Looking for more fresh food in Bluffton? Restaurant chain announces opening plans.

First Watch Daytime Cafe, a restaurant known for its clean eating options, could open its first Lowcountry location in Bluffton at the start of next year.

Ryan Hendrix, franchise owner, said the cafe could open in January in a building currently being built in front of Hobby Lobby on U.S. 278.

“The restaurant is about fresh and clean eating,” Hendrix, of Savannah, said. “We do local farm-to-table whenever we can source that. We have fresh juice made in-house and use antibiotic-free and cage-free options.”

The First Watch chain, which serves breakfast, lunch and brunch, first started expanding in Florida but now has more than 300 locations across the nation, Hendrix said.

The closest First Watch location is in Jacksonville.

Hendrix, who also owns Jersey Mike’s franchises in in Charleston and Tennessee, said he recently purchased the First Watch franchise rights from Charleston to Savannah. He said Bluffton will be the first store opened by his franchise.

“We definitely like the location,” Hendrix said. “The growth over the past five years is amazing and I think it will continue.”

The First Watch franchise is a way to get into the clean-eating movement, he said.

“People have really gravitated toward it in Florida, and I don’t think it will be any different in South Carolina,” Hendrix said.

This story was originally published September 28, 2017 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Looking for more fresh food in Bluffton? Restaurant chain announces opening plans.."