Newk’s Eatery, a fast-casual restaurant serving gourmet pizza, salads and sandwiches, will open its second location in the Lexington market on Monday at Fayette Mall.
The restaurant chain opened its first store in Lexington on Friday on Richmond Road, as part of the redevelopment of the former Lexington Mall site.
In addition to being new to Lexington, the restaurant chain is a relatively recent comer to the national scene. Its first location opened in Oxford, Mississippi, roughly a decade ago. The chain has expanded to more than 70 locations in 13 states in that time and is hoping to make a mark in Lexington with the near-simultaneous opening of two locations.
“We are excited to be part of the impressive Southland [Christian Church] redevelopment and revitalization of the former mall,” said Matt Minner, who co-owns the new restaurants, along with Joy and Jay Minner.
Newk’s Eatery touts fresh ingredients and hand-crafted, made-from-scratch selections as part of what owner-operator Jay Minner calls a “more upscale, family-friendly experience than other fast-casual brands.” The restaurants will have coolers with take-out foods and will serve local wine and beer. Catering options are also part of the plan for both Newk’s locations.
In addition to Lexington, there are Newk’s restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee; Austin, Texas; and Atlanta, Georgia. The Lexington restaurants are locally owned and operated and are expected to add more than 100 jobs to the local economy.