Leading Manatee County restaurant chain opens new Tampa Bay location

First Watch, the east Manatee County-based daytime dining restaurant serving breakfast, brunch and lunch, says it has opened its first location in Apollo Beach.

The restaurant at 6596 N. U.S. Highway 41 "brings a chef-inspired menu and rotating seasonal offerings to a 4,000-square-foot space that seats more than 150 people, offers outside dining under a covered patio and serves signature housemade fresh juices and cocktails at an indoor-outdoor bar," the company says in a statement.

"For nearly 30 years, we've loved being part of our community's morning occasion across Tampa Bay, so we thought it was time to bring our experience closer to home for our neighbors in Apollo Beach," says Carmen Rundell, vice president of operations at First Watch. "While this restaurant marks our ninth in Hillsborough County, it is opening with an entirely new build and design that gives our customers more ways to enjoy brunch their way."