El Diablo Burritos moving into Pike Creek

El Diablo Burritos, the growing and locally owned Tex-Mex chain that started seven years ago in Wilmington, is opening a Pike Creek location.

Workers on Tuesday were hammering away in a gutted space in The Shops at Limestone Hills off Limestone Road (Del. 7).  An El Diablo sign is attached to a window at the site formerly occupied by Berri Yummi Frozen Yogurt. El Diablo owners confirmed a Pike Creek location was coming soon on its Facebook page.

Berri Yummi closed there in October 2016 after owners Lyman and Caroline Chen said they decided not to renew their lease.

"It did not make economic sense to continue at that location," the Chens wrote in a Facebook post. They had run the Pike Creek frozen yogurt business since 2011. The flagship Berri Yummi at 3100 Naamans Road in the Shoppes at Naamans is still operating.

It will be the fourth El Diablo to open in Delaware. The eatery was founded in 2010 in the Trolley Square Shopping Center off Delaware Avenue. Partners Roger Andrews, Dean Vilone and Shannon Stevens transformed a former dry cleaning business into a fast casual restaurant with counter service.

The partners were looking to elevate simple street foods like burritos, bowls, quesadillas and tacos and perfected the build-your-own-concept. Both Andrews and Vilone had previous restaurant experience. Andrews had been a sous chef at the former Restaurant 821 under chef/owners Tobias Lawry and Nate Garyantes, and Vilone ran the National, a short-lived Asian-inspired eatery and lounge on North Market Street in Wilmington. Stevens does the marketing and interior designs for the restaurants.

At El Diablo, customers can chose different proteins such as short rib or pork – or go with a suggested combination – and customize wraps with creative toppings like sherry cured onions and sauces such as chipotle ranch or lime shallot vinaigrette.

Since then, the partners have expanded to locations in the Branmar Shopping Center off Marsh Road and at 127 E. Main St. in downtown Newark.

The opening date for the Pike Creek location is not yet known. A phone message left for El Diablo was not yet returned.

The El Diablo businesses are open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit the El Diablo Facebook page for more information.

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico