Murtha & Murtha, LLC, Is Ready To Help You Tackle Tax Season

Tom Murtha, CPA (left), and his son Patrick, of Murtha & Murtha, LLC, go over some of the new tax codes that will take effect next year. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

Sometimes, your taxes can be a snap. Buy a computer program, plug in some numbers, and voila! Tax return!

But oftentimes, it’s not that simple.

In fact, for many, it can be a long, painful, costly and needlessly confusing experience. It doesn’t have to be, though.

The father-and-son team of Tom and Patrick Murtha, of Murtha & Murtha, LLC, specialize in making tax season a smoother ride for individual filers and businesses. Stop by, meet the Murthas, hear what they have to offer and experience what the duo refers to as the “Murtha & Murtha Difference.”

“It’s true,’’ says Tom Murtha, CPA (Certified Public Accountant). “We really are different.”

The Murthas, partners and owners of their firm in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56 (across from Sam’s Club), have decades of combined experience. Along with sharing a friendly and an affable nature, they pride themselves on building relationships with clients as much as they do their skill in detangling financial numbers that can mire even the most diligent filer or business person in a maze of numbers, forms and laws.

“We’re very approachable,” Tom says, “and that makes a big difference. People are sometimes afraid of going to professionals with all these licenses. They wonder, ‘Will I be able to talk to them?’ But, we are approachable, and we return phone calls.”

Returning calls may not sound like that big of a deal, but when it comes to tax season, it is. A lot of the customers the Murthas will see this tax season are those looking for an accountant because theirs have gone missing.

“I’ve been getting a ton of people saying “I don’t know where my CPA is,” Patrick says. “It’s kind of unbelievable.”

Patrick grew up around tax codes, spending lots of time at his father’s business. He also became friends with the firm’s senior accountant, Kyle Flischel, the son of one of Tom’s former business partners, while they were both in high school and helping their dads with tax returns.

Patrick and Kyle both attended the University of South Florida. Patrick now holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Finance and a B.S. in Accounting, while Kyle holds a B.S. in Accounting and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Accounting with a tax concentration.

(From l.-r.) Patrick Murtha, Heather Harris, Tom Murtha and Kyle Flischel are ready to tackle the tax season head on. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

They say this tax season will be the busiest yet, but unlike others who get bogged down and are slow to reply, the team at Murtha & Murtha is ready. The firm added marketing manager Heather Harris to the squad last summer.

“She was a big addition,” Tom says. “We’re really excited about that as we get ready for tax season, because it’s going to get really crazy.”

The Murthas offer free consultations — and often, peace of mind for those whose tax questions are keeping them up at night — but prefer to do those consults in person. They ask potential clients to bring in their last 2-3 years of tax returns, which Murtha & Murtha will examine and, in quite a few cases, find errors that lead to amending those returns and earning a larger refund (or paying less tax)  for their clients. And, the Murthas promise they will always be honest with their clients, whether the news is good or bad.

“We ask people to come in; let’s meet eyeball to eyeball and make sure we want to work together,” Tom says. “I don’t want you to commit to me unless we like each other and can work together. That’s so important.”

Tom earned his B.S. degree in Management from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, in 1976, and his M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) degree in Accounting from St. John’s University in Queens, NY, in 1981.

While he was working on his MBA, Tom also worked as assistant controller in the non-bank financial segment of a major New York City bank.

He moved to Brandon in 1987 and opened Accutax Services, Inc., a non-CPA public accounting business. One day, his wife told him it was time to leave behind the fire ants and cow patties of Brandon for the surf. Around the same time, he received an offer to sell Accutax Services, which he did in 1997.

The Murthas moved to Gasparilla Island, and it wasn’t long before Tom joined another CPA firm in nearby Englewood, FL, that he eventually bought into — Flischel, Murtha & Associates.

An Educated Educator

When Tom passed his Florida CPA test in 2000, he says it was with the fourth highest score in the state. He’s also taught accounting courses at both Hillsborough Community College (HCC) in Tampa and at the American Institute of Banking in New York City.

Tom says that gives him an edge over others when it comes to his ability to easily explain complicated tax situations in plain language to his clients.

“I kind of consider myself to be an educator,” Tom says. “I make sure when clients walk out of here that, after a complex situation, they understand what’s going on. I’ll ask them to repeat things back to me. We go over everything again and again and again. I don’t want people walking out of here if they don’t understand what’s going on. That doesn’t help anyone.”

