Fresh Kitchen plans to open a new flagship restaurant June 9 at 1719 W. Kennedy Blvd., marking the brand’s return to South Tampa nearly two years after a fire destroyed its original location.
The opening is scheduled to follow a June 8 ribbon cutting with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and a two-day pre-opening event that will raise funds for the American Red Cross through $5 bowl sales. The restaurant replaces the former Ducky’s Sports Lounge space.
The roughly 4,000-square-foot restaurant is about double the size of a typical Fresh Kitchen and will serve as a testing ground for menu, operations and store design as the company expands. The brand plans to open 50 locations over the next decade.
The flagship replaces the original South Howard Avenue restaurant, which opened in 2014 and closed after a July 2024 fire. The new site is about 1.5 miles from that location, keeping the brand in the same market where it began.
“This new location is our way of giving back that love by creating an even better hub for our Fresh Kitchen fans and future team members,” President Tara O’Neill said in a statement.
The Kennedy Boulevard restaurant will serve as a central location for testing new ideas and refining future formats as the brand grows.
Fresh Kitchen operates 16 locations across Florida and focuses on made-to-order bowls and scratch-prepared food. The concept is part of Ciccio Restaurant Group, which operates multiple brands in Tampa and other markets.
Proceeds from the pre-opening events will go to disaster relief through the American Red Cross.
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