Burritos are one of the most popular dishes extracted from Hispanic cultures, and have been embraced all over the globe. Unfortunately, not everyone is awarded the opportunity to experience the mouth-watering cuisines of Central and South America firsthand. Luckily, all hope is not lost. Burrito havens Chipotle and Moe’s are both located in the heart of Hamden, so we sent four self-proclaimed burrito experts to figure out which restaurant has the best burrito in town.

Quality of ingredients:

Chipotle’s ingredients tasted fresher and less processed than Moe’s. I felt like I was eating healthier food at Chipotle, so they definitely won this one.

-Jen Esposito

Overall, Chipotle seems to have better quality ingredients. According to treehugger.com Chipotle only feeds their cows, and all of their animal products grass. They also don’t add any growth hormones, which may be why Chipotle’s ingredients appear fresher.

-Sara Kozlowski

At Moe’s there was wide range of choices when it came to ingredients. The lettuce and tomato seemed very fresh, and I liked the variety of salsas. At Chipotle the ingredients were high-quality, but seemed limited. The cheese and salsa were very fresh, and the meat was high quality as well.

-Katherine Chirillo

Chipotle definitely had the upper hand here. Meat appeared and tasted fresher. At Moe’s, products felt rather dry and lacked flavor. Chipotle’s rice and cheese also felt of better quality.

-Bryan Lipiner

Taste:

Chipotle’s food has more of a kick to it. I would say they’re definitely spicier and more flavorful than Moe’s. Both restaurants had good food, but I think Chipotle had a more authentic taste. -JE

Both Moe’s and Chipotle taste fairly similar. After all, they both have the same exact ingredients, but Chipotle tastes a little better. The meat was a bit dry at Moe’s and slightly overcooked.-SK

The taste at Chipotle was a little on the spicy side, but not in a bad way. There was a little too much sour cream, but the guacamole was very good. At Moe’s everything seemed to go well together. The chicken was extremely good. Nothing was overwhelming, but there was a lot of rice added.-KC

Given that Chipotle’s products felt fresher, the taste of their burrito was far superior. No brainer here. -BL

Price:

I wouldn’t consider either restaurant to be cheap, but you definitely get more for your money at Moe’s. At Chipotle you need to pay extra for chips, a side of salsa and guacamole whereas Moe’s includes all of this. I’m a big fan of guacamole but it’s hard to justify paying more than $2 extra for it at Chipotle. Moe’s also offers a student discount which definitely gives it an advantage. -JE

Chipotle and Moe’s charge similar prices for a burrito. At Moe’s, free chips and salsa are included in the price. Chipotle doesn’t do this. Instead, Chipotle charges $2 extra for guacamole and doesn’t give you any free chips or anything.  You definitely get more for your money at Moe’s. -SK

For only a burrito the price at Chipotle was a little steep, but they did add a lot of the ingredients. There is no discount offered for students or military. The free chips and salsa at Moe’s were great. Even better was the burrito deal on Mondays, and the welcome student discount. -KC

This is where it gets close. Moe’s was cheaper, Chipotle was more expensive, though the two were not separated by much. Price can also be dependent on whether specific additives, such as guacamole, are included in the burrito. -BL

Convenience:

Both restaurants are equally convenient. They’re literally across the street from each other so this is not a factor in picking where to go for me. -JE

Moe’s strikes me as more convenient. The company attracts its customers by automatically awarding burrito-lovers with tortilla chips and salsa. It can’t get any better than that. Plus, Chipotle’s lines are always crazy long and the employees never greet you at the door the way Moe’s does! -SK

Chipotle had a bit of a wait. This was my first time there and I didn’t really know how to read the menu, although it is pretty basic you should know “carnitas” is pulled pork. There wasn’t too long of a wait at Moe’s, and the employees were very friendly and welcoming to everyone who walked in. -KC

Chipotle and Moe’s are essentially across the street from each other in Hamden. The difference is negligible. -BL

Overall:

In the end, the battle was a close one. Both Moe’s and Chipotle have delicious burritos, and are sure to please the QU community, but when it comes to freshness and quality Chipotle’s ingredients won over three out of the four judges, and stole the show in this Chronicle taste-test.