Patrick graduated in 2009, and joined his father in opening a firm in Tampa in 2010 focusing on mergers and acquisitions. One of Patrick’s first tasks was to sell Tom’s Englewood accounting firm.

“Within a month, a contract was on my desk,” Tom says. “That was his first success.”

In 2013, the Murthas expanded to full service, and in 2015 moved to their current location in Wesley Chapel.

CFO Retainer Packages

At their new location, Patrick conceived of another success — a “CFO Retainer Package” to help businesses and those who are self-employed whose company may need a Chief Financial Officer but don’t have the budget to hire a full-time manager or accountant.

For a fraction of the cost of a full-time CFO, the Murthas will provide monthly financial reports — “valuable for getting loans and bringing on investors,” Patrick says — and create a budget for the business.

“It’s a big deal, because it really makes a business look at numbers and compare it to expectations,” Tom says. “A lot of business owners go day to day, thinking it is what it is and the economy is what it is. But, there’s so much a business can do to bring in more business.”

While most accountants focus on the previous year as they file returns, the Murthas also choose to look forward. Because they do valuations as part of their CFO Retainer Package, businesses can find out what they need to do to raise their value and sell at the price they desire.

The CFO package also offers unlimited consulting time with the Murthas.

“It’s really intended for business owners in growth mode, who are excited about it and want it to grow,” Patrick says.

And, for those wondering how the new Republican-backed tax bill might affect their returns, now is as good a time as any to find a trustworthy and reputable CPA firm, like Murtha & Murtha, to prepare. Patrick says that deductions, exemptions and tax rates are all changing, as he plopped a 200-plus page “summary” of some of the new changes coming in 2018 on the table.

“I’ve learned it,” Tom says. “I got it.”

The Murthas handle a wide spectrum of filers, from individuals to businesses that bring in from $100,000 a year to those with $80-million stock portfolios.

Patrick says Murtha & Murtha specializes in big issues, like helping those with rental properties, those who are self-employed, have complicated investments and especially those coming off big life changes like a divorce or an inheritance.

“But we help anyone who needs it,” Tom says.

With tax season ready to kick into high gear, the Murthas are excited for another busy few months.

“The tax season is the best time of the year,” Tom says. “We really enjoy helping people, making a difference with businesses who see their businesses is growing because of us. That keeps me excited. Why do it if it doesn’t make a difference and if you can’t take the worry away?”

Murtha & Murtha, LLC, is located at 2236 Ashley Oaks Cir., Suite 101, in Wesley Chapel. For more information, visit TampaTaxFirm.com or to schedule a free consultation, call (813) 991-1120.

Florida Family Practice Has Two Locations Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel

Dr. Ronald Manalo, M.D., offers caring, personalized service for those who want to truly develop a relationship with their primary care doctor. Visit him at his Wesley Chapel office or at his Tampa location on E. Fletcher Ave.

Ronald S. Manalo, M.D., opened Florida Family Practice less than a year ago, seeing patients at both his Wesley Chapel office (in the Cypress Glen Professional Center off S.R. 56 near I-75), and in his Tampa office on E. Fletcher Ave.

Dr. Manalo and his family have lived in Wesley Chapel for the last several years. His wife, Dr. Hoka Nyanda, practices with a local dermatology group. They moved here when she began practicing a few years ago, even while he did his residency at the Mercer School of Medicine in Macon, GA. He finished in 2015, then worked as a hospitalist at Navicent Health Hospital in Macon for a year before making the transition to living full-time in Wesley Chapel and opening his private practice here.

“I love Wesley Chapel,” he says. “It’s great. It’s not busy like Tampa. It’s nice and quiet, but has a lot of growth and potential to grow, and I look forward to growing with the community.”

He says opening his practice is the culmination of many years of hard work and planning.

“Since medical school, it’s been my dream to own my own practice,” he says. He received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from Meharny Medical College in Nashville, TN, in 2010. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, GA, in 2001.

Now, Dr. Manalo is a family practice physician who sees people in all life stages, from infant to geriatric.

“As a family doctor, you grow with your patients,” he says. “You get to know them, and they become part of your family, too.”

While many parents choose to take their children to a pediatrician, the whole family can see one doctor at Florida Family Practice. Dr. Manalo says anything a pediatrician can do, he can do, too, but a patient who comes to him as a child doesn’t have to transition to a different doctor when they reach a certain age.

