It’s been a full year since the buzz over Boloco coming to Wellesley started, and Thursday night we got a sneak peek inside the new Boloco in Wellesley Square at 102 Central St., which is opening on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 7am.

Last night we had a chance to hob-knob with co-founder/CEO John Pepper and colleagues at Wellesley’s most anticipated eatery opening since Pinkberry splashed down in Linden Square during the summer of 2011. An energized staff offered up items such as mini steak and teriyaki burritos and nutella and cranberry smoothies.

Boloco looks swell inside, spanning 2 floors, including a lower level featuring several flat-screen TVs. Tables are also situated out front for al fresco dining. The restaurant’s interior boasts exposed brick and wooden beams left over from previous tenants, and the decor currently includes colorful paintings of Wellesley scenes by Sean Boyce. There’s also a prominent lift installed in the restaurant to enable those with mobility issues to get up and down. Overall, there are 80 seats inside and 14 outside on the front patio.

While Boloco had an open bar last night, it still needs to work through the process to get a permanent liquor license, which it hopes to do.

Pepper says Wellesley was a natural place for Boloco to expand, with a ready audience of potential customers in town, including at the fire house next door and at the colleges (“mavens” have already been recruited to help spread the Boloco word on campus). Pepper’s pleased about the big refinished parking lot in the back of the Central Plaza retail area, and says Boloco will become a generous member of the community, helping out local causes.

The new Boloco, the 20th in the chain’s expanding lineup, doesn’t yet have any signature Wellesley items on the menu, as Pepper says that will be left up to the local staff and customers’ creativity.

The restaurant will be open from 7am to 10pm, starting this Saturday. And you can swing by on Thursday, Oct. 4, for freebies.