Fresh Kitchen Is Open; First Watch Is On Deck

Although New Tampa already is home to several “build-your-own bowl,” fast-casual restaurants, the opening of the new Fresh Kitchen at the north end of the Sprouts Farmers Market-anchored Village at Hunter’s Lake plaza is still well worth celebrating.

Fresh Kitchen, which has eleven locations in Florida, from Gainesville to Davie, is now open. It will hold its official ribbon cutting Tuesday, March 30 at 10:30 a.m.

Fresh Kitchen has one of the best (and tastiest) varieties of  bowl bases, veggies and proteins of any bowl restaurant in our area.

I already love the “power” and coconut ginger rice, cauliflower potato mash, kale slaw and baby kale caesar as bases, parmesan broccoli and herb roasted cauliflower veggies, fresh-grilled steak and unique almond-baked chicken fingers, the creamy white ginger and herb balsamic vinaigrette sauces and pico de gallo and kale pesto tomatoes “add-ons.” 

Fresh Kitchen president Steven Lanza, who attended the “friends & family” event where these pics were taken, says everything at Fresh Kitchen is fresh, homemade and gluten-free.

“We call it healthy food that’s flavorful,” Lanza says. “We believe our quality is as good as you would find in a steakhouse or fine-dining restaurant in a fast-casual environment.”

For more info about Fresh Kitchen (8648 Hunter’s Village Rd.), call (813) 336-3800 or visit eatfreshkitchen.com. 

First Watch To Open Apr. 5

Directly adjacent to Fresh Kitchen, New Tampa is getting its own First Watch restaurant, even though there’s already a location only 3 miles to the north on BBD in Wesley Chapel.  

Even so, operations manager (and New Tampa resident) Carrie Hagerman says the Wesley Chapel location isn’t going anywhere.

“That area is growing so fast,” Hagerman says. “There’s plenty of room for both stores.”