“I recently saw a husband and wife who brought their infant to me,” he says. “They’re a young couple, just starting their family, and it’s just a joy. It is really rewarding to take care of the whole family.”

He says his practice is different than what’s typical in our area these days.

“We’re personal, patient, caring and compassionate,” Dr. Manalo explains. “You’re not here for a certain time slot and then out the door.”

Instead, he adds, “We want to get to know you. When you come to see me, it’s not just about your diabetes or high blood pressure, but you as a whole person. We treat your whole body and we get to know you well.” Dr. Manalo believes that this whole person philosophy, “promotes wellness within.”

He also says that he and his office administrator Dayna Yannello are always building these types of relationships with their patients and creating a different atmosphere in the practice. “As a new practice,” he says, “we have the ability to take time with the patients we see, and to really get to know (them). (We’re) unlike other practices around here.”

Happy, Healthy Patients

José Bernardo and his wife, Lillian Ayala, agree that Florida Family Practice is unique. “When we moved here from Puerto Rico six years ago, we came from a different culture, where it’s more of a family relationship built with you and your kids,” José says. “Our experience here with doctors is that it’s been impersonal, and the feeling that your doctor cares about you just hasn’t been there.”

But, José explains, “Dr. Manalo is completely different from that. He cares. He follows up, emails you, calls you. And, Dayna is amazing. They have been available for us on the weekend, after work hours. We have not been able to find this type of treatment and care from anybody else, and we have tried plenty.”

Dr. Manalo explains it this way: “For me personally, the care and services I provide to my patients is a partnership or a trust. A lot of doctors say, ‘do this, take this,’ and that’s that. I like to have more of an open dialogue. We’re developing a relationship; it’s not one-sided where I’m the boss telling the patient what to do.”

He says his dream to own his own  medical practice is rooted in caring for his community. “I’m getting to know communities and families and want to be the best doctor I can be,” he says. “My vision is to streamline medicine. Some people don’t think primary care is necessary. In the future, I hope to combine family practice and urgent care, so that people who come in just for urgent care can get the follow up they need from a family practice doctor.”

In a way, he says, his office already functions similarly to an urgent care facility. “If you need a sick visit, we can accommodate that.”

The practice offers same-day visits, so you don’t have to schedule months in advance, and you can even schedule online, through FLFamilyPractice.com.

Florida Family Practice is currently seeing patients at the Fletcher Ave. office on Mondays and Tuesdays, and in Wesley Chapel on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Saturday and after-hours appointments are sometimes available, if needed.

“I’m here and I’m available,” Dr. Manalo says. “I have a new vision of how a practice should be. You can reach us by phone, email or text, and you won’t have to wait several days to hear back from the doctor. You’ll see it as you get to know us. Community is key.”

Florida Family Practice’s Wesley Chapel office is located at 2412 Cypress Glen Dr., Suite 102, and its Tampa office is at 3450 E. Fletcher Ave., Suite 330. For more information, visit FLFamilyPractice.com, or call (813) 812-4133.

Let The Husband-and-Wife Doctors At Small World Pediatrics Care For Your Kids

Together, José Jiménez, M.D., and Nancy Silva, M.D., are two local pediatricians who care for many young patients at Small World Pediatrics in Wesley Chapel.

More than just partners in practice, they’re partners in life, too — as husband and wife, and Dad and Mom to two kids, ages 12 and three.

They’re part of this community, as Meadow Pointe residents for 15 years, with their kids attending local schools. They think that’s part of what makes Small World Pediatrics special.

“It’s much more personal here,” says Dr. Silva. “We have fun. Our patients know our staff, and know us. We run into people in the community and see our patients at Publix.”

Dr. Jiménez earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1992, after transferring from prestigious Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. He earned a Doctor of Medicine  (M.D.) degree from the University of South Florida (USF) College of Medicine in Tampa in 1996, and completed his pediatric residency at USF in 2000.

Dr. Silva earned her M.D. degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) Health Science Center in Brooklyn in 1997, after earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in an Honors B.S./M.D. program at City University of New York (CUNY) Brooklyn College in 1993. Like Dr. Jiménez, she also completed her residency at USF in 2000.

Small World Pediatrics is located in the Windguard Professional Center across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC). Dr. Jiménez first opened Small World Pediatrics in 2003 in the Northwoods plaza on BBD in Wesley Chapel, near Target, and moved it to its current location in 2010.

