By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer – Editor at Large, Tampa Bay Business Journal – Feb 2, 2026
Fresh Kitchen plans new flagship in South Tampa after fire
Fresh Kitchen will debut a new flagship restaurant in South Tampa — a bright, airy space that will also serve as a test kitchen as the chain grows throughout Florida and beyond.
The Tampa-based fast-casual bowl chain, known for its healthier options like almond-baked chicken and golden spice chickpeas, will begin construction on the former Ducky’s Sport Lounge at 1719 W. Kennedy Blvd. in the coming weeks, CEO Tyler Azzarelli told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Fresh Kitchen took over Ducky’s lease on the property in 2025, after its original South Howard flagship burned in 2024.
Ciccio Restaurant Group, the parent company of Fresh Kitchen, plans to open the new flagship in early summer, Azzarelli said, depending on permitting and construction. TWT Construction is the general contractor, and BDG is the architect.
The SoHo Fresh Kitchen, which opened in 2014, was around 1,800 square feet. The Ducky’s property is 4,500 square feet, and Azzarelli said about 3,000 square feet will become Fresh Kitchen. The remaining space will be dedicated to internal use, such as a central kitchen or other support functions. While parking was limited at the SoHo store, the new location will have over 60 parking spots.
“We love the North Hyde Park area, and we think that this location can serve that market really well,” Azzarelli said. “We also want to honor the South Tampa roots. Our hope is that with the accessibility and the parking, it will also be able to serve downtown, Hyde Park and Palma Ceia.”