It was almost a year and a half ago that What Now reported on plans for the Tampa Bay debut of burrito chain Barberitos. Franchisee Matt O’Neill opened the area’s first location to a massively successful reception: “O’Neill’s first Barberitos location in Tampa, which opened in 2024, became one of the brand’s top restaurants within its initial six months,” says recent coverage by GlobalData.
Now, the coverage says, Barberitos has signed a 7-unit expansion agreement with O’Neill to grow the brand’s footprint in Tampa and St. Petersburg.
“We’re proud to continue partnering with Matt as he expands Barberitos’ presence in high-potential markets such as Tampa/St Pete,” said Kelly Roddy, CEO of Barberitos’ parent company WOWorks, in the coverage.
O’Neill, a Tampa Bay native believed the brand would be a good fit for the area, and the signs say he was right.
“I fell in love with the brand years ago while in a corporate position at Zaxby’s, which is also based in Athens,” O’Neill told What Now last year. “And I thought, I need to bring this down to Tampa where I come from.”
Barberitos’ burritos come build-your-own style: guests choose a tortilla (flour, wheat, chipotle, or spinach), a protein (chicken, steak, tofu, ground turkey, or ground beef), and toppings like rice, beans, corn salsa, pico de gallo, cilantro, and more. There are also add-ons like avocado, guacamole, cheese dip, and three different kinds of salsa.
Details on the site of Barberitos’ next opening are not yet available. What Now could not reach O’Neill immediately for comment on Monday.
You can keep up with Barbaritos news by following @barberitos on Instagram.