Dr. Silva joined the practice in 2014, after the couple’s second child was born. She had been practicing with a group in Brandon for 14 years, but — with two small kids — wanted a job closer to home and with more flexibility than working full-time somewhere else.

She and her husband have been working together ever since.

“Most patients don’t realize it, but they’re really getting a ‘2-for-1 deal’ when they come here,” Dr. Silva says. “We bounce ideas off each other. We can give (each other) a second opinion.”

They also share a philosophy to provide personal service.

“Some people want to get in and get out and get their antibiotics and be on their way in five minutes,” says Dr. Silva. “But, for those people who want more of a parent/child connection, and don’t want to feel like a number, those are the patients who should come to us.”

Dr. Silva says her best medical advice for your children is to get annual physicals.

“Even if your kid is fine, please get an annual physical,” she says. “We recently had a seven-year-old patient we had only seen for sick visits since he was two, and we found he had undescended testicles. We discover so much in those physicals, from vision problems to scoliosis.”

While it does take a little time, the annual check-up likely won’t cost you any money.

“It’s very rare to see a co-pay on a well check these days,” says Dr. Jiménez.

At Small World Pediatrics, caring for children and their parents is always the highest priority.

“We try to do our absolute best for our patients,” explains Dr. Jiménez. “When there are tough decisions to make, we try to always do what’s right for the child, and we always take time for the parents.”

For example, the office doesn’t have an answering service.

“All after-hours calls are forwarded to my cell phone, where patients may leave a message,” says Dr. Jiménez. “I return all calls personally.”

And, they don’t just send patients to the emergency room, either. The doctors will call ahead to notify the hospital that a patient is coming and make sure the medical records are transferred appropriately.

They also invite their patients to call them if they’re not sure whether they should head to the emergency room – or which one to go to. “It may be that you should go to St. Joseph’s, where they have pediatric ER doctors and surgeons on call, or you might need to go to Florida Hospital, which is a lot closer,” Dr. Silva says. “Just call us and we’ll guide you.”

Happy Patients…Happy Parents

Christina M’Gaha is a Wesley Chapel mom with four children and one more on the way. She has been taking her kids to Small World Pediatrics for 11 years, since her oldest was just six months old.

“What I love is that it’s not just a doctor’s practice,” she says. “They treat you like you’re family.”

She explains, “They remember your name. If they see you in the store, they call you by name. They ask about my husband even though he’s not usually there (at the appointments). They get to know the whole family.”

Christina says Dr. Jiménez and Dr. Silva have both gone above and beyond for her family, such as the time she called Dr. Jiménez after hours and he met her at the office 15 minutes later, rather than sending her to an urgent care facility. Another time, Christina says Dr. Silva made a house call when a plumbing issue closed the Small World Pediatrics office temporarily.

“I used to think it was just me they treated like family,” says Christina. “Now I see that they really care about all their patients.”

Dr. Jiménez says that’s the way he wants it to be. “I’m a small town guy, so I like seeing people I know at the supermarket,” he says. As a pediatrician in this community for 14 years now, that happens pretty often.

As for his personal care, he says. “I’m proud and honored that patients have stayed with me and many have been here since the beginning.”

Dr. Jiménez and Dr. Silva are involved in the community they serve. Dr. Silva recently became a Boy Scout leader with their son’s troop. Previously, both doctors were Cub Scout leaders, and Dr. Silva was active with the Sand Pine Elementary PTA.

They also are advocates for wearing seatbelts, which began with a very personal story, as Dr. Silva lost a patient due to an automobile accident in 2006. Dr. Jiménez and Dr. Silva began “The Battle of the Belts” in Pasco County in 2009, partnering with Pasco Safe Kids, a seatbelt awareness campaign involving all of the high schools in Pasco County each spring. Schools compete to effectively deliver the message to students. Small World Pediatrics is the sole sponsor of the event this year.

The doctors also have worked to help pass seatbelt laws in both 2009 and 2014.

All of their efforts in the community, to raise their family, and to take excellent care of their patients are things they do together. “We trade off with both kids and work, and I like it,” says Dr. Silva. “I like that someone always has my back, and in this case, it’s my husband.”

Small World Pediatrics is located is at 2527 Windguard Circle, Suite 102, and is open Mon. – Fri., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, visit SmallWorldPediatrics.com, see the ad on page 6 or call (813) 907-8001.

