Boston restaurant chain opens Parrish location

Kelly’s Roast Beef has opened a new location in Parrish, north Manatee County. The restaurant, which features roast beef sandwiches and New England seafood, began welcoming diners in the Creekside Commons shopping center on U.S. 301 North in Manatee County on May 6.

The classic Kelly’s roast beef sandwich features medium-rare roast beef, a sesame bun, James River BBQ sauce, mayonnaise and American cheese. Each restaurant roasts its beef in-house throughout the day. The menu also includes lobster rolls, homemade clam chowder, scallops, whole-bellied clams and soft-serve ice cream. 

Spanning 3,500 square feet, the new Parrish eatery will provide drive-thru, carryout, dine-in, patio dining and third-party delivery service, according to a statement. 

The restaurant marks the sixth Kelly’s location in Florida for RAVentures Hospitality, a franchisee partner with Kelly’s Roast Beef, which has a more than 70-year history. Kelly’s was founded in 1951 outside Boston. It has locations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire in addition to the Sunshine State. This year the company expects to serve 1 million sandwiches.

“Kelly’s has built its reputation on serving high-quality, made-to-order food that people crave, and that commitment shines through at every location,” Jeff Doward, regional director of RAVentures Hospitality, says in the statement. “We’ve found that the classic flavors and Boston tradition behind Kelly’s really resonate with South Florida residents and visitors alike — whether they’re discovering us for the first time or reconnecting with a taste of home.”

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There are now six Kelly’s restaurants in the region:

• 5407 University Parkway in University Park
• 8710 US 301 N. at Creekside Commons in Parrish
• 8465 Dani Drive at Palmetto Commons in Fort Myers
• 8900 Founders Square Drive in Naples 
• 13585 Tamiami Trail N. #2 at Gateway Shoppes in Naples
• 1530 Pasadena Ave. S. in South Pasadena

Kelly’s initially entered the Florida market in 2022 with the opening of its location at University Town Center, the popular shopping and dining district in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The company deemed Florida a good location for franchising because of its dynamic business climate, pandemic-era policies and the sizable number of New Englanders who are residents, snowbirds or frequent visitors to the state, an executive with Kelly’s Roast Beef Franchising told the Business Observer in 2023. 

A seventh Florida restaurant for Kelly’s Roast Beef is coming soon, according to the company’s website, which shows it will be at 8140 Little Road in New Port Richey.