A healthy, fast-casual restaurant is opening in Butler Plaza at 2905 SW 42nd St. on Friday.
The new restaurant, Bolay, uses a build-your-own bowl concept. Its Gainesville location will be the sixth restaurant for the company and the first in central Florida.
The restaurant has an entirely gluten-free menu, and customers are invited to build their own bowl with a base, protein, vegetables, toppings and sauces.
This is not the first bowl-concept restaurant to hit the Gainesville food scene. However, Dan Risick, a 2006 UF alumnus and the branch’s operating manager, believes the atmosphere of the restaurant and its bold flavors will help set it apart from others in the area.
“Our flavors are unique but keep you craving more,” Risick said of the food.
Risick’s childhood best friend and fellow UF alumnus Matthew Woolsey will be working with him as the store’s manager to integrate Bolay as a neighborhood restaurant in the town of their alma mater.
Hannah Peterson, Bolay’s marketing director, said the location would be attractive to students in the area.
“Students absolutely love our food because you’re getting a very healthy meal, but you’re in and out, and it’s a very quick meal,” Peterson said.
Catering to the hectic student life wasn’t the only reason Bolay decided to open a location in Gainesville, Peterson said.
“Our culture is surrounded by living bold, adventure, outdoors, doing things that push your limitations, and we found that the Gainesville market really embraces that,” Peterson said.
“We really are excited to join the Gainesville community and embrace what you guys have going on.”
Follow Sloan Savage on Twitter @sloanasavage and contact her at ssavage@alligator.org.
