'The first of many': Biscuits and Benedicts opens in Dixieland after 3 years in the making

LAKELAND — The wait is over.

Biscuits and Benedicts, Lakeland's newest brunch spot, began serving customers Friday morning after three years of preparations. With a focus on Southern-style food, the owners hope it's all gravy from here.

Lakeland native James Kerr, 37, travels all over the country as a professional poker player. He said he came to realize his two favorite foods on the road were biscuit sandwiches and eggs Benedict in all its varieties and forms.

"We didn't have anything like that in Lakeland, so I wanted open up something like this I could eat breakfast at," he said.

Kerr said he became business partners with his best friend, chef Erik Walter. Walter has more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry, having worked as a former chef at the Columbia restaurants and at Harborside in Winter Haven.

The pair began putting together what they hope will offer a unique dining experience. They signed a lease in March 2019 for 1212 S. Florida Ave.

For three years, a black roadside sign announced Biscuits and Benedicts was coming to Dixieland. Residents began to openly question on social media whether the restaurant would ever open.

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"I had to do a lot of things that nobody else in the city had to do with this location," Kerr said. "I was given runarounds."

A new manhole was required to be installed, according to Kerr, costing approximately $50,000. He said he was required to relocate the restaurant's grease trap despite the site being the previous home of Nineteen61, a critically acclaimed restaurant that now resides downtown.

"It became more of a pride thing to open than a financial thing," Kerr said. "I could have moved the location a year, two years ago and been open within six months."

The pandemic has also created several obstacles for the business to overcome. It took more than a year to receive an order of kitchen appliances because of global supply chain issues, Kerr said.

On Thursday, staff and friends were working to complete a last-minute punch list to ensure everything was in place for the grand opening.

The owners' goal is to help grow Lakeland's current brunch scene by creating a vibe, or upbeat atmosphere. The interior of restaurant is designed to have a modern country feel, according to partner Troy Hambrick, 60, who joined the team in January.

True to Kerr's passion, the menu features seven types of eggs Benedict with bases ranging from filet mignon to avocado and tomato. The sauce used is a  blend of beurre blanc, a butter-based sauce, with hollandaise.

There's also a selection of 11 sandwiches built on homemade buttermilk biscuits. The dishes are creatively named: "Heavens to Betsy" has buttermilk fried chicken, pimento cheese, bacon and apple butter. The "Thingamajigger" features fried catfish with Florida Key lime tarter sauce, coleslaw and tomato. Prices range from $8.95 to $25.95 for entrees.

Hambrick said the menu is a bit limited right now because of difficulty obtaining specific ingredients. There are tentative plans to offer a daily and weekly special in the future, he said.

The location's outdoor patio has not been utilized for now. Kerr said benches have been ordered to utilize part of the space as a waiting area. A  custom table is coming to eventually offer outdoor dining.

"This is going to be our staple first location, the first of many," he said.

Kerr said he's already in the process of looking for potential new sites. It was important him to start the business in Lakeland, where he's from, with a network of support from friends and family.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at [email protected] or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl. 

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Biscuits and Benedicts in Lakeland opens breakfast, brunch restaurant