New fast-casual restaurant opens near Coastal North Town Center

A new fast-casual restaurant in North Myrtle Beach promises freshly prepared culinary delights delivered to the table in 10 minutes or less.

Founder and CEO Paul Zito opened Z’s Amazing Kitchen on Monday in a 2,600-square-foot building at 1400 U.S. 17 North at the entrance to the Coastal North Town Center.

Along with a team of 25 that includes co-founder and Director of Culinary Operations Joey Mead, Zito plans to offer diners a “different type of fast-casual experience.”

“The variety on our menu spans many different areas,” Zito said on his first day open to the public. “We offer a full-service menu in half the time and half the price.”

The menu consists of 10 salads, 10 Paninis and wraps, an array of tacos and specialty items like the Scampi Alla Zito featuring lightly breaded shrimp tossed in Z’s signature garlic butter sauce and Romano cheese served over orzo pasta. Mead creates recipes that “fuse flavors to create simple yet outstanding dishes.”

The two friends have long histories in the restaurant business that includes working together for 12 years for Carrabbas Italian Grill.

Zito grew up in his family’s restaurant business in Boston before opening a restaurant on the west coast of Florida prior to joining Carrabbas 18 years ago. He came to the Myrtle Beach area 12 years ago as a regional partner in Carrabbas, leaving that position in December.

“We have been looking at the fast-casual market for the last few years,” he said, adding that getting the restaurant open was “really exciting.”

The trend to provide a blend of fast service with a higher quality of food than typically found in the fast food industry has been blossoming in the U.S. in recent years. Among its differences as well is the fast-casual restaurant’s ability to offer beer and wine.

The name of the new restaurant capitalizes on the “Z” logo that has been part of all Zito’s businesses. How the word “Amazing” became part of the name, he said, was thanks to guests exclaiming during tastings that the food was amazing.

The restaurant, which features a large, state-of-the-art open kitchen where diners can see their food being prepared fresh to order, will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Zito said the restaurant has dine-in seating for 70, a large patio that seats 30 outdoors and catering.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 9:54 AM with the headline "New fast-casual restaurant opens near Coastal North Town Center."