Fresh Kitchen Makes Its Mark On Boca
The newest addition to the expansive list of fast casual dining concepts in Boca is Fresh Kitchen, recently opening in Park Place.
Boca is a foodie fairytale land; there is a restaurant for every craving, a place to satisfy any thirst and endless options for the desired ambiance. “Yelpers” and OpenTable users alike find it nearly impossible to run out of places to review.
But the unique aspect of this gourmet-haven-of-a-city is the abundance of fast casual restaurants, offering far beyond deep fried chicken nuggets and freezer-to-frying pan hamburgers. Fresh Kitchen, a Tampa Bay Original by the Ciccio Group, can now be added to the list.
The first Fresh Kitchen found success in 2014 in a popular area of Tampa, South Howard, better known as SoHo. The next two locations opened in St. Petersburg and Sarasota, which led to the expansion to the city of Boca.
“For someone who is always on the search for not only healthy food but delicious healthy food, I was excited to discover a place right up my alley was opening so close to school,” said Sydney Grusd, sophomore and wellness enthusiast.
The innovative build- your-own-bowl concept is complimented by the convenience factor that founder Steven Lanza and co-founder David Pullman work so diligently to provide. Every option is 100 percent gluten- free, featuring hormone and antibiotic-free meats, house-made sauces and a menu that changes with the seasons.
“We spent about two years traveling around the country to get ideas. We were in California, Boston, New York and all over,” said Lanza.
The key to the Ciccio group’s success is not only attributed to their innovative and creative ideas, but also to the taste and quality of their food. Customers crave the variety of bases, veggies, proteins and sauces. Each item has a unique, fresh twist, such as coconut ginger rice, baked almond chicken, chia seed tuna poke and sweet potato noodles.
“I loved the grilled citrus chicken, as well as the parmesan broccoli and the way they used scoopers for portions since most places do not do that,” said Chloe Monaco, sophomore and health devotee. “Portion control is really important for healthy eating and it is hard to find places that are cognizant of it.”
Customers can keep up with Fresh Kitchen’s updates through social media and can find more information on seasonal menu changes by following @eatFKsoflo and @ eatfreshkitchen.
