Spring Chicken and Lulu's Nitrogen Ice Cream Coming to South Beach

Spring Chicken, the 50 Eggs restaurant group's fast-casual complement to Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, will open this month in Miami Beach.

Following the launch of Spring Chicken locations in Coral Gables this past January and Fort Lauderdale in June, Spring Chicken will open Friday, August 26, in South Beach. It will be located at 1439 Alton Rd., the space formerly occupied by 50 Eggs' short-lived BTW (Burger, Taco, Whiskey), which opened in February 2015 with Michelin-starred chef Danny Grant.

50 Eggs founder John Kunkel is also looking forward to bringing on an additional tenant to join the new Miami Beach space: Lulu’s Nitrogen Ice Cream. This will be the second location of the Miami-based shop, best known for crafting its frozen treats from scratch using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

According to Kunkel, the locale is special to him. It is, after all, the original home of Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, the fast-casual Mexican restaurant he founded in 2004. "The Alton Road location is very near and dear to me, as it was the start of Lime," Kunkel says. "To be able to launch another national concept in this location is very special and exciting."

The restaurant executive also owns and operates the James Beard Award-nominated Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, with locations in Miami Beach and Las Vegas, as well as Coral Gables' Swine Southern Table & Bar.

To celebrate the newest addition, Spring Chicken Miami Beach will feature a limited-time offer during its grand-opening week. From Friday, August 26, through Friday, September 2, the first 20 people in line each day will receive a free Yardbird Sandwich with any purchase.
Those who've never experienced the nearby Yardbird Southern Table & Bar can try the fast-causal version: The Spring Chicken menu borrows several of Yardbird's most popular dishes, including the famous Llewellyn's fine fried chicken, a recipe created by Kunkel's grandmother. The chicken — fresh meat with no steroids, hormones, or antibiotics — comes from birds raised on all-vegetarian, pesticide-free corn and soybean feed.

Smaller than its sister locations, the newest Spring Chicken will offer a streamlined menu of items and a more grab-and-go atmosphere.

Menu favorites at the Miami Beach location — such as hand-breaded jumbo tenders, mac 'n' cheese, and the popular superfood kale salad — will be easy to pick up, Kunkel says. A list of sandwiches includes Spring Chicken menu staples such as the Yardbird, considered a "classic" offering for its blend of marinated chicken thigh, house butter pickles, and Southern sauce on a toasted potato bun.

The fourth South Florida Spring Chicken, slated to open at Miami International Airport later this year, will follow a similar format as part of the chain’s expansion plans in the tri-county area.