GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is set to open soon in Gainesville, taking over the former Bahama Breeze location in Butler Plaza North as part of a broader shift by its parent company, Darden Restaurants.
The new restaurant, planned for 3989 Plaza Blvd., is expected to open May 11, according to a Butler Enterprises announcement and recent reporting. It will occupy the building that previously housed Bahama Breeze, which closed in May 2025.
The closure of the former establishment is due to Darden, the Orlando-based parent company of both brands, moving to repurpose select restaurant sites following a company-wide closure of the Caribbean-themed chain. Bahama Breeze shut down all 28 of its remaining locations on April 5.
Darden has said the closures and conversions are part of a broader portfolio strategy to streamline operations and focus on higher-performing concepts. The company has announced plans to convert roughly half of the former Bahama Breeze locations into Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen restaurants over the next 12 to 18 months.
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, founded in 1979 in Arlington, Texas, and acquired by Darden in 2017, is known for made-from-scratch American comfort food including chicken pot pie, ribs, burgers and house-baked sides. The chain operates more than 180 locations nationwide.
The Gainesville restaurant will be the brand’s first location in the city and joins several over Darden-owned concepts operating locally, including Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.
Officials have not yet announced hiring timelines or additional opening details.