The First Watch brunch restaurant brand has set it’s sights on the former Bertucci’s restaurant building on Cross Keys Road in Gloucester Township (Sicklerville) for their next South Jersey location.
This is an early stage report based on blueprints for the project related to construction efforts, and additional source details. 42Freeway is not aware of the opening estimates at this time.
The First Watch breakfast, brunch and lunch eatery has locations in Washington Township and Cherry Hill, and it seems their plans for a new Sicklerville location includes an exciting new twist! But first…
First Watch calls themselves the “daylight café” serving amazing breakfast and lunch entrees where all the classics brunch entrees are enhanced with chef inspired twists such as their Million Dollar Bacon, which is hardwood smoked bacon baked with brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne and Maple syrup drizzle.
As mentioned the planned new location in Gloucester Township is a former Bertucci’s restaurant on Cross Keys Rd, which closed in October 2022. It sits in front of the Shoppes at Cross Keys shopping center. In the extended property are Texas Roadhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, Hobby Lobby, Plaza Azteca and more.
First Watch Sicklerville with Full Bar?
And while First Watch already has two locations open in South Jersey, for the upcoming Cross Keys Road location they are bringing a very unique differentiating feature…
A bar area serving alcohol and featuring a bar counter with room for 10 barstools!
42Freeway has viewed the blueprints for the build out which is a conversion of the existing Bertucci’s building… and the blueprints very clearly call out the separated bar space with associated dining area.
The 10-seat barstool counter space depicts the standard bar triple-sink setup. Bar stools are accounted for in the specifications.
What isn’t called out in the diagram is a beer draft system… but that is also part of the First Watch model as in other states where they have alcohol offerings, their focus is on craft cocktails including delicious mimosas, bloody mary’s and similar.
So an important thing to call out at this time, while to us in New Jersey a brunch focused restaurant like First Watch offering alcohol seems far-fetched, the reality is, it’s a very normal part of the First Watch offerings in other states.
Honestly in most States in the country it’s very common for small cafes and locally owned breakfast spots to offer alcohol. New Jersey loves to vacation in Florida and likely we’ve all visited a little breakfast cafe where alcohol is served
But New Jersey’s liquor laws put restrictions on the number of licenses available per town, which due to the inability for new restaurants to acquire a liquor license, when one is available the cost can be many 100s of thousands… and typically out of reach of restaurants with a limited operating hour schedule.
It seems in they made a deal in Gloucester Township for a license that makes the investment worthwhile.
First Watch Sicklerville – Gloucester Township
As mentioned the new First Watch is planned for the former Bertucci’s building. This would be a remodel of the space and also include a front outdoor dining area.
Inside they will follow the core Bertucci’s interior footprint with two separate dining areas.
The main entrance will remain the same in the front left corner but it appears there is a separate vestibule entrance on the far side, entering directly into the bar space.
Directly across from the entrance (front fight corner) will be the bar-dining area which will feature the 10 seat bar, three dining booths, for tables with a shared bench seating on one side, and then several two person freestanding tables
That bar dining area will have about 32 table seats plus the 10 at the bar.
The larger main dining room of the former Bertucci’s will also become the main dining room for this new First Watch location.
The main dining area will also feature a variety of seating options, with 8 booth tables, 8 four-person tables, and two sections of that shared bench seating which will accommodate 36 customers.
This main dining area will support about 100 diners.
Plus as mentioned there’s an outdoor seating area in front which will supporting 26 customers.
All told the planned new First Watch will support 158 customers inside, and 28 outside.
Links and Location
First Watch Sicklerville (Planned)
625 Berlin – Cross Keys Rd,
Sicklerville, NJ 08081