The year is 1997. “MMMBop” is dominating the airwaves. Pauly Shore has a TV show. And Chapel Hill/Carrboro has no shortage of Tex-Mex restaurants with burritos at the forefront.
From the almost literal hole-in-the-wall Burrito Bunker (staffed predominantly by local musicians) to Flying Burrito (where all the girls I had crushes on seemed to work) to Lizard & Snake (also a DIY-vibes music venue by night), there was practically a whole scene based around beans, rice, and flour tortillas. But, in April of that year, a new eatery in Carrboro would emerge, swapping the Texas regionality for a truly California-style experience. Known for their generous portions, fresh ingredients, and incredible selection of house-made salsas, Carrburritos is still surfing the burrito wave 28 years later.
Rae Fairbanks lounges on the Carrburritos patio sometime in the late 90’s.
Opened by Bill and Gail Fairbanks, and now run by their daughter, Rae, Carrburritos has held strong while many of their counterparts are no longer in business. There’s something about a place like this that appeals to everyone from college kids and families to local punks and indie rockers. The tattooed staff, the floral table coverings, and the absolutely fluffy flour chips sprinkled in with the usual corn ones, curate an ambience of delightfully savage dining where it’s totally okay to make a huge mess while attacking a Mejor burrito or overflowing tostada. And that name? Genius. Across the decades, Carrburritos remains a wonder.
Rae’s sister, Lily, at the Carrburritos ribbon cutting in 1997.
I spoke with Rae on a humid afternoon as the final third of my pollo asado burrito cooled in its thin foil wrapping. We reminisced about her family (RIP Bill, legend) and what it was like preparing for college as her parents worked themselves stupid to get Carrburritos ready on time: the original scheduled date was 1996, but as is often the case, there were some hiccups.
Relying only on Gail’s meager income at Triangle Hospice, Rae saw firsthand the stress they were under as they hustled to open. They would end up cutting the ribbon on April 2nd, 1997, as Carrburritos officially began serving townies, students, and “Mexican food” aficionados. According to Rae, their very first customer, who apparently just wandered in off the street, was a patron of Mimosa Café in the Bay Area, Bill and Gail’s first restaurant venture before moving to Chapel Hill from Oakland in 1992. The universe is truly mysterious.
After a difficult period of renovations starting in 1995, this building would become the Carrburritos we know and love.
Rae and I both lamented the proliferation of chains and personality-devoid establishments that now litter downtown and the surrounding area. It’s becoming less and less common to find restaurants that have stood the test of time. Which makes it truly beautiful to see her still running a now multi-generational family business in the same location, with their uncompromised quality, cool kid employees, and charmingly frustrating parking situation. After mulling over what she would title a book about Carrburritos, she settled on “A Place for Regulars.”
“The characterization of it that stands out is the longevity of both the staff and clientele,” Rae said, with a gleam in her eye that may have been a twinkle or may have been a tear. And to that, we can all raise a margarita. Or two.
Gail and Bill Fairbanks on opening day.
Jon Gregory, known locally as J Waves, has called Chapel Hill home for many years. A musician and storyteller at heart, Jon has built connections across the community through a wide range of experiences. Today, he brings that same energy and insight to his role as an account executive with Chapel Hill Media Group and as a contributing writer for Chapelboro.com. Whether working with local businesses or highlighting community voices, Jon is passionate about helping Chapel Hill thrive and stay connected.
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