Bloomin’ Brands is bringing Aussie Grill, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill to Cypress Creek Town Center, off State Road 56, in Lutz.
The restaurant chain, headquartered in Tampa, expects that the three new restaurants will create a total of about 200 new jobs, said Elizabeth Watts, representing Bloomin’ Brands.
Aussie Grill, expected to open in the first half of 2020, will be the first of the three to begin operations, Watts said, via email.
“The Cypress Creek Aussie Grill will be the first stand-alone restaurant and will include a dining room,” Watts added, noting the only other U.S. location for that brand is at the food court in Tampa International Plaza.
Both Bonefish and Carrabba’s will have a new appearance.
“The new Bonefish design is a modern look with high open ceilings and includes a glass-entry tower with blade awnings wrapping around both sides of the building,” Watts said.
“The new Carrabba’s design features white frosted thin brick with terra cotta tile wainscoting around the building, a pergola-style open patio and floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining area for an open feel connected to the outside,” Watts added.
Watts also noted that Cypress Creek Town Center, which is west of Interstate 75 and off State Road 56, is well-situated.
“This is a great location for many reasons, including the growth of the area and accessibility from the interstate, which make this a popular destination for local residents and tourists alike,” Watts said.
Additional details about the planned restaurants were contained in documents submitted when the restaurants applied for the county’s permission for on-premise sales of beer, wine and liquor. The requests were subsequently approved.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill is planning a 6,455-square-foot freestanding restaurant, with a 605-square-foot patio, according to county documents.
Bonefish Grill is planning a 5,682-square-foot freestanding restaurant with a 418-square-foot patio, the documents say.
Aussie Grill is planning a 2,925-square-foot freestanding restaurant, with a 305-square-foot patio, according to the documents.
Bloomin’ Brands, which got its start in Tampa, is now one of the world’s largest casual dining companies with approximately 93,000 team members and more than 1,450 restaurants, according to its website. It has locations throughout 48 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 20 countries, including some franchise locations.
Published October 16, 2019