The Beach House At Wiregrass  Ranch For Assisted Living & Memory Care

The Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care at Wiregrass Ranch administrative team: (from left) business office manager Chelsea Rice, director of community relations Callie Sears, and executive director Linda Mena.

Wesley Chapel families who want to live near their aging loved ones who require more health and daily living support than can be provided at home will have a new option when Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care at Wiregrass Ranch holds its Grand Opening next month. Even though it’s at least an hour from the nearest beach, the name Beach House is intended to evoke memories of the many splendid summers experienced over a lifetime.

The new 93,000-sq.-ft. facility includes 100 residential units, with 67 of them available for seniors looking for assisted living accommodations and 33 suites dedicated to residents who need memory care, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

Housing options for assisted living residents range from alcove-style units (basically a studio apartment with a partitioned-off area) ranging from 450-480 sq. ft. to two-bedroom/two-bath floor plans ranging from 782–796 sq. ft.

As the first full-service assisted living and memory care facility located in Wesley Chapel, the Beach House offers a number of levels of accommodations and services to its residents, ranging from assisted living (where the Beach House staff provides help with a variety of daily activities, such as shopping and medication management) to memory care programs to support memory function, including discussion groups centered on reminiscing about the past, discussing current events and studying languages and cultures.

The Wesley Chapel location joins two existing Beach House facilities in Jacksonville and Naples, FL. They are all owned by the Dallas, TX-based Prevarian Senior Living, LP, which has Assisted Living and Memory Care communities in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, and Arizona.

Coming soon to S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel: The Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch Assisted Living & Memory Care.

Day-to-day operations at the Beach House are managed by employees of Life Care Services, a Los Angeles, CA-based company serving the needs of more than 33,000 senior citizens at facilities throughout the U.S.

Overseeing all aspects of the Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch’s daily operations is executive director Linda Mena, who brings to her position more than 25 years of experience working in senior housing.

Mena earned her Bachelor of Health Care Administration (BHA) from the University of Phoenix, AZ. In 2015, Mena received her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a focus on Health Care Administration, from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Prior to assuming her role in Wesley Chapel, Mena was the executive director of the Beach House facility in Naples, FL.

Mena refers to the lifestyle offered at Beach House as “resort-style senior living.”

Assisted living amenities include outstanding group and private dining options, arts and crafts, a movie theater, wellness programs, grooming/haircuts and fireplaces. Memory care amenities include a variety of personal and social dining settings and dietary options to choose from, as well as activities that focus on the patient’s remaining physical abilities, memories and capability to enjoy them throughout what Mena calls, “the attrition of life.” There also is a secure outdoor area for memory care residents.

That means assisting a wide range of residents. “We go from an independent resident to end-of-life needs,” Mena says.

The Full Spectrum Of Care

To deliver services to that wide range of residents, Beach House is licensed as an Extended Congregate Care (ECC) facility, which according to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs website (ElderAffairs.state.fl.us) certifies Beach House’s ability to  cover the spectrum of needed care, from limited assistance to total help with many basic needs. According to Mena, Beach House will be staffed to provide 24/7 nursing care.

“They truly can age in place in our community and that’s important to residents,” Mena says. “With the attrition of life, their needs become much greater and they don’t want to have to move or make a transition at that frail part of their lives.”

Mena notes that 85 percent of the people she and her administrative staff will work with are adult children of prospective residents. She recognizes that many of them are knowledgeable about the process and options available, but family members also provide a clear picture of their loved one’s character and history to help in meeting daily needs and creating a meaningful program of activities for them.

“It’s really important that we listen when they come in,” says Mena, who adds that knowing as much as possible about the residents, especially those in memory care, helps the staff engage with them more effectively. As part of those conversations with residents and family members, Mena makes a commitment on behalf of her Beach House staff to those they serve at what can be a very rough time of their lives.

“There are a lot of mentoring, assisting, and bonding relationships established because it’s the trust factor that makes this transition, if you want to say, ‘smoother,’ for this caregiver,” says Mena. “My guiding principle is to just be very transparent, honest and forthright with them.”

She adds that the goal for herself and her staff of Beach House is clear.

“Making sure the needs of the residents are met in every aspect,” Mena says, ‘from the clinical to the dining experience to life enrichment; really addressing the needs of each resident as a whole.”

Beach House is a private pay operation, which means they do not accept insurance plan coverage, and the cost is borne by residents or their families. Medicaid payments are not accepted. While Beach House does not accept payments directly from the insurance companies, If residents or their families have long-term care insurance, it will, as a courtesy, send the insurance company billing information so the families can be reimbursed by the insurance company.

