inspired from the traditional cooking of the Rio Grande region of Northern Mexico, Southern Texas and New Mexico.

Menu

The menu comprises traditional recipes and techniques inspired from the Rio Grande Valley regions of Northern Mexico, Texas and New Mexico, and all food is made fresh daily from scratch - the green chillies are imported from Hatch, New Mexico, and the red peppers are from Mexico.

Awards

*Utah Business Magazine Top 100 Fastest Growing 2006 #20
*INC 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies 2004
*City Weekly 2007 – Best Burrito
*City Weekly 2005 – Best Burrito
*City Weekly 2004 – Best Burrito
*Best of City Search 2006/07 – Best Mexican Food
*Best of City Search 2006/07 – Best Burrito
*Best of City Search 2006/07 – Best Salad
*Best of City Search 2006/07 – Best Outdoor Seating
*Best of City Search 2005 – Highly Recommended

References

*cite web | url = http://www.caferio.com | title = Official website | accessdate = 2 January | accessyear = 2008
*cite web | title = Cafe Rio official is presented a national award | publisher = Deseret News (Salt Lake City) | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20070505/ai_n19061964 | accessdate = 2 January | accessyear = 2008 | date = 2007-05-05
*cite web | title = Taylorsville Cafe Rio boosts economy | publisher = Salt Lake Community College Globe | accessdate = 2 January | accessyear = 2008 | date = 2006-04-13 | url = http://media.www.slccglobelink.com/media/storage/paper442/news/2006/04/13/News/Taylorsville.Cafe.Rio.Boosts.Economy-1846528.shtml
*cite web | title = Café Rio creates scholarships for American Indian students | publisher = The Daily Utah Chronicle | url = http://media.www.dailyutahchronicle.com/media/storage/paper244/news/2006/01/12/News/Caf-Rio.Creates.Scholarships.For.American.Indian.Students-1340752.shtml | accessdate = 2 January | accessyear = 2008 | date = 2006-01-12
*cite web | title = MWVG Honor's Utah's Fastest Growing Companies | url = http://www.connect-utah.com/article.asp?r=198 | accessdate = 2 January | accessyear = 2008 | date = 2003-11-19