On a Friday morning at 11 AM I wandered into Illegal Petes,
the iconic burrito establishment on Evans at the University of Denver. I
ordered a veggie burrito with rich colored veggies, cheese, sour cream, corn
salsa, and jalapenos, choosing this over a breakfast burrito because I had just
missed the 10:30 AM cutoff. As I sat down, not many people were at Illegal
Petes due to the awkward eating time of just past breakfast and right before
lunch, but I got a late start to my morning as did many of the other people
eating their meals. It is interesting to view Illegal Petes during the day
because it typically acts as a popular hang out spot, bar, and music joint
during week nights and weekends. While the nights are more hectic, loud, and
rowdy, eleven in the morning is a great time to sit around and eat a delectable
burrito bowl. The atmosphere is extremely laidback and earthy. T-shirts hang on
the walls, sports are playing in the vacated bar, and electric signs buzz as
people enjoy their meals. Relaxing
reggae music is playing in the background as I watch the people around me
socialize while eating in groups of two or more. There is little worry and
anxiety in people around me as they casually eat their burritos or enjoy the
zesty queso, a personal favorite of mine. The people eating at Illegal Petes
are college aged, slowly eating their meals while talking with friends. Illegal
Petes acts almost more as a place to socialize than an eating establishment,
although I personally believe they go hand in hand, especially in our society. 
The food
itself at Illegal Petes is amazing. When I look around not one person leaves
their plate even half empty, which says a lot considering the generous portion
sizes consist of stuffed, overflowing burritos. The food is also fairly cheap,
which comes in handy considering most customers are college kids on a tight
budget. All the ingredients are extremely fresh, with flour tortillas and
richly colored vegetables. According to the Illegal Petes website, “nothing comes to us pre-made. Look into a
refrigerator and you will find tomatoes, bell peppers, squash, fresh meats,
milk, cheese, and all the other good stuff that we turn into the fantastic
salsas, veggies, meats, and queso you load into your meal.” Illegal Petes is a
environmentally conscious restaurant looking to satisfy the needs of all types
of customers like vegetarians and gluten free eaters, another fad in rising
food culture. The food is prepared right in front of you and served in tin
dishes are recyclable bowls. While the workers delicately but together your
burrito, they engage in casual, relaxed conversation. Something about Illegal
Petes I observed and enjoyed was their diverse, edgy work force, each with a
different look and chill personality. They attract a wide audience of people.
The workers were mostly male and slightly above college age, and all the
employees were close knit and friendly with one another. When they were not
busy cooking or helping customers they were conversing with each other and
eating a burrito themselves. 
Illegal Petes horderves
are diverse and the restaurant’s vibe is authentic. Eating at Illegal Petes
made me realize there is something unique about the attitude and culture of the
Colorado lifestyle. The earthy, mountain-esque setting is what I imagine when I
think of Colorado, and Illegal Petes does an exemplary job of portraying this
image. I am a proud Colorado native and enjoy the environment and people I live
with, and I think the workers at Illegal Petes are especially familiar with the
laidback, Colorado attitude. Not only did I learn how Illegal Petes relates to
Colorado culture, I learned more about the college lifestyle and how Illegal
Petes is a prime habitat to observe this phenomenon. The college culture is
extremely busy and exciting, and this is how Illegal Petes looks during a night
on a weekend. With Illegal Petes acting as gathering place for free concerts
and new artists, the amount of people that come to watch a show or enjoy a
night at the bar is extreme. Illegal Petes is almost always sardine packed and
you are lucky if you can find a table for you and your friends. The college
lifestyle also includes a vast amount of socializing, and Illegal Petes acts as
a central meeting place for many people because it is close, exciting, and is a
good excuse to get away from dorm food. . With music playing by day and
live music by night, illegal Petes provides an ideal atmosphere for college
kids.
Illegal Petes is unique to Colorado, with stores only in
Denver and Boulder. This originality and authenticity is what makes it
different from larger fast food “burrito joints” like Chipotle or Qdoba. The
style is earthy and ecofriendly, something that in my mind pertains especially
to Colorado and youth. Illegal Petes’
goals for their restaurant and motive are in fashion yet special in that they
are health conscious and want their customers to have the best while still
providing a unique experience in their restaurant. The food and atmosphere of
Illegal Petes show more about the people and lifestyle of Colorado, which is a
wonderful state if I do say so myself.
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