COVID-19 helps give birth to Atypical Kitchen in Lakewood Ranch. But you can’t eat there
Atypical Kitchen is the product of the creative mind of serial entrepreneur Zach Zeller and the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the pandemic, Zeller was planning to open a barbecue restaurant at another location in Lakewood Ranch. But when Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered restaurant dining rooms and retail stores closed earlier this year to curb the spread of the virus, Zeller saw that there might be a demand for a restaurant without a dining room or seating.
He thought there might be a niche for a restaurant that specialized in delivery and pickup.
Thus was born Atypical Kitchen at 2539 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., in space formerly occupied by Cleveland Kitchen.
“I wanted to bring high quality food to the customer’s door, or they could order take out,” Zeller said of the recently opened Atypical Kitchen.
Not only would Atypical Kitchen prepare the meal, in-house staff, wearing Atypical chef’s jackets, would deliver it.
“We are not a full-service restaurant so that allows us to do free, touchless delivery. Our delivery business is picking up. It’s been a gradual increase,” he said. “We have specially designed bags to ensure the food stays fresh until it is delivered to your door.”
The restaurant’s massive kitchen is the domain of chef Evan Percoco.
“He has traveled the world and has been a chef at many high-end restaurants. I couldn’t do this without him,” Zeller said. “We don’t have a freezer. Everything is fresh and we buy the highest quality ingredients we can find.”
Percoco said he appreciates Zeller’s savviness in putting together the Atypical concept and his insistence on high-quality food preparation
“We value the relationship with our vendors because everything we do here is made from scratch daily. That’s what makes the difference. Nothing is from a can,” Percoco said.
Much of the Atypical menu is devoted to barbecue, including meat plates served with two sides. Pit-smoked pulled pork is listed for $12, smokehouse beef brisket for $17, smoked turkey breast for $13, and sliced sausage links for $11.
All of the meats are also available, sold by the pound.
Atypical sides list for $4, regular, and $8, large. They include street corn, Drunkin’ Borracho Beans (pinto beans, dark beer, tomato,chili, and smoked meat bits), apple slaw, potato salad, green beans and cast-iron skillet jalapeno cornbread.
The flip side of the menu includes appetizers, and smokehouse tacos, starting at $10, including carnitas, burnt-end beef brisket, pulled turkey breast and grilled barbecue dusted shrimp.
Hand-helds (sandwiches) include beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey club, and more.
Rounding out the menu are sweets (bacon brownies, bourbon bread pudding, and stone fruit and local berry crisp) available for $7 each and a child’s menu, that includes cheese quesadilla, Lil’Q sandwich, and smokey corn dogs, available for $6.50 each.
In addition to its delivery business, Atypical provides food served at Naughty Monk Brewery, 2507 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.
Atypical Kitchen is a family business, open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week. Zeller is assisted by his sister, Jennifer Forthman, a niece, Cheyenne Moore, a nephew, Owen Pasqurette, and his father, Gary Zeller.
Atypical offers free delivery within about a 6.5-mile radius. Delivery is also available through Uber Eats for customers who live beyond that radius.
To place an order, call 941-744-0744 or visit atypicalkitchen.com.
