“Daytime Café” continues aggressive growth strategy in home state
First Watch, voted Tampa Bay’s favorite Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch restaurant, made its debut in St. Petersburg today with the opening of a restaurant in the newly built Tyrone Crossings retail center. The restaurant company also announced its Brandon restaurant will open Monday, June 17.
The 3,600-square-foot restaurant in St. Petersburg occupies an end-cap space located at 4045 Tyrone Blvd. N. in front of the Walmart- and PetSmart-anchored Lighthouse Crossings center near the Park Street intersection.
The 3,400-square-foot restaurant in Brandon, located at 11305 Causeway Blvd. in the Lake Brandon Village shopping center, occupies a freestanding building, formerly Blinds To Go, and features an outdoor patio. The Brandon restaurant is one of only two First Watch restaurants in the state occupying a freestanding outparcel building.
A recipient of more than 200 “Best Of” accolades in markets across the country, First Watch was recently voted the “Best Business Breakfast” in the Tampa Bay Business Journal Reader’s Choice Awards and “Best Brunch Spot in the Tampa Bay Area” by Clear Channel Media and Entertainment listeners in the first annual iHeart Tampa Bay Awards.
“We’ve received a lot of feedback from the St. Pete and Brandon communities asking for a First Watch to be built in their area, so we know locals are excited about these new locations,” said Chris Tomasso, chief marketing officer for First Watch. “As a result, we expect the restaurants to become a favorite destination like so many of our others have in the Tampa Bay area.”
The St. Petersburg restaurant is the 39th First Watch in the home state of Florida, and Brandon will mark the 40th. Also opening on Monday, June 17, is a First Watch in West Boca Raton at 20401 State Road 7 in the Mission Bay Plaza.
The new restaurants feature an interior design concept that maximizes the natural light provided during the restaurants’ daytime hours and incorporates color tones conveying the warm and inviting personality of the First Watch brand. The design also accentuates an open-kitchen concept, which reinforces First Watch’s honest approach to fresh food preparation.
First Watch features traditional favorites including pancakes, omelets, salads and sandwiches, as well as signature specialties such as the Chickichanga®, Healthy Turkey Omelet™ and Fresh Fruit Crepes. All menu items are freshly prepared to order and the restaurant does not use deep fryers or heat lamps.
In addition to serving unique and fresh entrées, First Watch offers its exclusive Sunrise Select® Premium Blend Coffee. The special blend is made from slow-roasted, hand-selected, high-grown Panamanian, Colombian and Mexican coffee beans.
First Watch serves its entire menu seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The restaurant also offers guests complimentary newspapers and free Wi-Fi Internet access.
For First Watch franchise information, visit
http://www.firstwatch.com/franchise-overview.htm.
Celebrating its 30th year in 2013, First Watch specializes in award-winning, made-to-order Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch. A recipient of more than 200 “Best Breakfast” and “Best Brunch” accolades, First Watch offers traditional favorites such as omelets, pancakes, sandwiches and salads, to unique specialty items like the fan-favorite Chickichanga® and Fresh Fruit Crepes. It is currently the largest and fastest-growing daytime-only restaurant concept in the U.S. with more than 100 restaurants in 15 states and additional units under development as part of the Bradenton, Fla.-based company’s aggressive growth strategy. For more information, visit www.firstwatch.com.
