Atlanta market sizzles for First Watch

UNIVERSITY PARK — The Atlanta market is hot for First Watch, one of the largest and fastest-growing breakfast, brunch and lunch chains in the country.

The east Manatee County-based company opened its sixth location in Metro Atlanta in less than two years Oct. 20. The new location, according to a release, is in Kennesaw, Cobb County. It's a 4,627-square-foot freestanding restaurant near Kennesaw State University, which has more than 25,000 students. First Watch opened another Metro Atlanta store, in Alpharetta, in early August.

“The Metro Atlanta area boasts a number of appealing attributes,” First Watch Chief Marketing Officer Chris Tomasso says in the release. “Its diversity and rich southern tradition makes it an ideal spot for our high quality ingredients, service and cuisine. Kennesaw specifically has a strong community and neighborhood feel, and that's something that we at First Watch knew we wanted to be a part of.”

First Watch operates more than 120 restaurants in 16 states, with 10 more scheduled to open in the next six months. It also operates 20 restaurants under The Good Egg name in Arizona.