At 11 a.m. Monday, the region's first location from a Mississippi-based restaurant brand specializing in a "culinary-driven menu" will hold its grand opening at Clearwater Mall.
The fast-casual Newk's Eatery (which shouldn't be confused with the Newk's that formerly operated across from what is now Tampa's Amalie Arena) spans various food styles with its crowd-pleasing bill of fare, everything from coastal and Mediterranean items to Southern barbecue and Asian-inspired offerings.
Weighing in at 5,225 square feet, the restaurant's cuisine is driven by fresh ingredients like seasonal veggies, homemade dressings, imported cheeses and olive oils infused in-house. It's a mashup of imaginative dishes and reinvented classics, family recipes from the Newcombs (the founding family of Newk's) included.
Aeolus Group, the franchisee team behind the 174-seat Clearwater Newk's, has 10 years of restaurant industry experience. According to a news release, the group plans to launch 11 Newk's restaurants in the Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Lakeland markets over the next several years. The concept currently has close to 95 locations in 13 states.
During Monday's debut, the first 50 patrons will receive a gift package of premium Newk's goods, as well as 52 VIP cards valid for one complimentary entree and drink every week of the year. The next 50 people will land a supply of the restaurant's signature merchandise.
This article appears in Dec 17-23, 2015.