For those of us still lamenting the loss of Rock & Brews, which has now been demolished (photo), there is some small consolation that Portillo’s, the 6,160-sq.-ft. (with a 415-sq.-ft. outdoor patio) Chicago-style hot dog, sausage and burger place, will replace the giant guitar on S.R. 56. Although there will be no full-liquor bar (sigh), Portillo’s does serve beer to go with its Chicago-inspired fare. The Lutz/Wesley Chapel location will feature Portillo’s “Restaurant of the Future” design (rendering).
There currently are 77 Portillo’s locations in 10 states (including the closest location to us — on E. Fowler Ave. in front of the University Mall — and the company is in the process of an aggressive expansion plan to add approximately 920 more restaurants over the next 20 years, including both full-scale restaurants and pickup-only locations. Approximately 800 of these will be full-scale restaurants and the remainder will be pickup or drive-thru locations. We have no further information on when Portillo’s will open, but you can check Portillos.com.
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