PF Chang’s “Pagoda Asian Grill” Opens in St. Petersburg
A New Fast-Casual Asian Dining Experience Arrives in West St. Pete
Food lovers in St. Petersburg have a new go-to spot for fresh, customizable Asian-inspired meals. PF Chang’s “Pagoda Asian Grill” Opens at 1550 66th Street North, bringing a new fast-casual concept to the area. This location marks the first Pagoda Asian Grill St. Petersburg has seen and the third in the nation. With a build-your-own meal approach, over a billion possible combinations, and fresh ingredients, this new dining destination is set to make waves.
What Makes Pagoda Asian Grill Special?
As a seasoned Realtor in St Petersburg FL, I’m always excited to see new businesses bring fresh energy to our neighborhoods. PF Chang’s “Pagoda Asian Grill” Opens with a menu designed to satisfy everyone’s palate.
Diners can create a bowl or wrap by choosing from:
- Base: White rice, brown rice, or soba noodles
- Protein: Grilled chicken, sriracha chicken, grilled steak, bulgogi steak, or roasted vegetables
- Toppings: 18 fresh options, including pickled red cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers
- Sauces: Eight flavorful choices, from sweet Thai peanut to bold black pepper
Not sure what to order? Pagoda also offers five chef-curated bowls and wraps, such as the Korean BBQ Steak Bowl and Thai Peanut Chicken Bowl.
The Grand Opening Celebration
The grand opening of PF Chang’s “Pagoda Asian Grill” Opens brought excitement to the community. The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce joined in the celebration, welcoming this innovative dining concept to St. Petersburg. Guests experienced tastings, special treats, and a first-hand look at the bold flavors Pagoda has to offer.
“The arrival of Pagoda Asian Grill is a great addition to our vibrant food scene in St. Pete,” says Aaron Hunt, Broker of Avalon Group Realty. “It’s exciting to see national brands choosing our city as a prime location for expansion.”
A Convenient Dining Option for West St. Pete
Situated in a spot that previously housed Rib City, which closed during the pandemic, Pagoda Asian Grill St. Petersburg brings new life to this prime location. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., it caters to busy professionals, families, and anyone craving fresh, flavorful Asian cuisine.
Yvette Kim, Realtor with Avalon Group Realty, notes, “St. Pete’s west side is growing rapidly, and new dining options like Pagoda are a testament to the area’s increasing appeal. This spot will quickly become a favorite for locals.”
Clockwise from top: Entrance to the restaurant, Korean BBQ Steak Bowl, Grand Opening Sign, Sweet Taiwanese Steak.
Why St. Petersburg is a Prime Location for Expansion
“The city’s continued growth makes it a hotspot for new business ventures,” shares Pam Amante, Realtor with Avalon Group Realty. “St. Pete has a dynamic mix of long-time residents and new transplants looking for great food, entertainment, and a strong community vibe.”
With its unique take on Asian cuisine, PF Chang’s “Pagoda Asian Grill” Opens as more than just another fast-casual chain. It’s a destination for bold flavors and endless customizations, perfectly aligning with St. Petersburg’s eclectic dining culture.
What This Means for Local Real Estate
Nora Sturgill, Realtor with Avalon Group Realty, highlights the impact of new businesses on home values: “When high-quality restaurants and retailers invest in an area, it attracts homebuyers. Neighborhoods with great dining options tend to see an increase in property demand.”
For those considering a move, the west St. Pete area, home to Pagoda Asian Grill St. Petersburg, offers convenience, walkability, and proximity to major attractions.
The Future of Pagoda Asian Grill and P.F. Chang’s Expansion
P.F. Chang’s is taking another stab at a limited-service spinoff concept. More than five years after selling off Pei Wei Asian Kitchen, the 300-unit Scottsdale, AZ-based casual-dining chain is testing out a fast-casual concept called Pagoda Asian Grill. The new offshoot already has three locations open in New York, Texas, and Florida, with a possible runway of 2,000 units.
“Pagoda for us is a very deep whitespace,” P.F. Chang’s CEO Eduardo Luz said during January’s ICR conference in Orlando, FL. “We believe it is the bull’s eye of food trends: it’s flavorful, abundant, fast, and easy. If we’re right about this, this is going to be a $2 million AUVs business with a 25% margin.”
Like many popular fast-casual concepts, Pagoda Asian Grill is capitalizing on the popularity of the Chipotle and Cava models, with Asian fusion bowls centric to the concept’s menu. Menu items include the Thai Peanut Chicken and Korean BBQ Steak bowls, and customers can also build their own bowls with ingredients like Sriracha chicken, Bulgogi steak, edamame, bok choy, and kimchi as options. Other menu items include a selection of wraps, kids’ meals, as well as wonton chips with a dipping sauce (an Asian-American take on the tortilla chips and salsa side dish).
Luz said that the tests of Pagoda have been going well so far and strongly believes that Asian fast-casual is a “huge whitespace” right now, that no other concept has filled so far. While P.F Chang’s tackles this market, the company would not be the first to try out an Asian fast-casual concept. In fact, Chipotle shuttered all locations of its Asian fast-casual concept, ShopHouse, in 2017.
“We believe that someone is going to look at that [fast-casual scale for Asian], and we believe that someone will be us,” Luz said. “We have gotten tests by now. We are opening one more lab in St. Petersburg [FL]. It is very exciting…the initial signals we have for an Asian grill are very, very strong.”
The average check of Pagoda Asian Grill so far is $18 with 60% of sales off-premises, as compared with 35% of off-premises sales for P.F Chang’s.
P.F. Chang’s currently operates 200 company-owned units in 41 states, with nearly 40% of restaurants located in malls.
Contact Avalon Group Realty
Looking to buy or sell a home in St. Petersburg? Contact Aaron Hunt directly to start your real estate success story:
Phone: 727-262-7920
Website: www.AvalonGroupTampaBay.com
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