Mena says costs will vary, depending upon the specific support needs of each patient, which are evaluated annually.

With a location that’s convenient to many of Wesley Chapel’s commercial and cultural activities, such as the Shops at Wiregrass mall only 2.5 miles to the west on S.R. 56, a Beach House residency means families can easily embark on multi-generational excursions with their loved ones residing there.

Temporary Assistance, Too

The Beach House lifestyle also is available on a temporary basis for what is known as “respite care,” which according to the Beach House website, “is a temporary stay at a senior living community.”

Senior patients recovering from surgery or illness may find temporary support helpful in their recovery. Caregivers of people normally residing outside of Beach House may also find that respite care is a way to manage vacations or just get a helping hand with assisted living and memory care levels of support. Respite residents at the Beach House will have access to the same services as other longer-term residents with whom social interaction also is part of the routine.

Whether seniors are residing at Beach House for a short respite or  to “age in place,” meals are an important part of daily living and socializing as well as supporting a healthy lifestyle.

According to the Beach House website, the chef-created recipes use “fresh, seasonal, local ingredients” and “accommodate any special dietary requirements.”

Beach House not only brings new housing and health care options to Wesley Chapel, it’s also creating jobs, especially in the areas of patient care at the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) level, as well as housekeeping and dietary workers.

Mena says the response from the Wesley Chapel area has been tremendously positive and that 30 percent of the units had deposits paid on them at our press time.

If you’re looking for assisted living for yourself or a loved one, arrange a tour at the new Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch (30070 S.R. 56). For more info, call (813) 508-6677, see the ad on pg. 31 or visit BeachHouseWiregrass.com. Beach House’s official Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Grand Opening is Wednesday, February 21, 11 a.m., with the ribbon cutting scheduled for noon.

 

NT/WC Reader Survey Results: Best Breakfast

First Watch Wesley Chapel manager Kerri Hagerman is proud that First Watch has been voted as having the “Best Breakfast in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel” by Neighborhood News readers.

When it comes to places to grab a hot and healthy breakfast in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, our readers left no choice that their favorite place to do so was First Watch.

While the area doesn’t have a wealth of breakfast options, readers still managed to name 20 places they would call their favorite. But, it was First Watch, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza in Wesley Chapel, and then everyone else, as the Bradenton-based chain garnered 56.5 percent of the votes. No other style of restaurant dominated their category in the Best of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel the way that First Watch did.

But that is of little surprise to anyone who has waited in line — and who hasn’t? — to dine there.

“I think it is multiple things,’’ says Kerri Hagerman, the manager for the Wesley Chapel location, which happens to be the fourth-ranked performing First Watch of more than 300 locations nationwide. “One of the biggest reasons is that we focused on quality as a company — quality of the food, quality of the service and the quality of the  people we have working for us.”

Hagerman says it all leads to achieving the company’s mission statement: “You First.”

The restaurant offers a unique menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch items, like its popular avocado toast, lemon ricotta pancakes, a “chickichanga” burrito with whipped eggs, chicken, chorizo sausage, various cheeses, a mild Veracruz sauce and a variety of skillet hashes.

Every made-to-order menu item is made with the promise of fresh, and often local, ingredients.

The Tampa Bay area, including the Wesley Chapel location, also is First Watch’s test market for limited time offerings. Every 10 weeks or so, five new items are colorfully displayed on the chalkboard at the front of the restaurant. If they end up being a hit, they make it onto the regular menu. So, items that some across the country are experiencing for the first time now, the Wesley Chapel location featured a year ago.

Items currently being featured: a Mediterranean tomato stew called Shakshuka with Moroccan red harissa stew topped with cage-free poached eggs, a supergreen frittata wrap, an acai bowl topped with fruit and granola, rainbow toast featuring ricotta cheese-covered brioche toast topped with berries, mango and local honey and a blue booster drink with white grape juice, blueberry, lemon and basil.

Hagerman says First Watch’s juices, like the popular Kale tonic that was tested here but is now a regular menu item, are always big hits. While the restaurant has a reputation for innovative healthy foods, there also is plenty for those looking for something more traditional.

“We do serve healthy foods, but we also have a large variety of indulgent items as well,” Hagerman said. “There’s is definitely plenty for those looking for something heartier as well.”