Flower Child, a fast-casual restaurant known for its fresh, healthy fare and upbeat atmosphere, has officially opened its doors in Lakewood Ranch—marking the brand’s first location in Florida.

Vice President of Operations Dave Luz, who oversees the entire Flower Child brand under Fox Restaurant Concepts, spent the opening week in May onsite with his team, ensuring a smooth launch. The brand, which currently has 41 locations nationwide, was founded in 2014 by Phoenix-based restaurateur Sam Fox, who set out to create a vibrant, health-focused dining experience. Flower Child offers scratch-made meals served quickly in a welcoming, bright, feel-good setting—delivering what the brand calls “positively delicious vibes.”

While the ordering process at Flower Child does resemble that of a fast-food restaurant –guests walk up to the counter to place their order—the experience is anything but typical. Each dish is freshly prepared on the line, similar to what you'd expect in a full-service restaurant kitchen. The menu is thoughtfully crafted to ensure quick, efficient service without compromising on quality.

“Most of our cooks have gone to culinary school and often come from full-service backgrounds,” says Luz. “The menu avoids overly complicated dishes to ensure timely preparation so that the food gets to the table within 10 minutes.”

Everything on the menu at Flower Child is made in-house, using the freshest ingredients available. “Our motto is ‘healthy food for a happy world,’ but we’re not considered health food. We serve delicious, nutritious food that's super responsible regarding calories,” explains Luz. “You can eat at our store five days a week and feel great about yourself, eat super clean with low calories, or you can come and indulge. We try to appeal to every kind of dietary need–vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free–we try to make sure there's something for everyone.”

To fully appreciate what Flower Child is all about, Luz recommends dining in, especially for the first time. “When you dine with us and you see that you order your food and it’s delivered to you in just ten minutes, you’re amazed. That’s where our magic happens,” he says. More than half of their business, however, is in to-go orders, which can be created through the app or ordered in-house and taken out. They also have a very robust catering business, which is a great option for corporate events.

The Flower Child team has been looking to get into the Florida market for some time and Luz shares that he’s glad they were patient and waited for just the right opportunity to come to Sarasota. “Our best locations are always in areas like Lakewood Ranch, where the community is growing and the people are super engaged, diverse and active,“ he says. “I just know this location will be great for us.”

Flower Child, 6532 University Parkway, Suite 160, Sarasota, 941-373-0199, iamaflowerchild.com/