A NEW Mexican restaurant has opened its doors in Bournemouth town centre tonight.

The restaurant brand Tortilla opened its first Dorset branch tonight (May 23) with an opening event between 5pm and 8pm.

The new branch of the burrito chain is opening at the former Oasis clothing store in Old Christchurch Road.

The branch will be open between 11am and 9pm most days and serves burritos, tacos, ‘naked burritos’, nachos, quesadillas and salads.

At the opening event General Manager, Anne Marie said: “Today we are expecting about 50 people for our VIP night with friends and family.

"We've already had two business lunches on Thursday and Friday and they were amazing.

"Everyone is so excited and we are looking forward to opening finally. It’s been a long time coming, I couldn't sleep last night."

The restaurant is holding a ‘free lunch’ for members of the public tomorrow, Tuesday, May 24, where fresh tortillas will be given away between 12pm and 2pm.

Anne Marie said: “From tomorrow for the free lunch we are expecting hundreds of people and it will be amazing. That’s what tortilla is all about, having lots of people, a great atmosphere, music and the whole team engaging.”

Speaking about the food they serve at the restaurant, Anne Marie said: “The food is really simple, we have recipe books and everyone just follows them, the amazing thing is that we use fresh products so we have products delivered every day and we just prepare based on our forecast, how much we think we will use.”

Looking to the future of the restaurant, Anne Marie is looking forward to a busy summer, with the restaurant in a prime position for visitors on Old Christchurch Road.

She said: “Summer is coming, the air show is set to bring in over 2 million people this year and we’re really excited to be a part of it.”

Jason Thomas, chief operations officer at Tortilla, said: “We can’t wait to introduce our brand to Bournemouth.

“We have a fantastic location on Old Christchurch Road which will provide locals and visitors with a convenient and delicious spot for lunch or dinner, as we look forward to welcoming plenty of happy customers in store and playing our part in this thriving community.”