The Hyde Park Pita Pit!!!!

Pit offers healthy food at 3 a.m. By SHARON GINN, Times Correspondent Published February 1, 2008-------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------Breaking News Video The 2,000-square-foot space at 500 S Howard Ave. soon will be serving the low-carb - instead of the carb-loading - crowd.A Pita Pit franchise is expected to have a soft opening toward the end of this month in the spot occupied for five years by the Great Harvest Bread Co.The smell of fresh bread will be replaced by the aroma of meat and vegetable fillings that stuff the company's trademark Lebanese-style pitas.The lower-fat fare will be served until 4 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, providing partiers with an alternative to pizza or fast food, said Andrew Turek, one of three partners in the franchise. The location is near the busy SoHo bar district, and Turek said there are few options for hungry folks heading home after a night out.Turek, Geoff Gluck and Brandon Berlinrut, who all graduated from the University of Central Florida within the past five years, were Pita Pit fans in Orlando before moving to Tampa about 18 months ago to work as managers for a mortgage firm. When the firm moved, the three began thinking about owning a business together."The food fits the lifestyle around there - fresh thinking, healthy eating," said Turek, who first tried the company's food at its Gainesville franchise. "There are a lot of people going out late night, and big delivery opportunities downtown."Turek and his partners were looking at the space next door, but subleased the space from Great Harvest once they found out it was closing in December."We tried some of their breads and they were great, but I'm sure with all the Atkins and (other) low-carb diets out, it has to be hard to be a baker," Turek said. "Especially in this town."Pita Pit fills its pitas with lean meats, cheeses, vegetables, sauces and unique toppings like hummus and baba ghanoush. The company also offers breakfast pitas featuring scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, bacon and chicken.The store will be open nearly around the clock, at least at first, Turek said. Projected hours are 8 a.m. to midnight or 1 a.m., as the market dictates, Sunday through Tuesday; and 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Delivery will be available during most, if not all, of the operating hours, within a 2-mile radius, he said.