A Mexican restaurant and bar is looking to open in Cromwell in a building formerly occupied by the Ninety-Nine Restaurant & Pub.
The building at 36 Shunpike Road has been vacant since the national restaurant chain closed it and two other locations in the state in November 2022.
The Cromwell Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing Tuesday on the proposed restaurant.
The application seeks a special permit to create a full-service restaurant called Fuego Mexican Grill. Gloria Barajas and BP & Mez LLC are listed as the applicants. According to state records, B, P & Mez LLC includes Barajas, Pedro Meza Arellano and Santiago Meza as principals.
According to Barajas, the plan is to create a Mexican-themed restaurant that seats approximately 210 people inside, with additional seating outside, as well as a full bar. They plan to hire 17 to 20 full- and part-time employees, she said, adding that they are nearing a decision on hiring a chef.
Barajas said that she and her business partner, Felipe Pacheco, who is not listed on the application, each have more than 20 years of experience in operating restaurants. She added that Pedro and Santiago Meza also operate restaurants in Ohio.
Barajas said they hope the Cromwell location will be “the first of many” Fuego Mexican Grill restaurants in the state.
The special permit application was originally scheduled to be heard during the commission’s regular meeting in January, but it was canceled due to inclement weather. That set back the timetable for opening the restaurant, Barajas said, noting that the interior needs to be renovated and updated.
“If all goes well, maybe we can open in the second week of May, or the beginning of June,” she said.
Tuesday’s public hearing will be held during the Planning & Zoning Commission’s regular meeting beginning at 7 p.m. in Town Council Chambers in Town Hall at 41 West St.
Also on the agenda is a public hearing on a request from the Greater Hartford Community Foundation for a special permit to conduct the 2024 Travelers Championship PGA Tour event at the TPC River Highlands.
