By Nicole Heubusch
The second location of EATS! American Grill has opened in the Winthrop Plaza where Green Iguana used to be. It is the newest restaurant to open up in the plaza, making it a premier destination in the area for local dining. It joins Ciccio Cali, The Egg & I, Cappy’s Pizza, Acropolis Greek Taverna, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
The first location opened in South Tampa in 2010, and Owner Chris Rose is excited to bring his business to the Brandon area.
“EATS! is a family driven business,” said Rose. “I have been coming to the Brandon area all of my life. I grew up in Tampa and my family has roots here. My family owns the property across the street from Durant High School and my Uncle Bill lives in Buckhorn. I have seen firsthand how the area has grown up over the years.”
In addition to bringing his food to the community, Rose’s mission is to connect and give back to the area.
EATS! is classified as a casual dining segment at an exceptional value.
“We have a ‘scratch kitchen’ and we make everything to order,” Rose said. “We make all our own sauces, all our own dressings, and the protein is always fresh, never frozen.”
Chris prides himself on being a “foodie.”
“When our family would visit different towns or cities around the country, we’d seek out the local mom and pop restaurant and eat the authentic fresh food from that area.”
This is what helped him to build the menu at EATS! consisting of dishes from different cities around the country, including a dish called the Midwest BLT which landed the restaurant on The Food Network’s show, Heat Seekers. It is made up of its famous fried green tomatoes, peppered bacon, lettuce and signature spicy sauce served on grilled Texas toast with a side of EATS! Seasoned Fries. It can also be served with heat sauce.
The menu for EATS! consists of sandwiches, steak, chicken, salads and burgers. Available sides include homemade mac-n-cheese with jalapeno and sweet potato tots.
EATS! American Grill is located at 6262 Winthrop Town Centre Dr. Call 655-EATS (3287) or visit eatsamericangrill.com for more information.
