BizBeat: Pita Pit coming soon

Pictured on Jan. 21, 2017, a new Pita Pit restaurant is set to open in early February at the corner of West Edgewood Drive and Missouri 179 in Jefferson City.
Pictured on Jan. 21, 2017, a new Pita Pit restaurant is set to open in early February at the corner of West Edgewood Drive and Missouri 179 in Jefferson City.

Jefferson City is roughly two weeks away from welcoming its first Pita Pit restaurant.

The "healthier alternative to fast food" is set to open locally in the first week of February, franchise owner Jeremy Bryson said.

Pita Pit will operate alongside the Edge Express convenience store at the intersection of West Edgewood Drive and Missouri 179.

Bryson and a partner have operated the Pita Pit franchise off Grindstone Parkway in Columbia for three years.

"I always wanted to bring something to Central Missouri that we never had," he said. "Usually Pita Pits go for college towns."

Still a fast-food option in terms of speed, Pita Pit is all about customizing orders to fit customers' taste. Most sandwiches are made in a "pita pocket," filled with fresh grilled meat and vegetables.

Pita Pit also serves soups, salads, and fresh-made pita chips with hummus, and the Jefferson City restaurant plans to add smoothies in the future.

With pita options ranging from Mediterranean to Middle Eastern to American, Bryson's favorite custom pita is branded the "Chickenzilla," a "double helping of all-natural chicken breast meat. We grill onions and peppers with it and put a teriyaki glaze on it on the grill, then add cucumbers, pepper jack cheese, romaine lettuce and black pepper."

Geared mainly toward carryout with its location next to the convenience store, Jefferson City's Pita Pit will offer some indoor seating, in addition to seating inside Edge Express, and will add outdoor seating this spring.

Bryson said he plans to expand his Pita Pit franchises in Missouri to include a second restaurant in Columbia as well as possible future locations in St. Louis and Rolla.

Know of any business happenings around Jefferson City? Let us know at [email protected].