WESLEY CHAPEL — Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter has long promised that he will not fill his prized piece of ranch land in Wesley Chapel with your typical chain restaurants. Instead, he has said he wants to bring in more elevated, local-focused dining concepts.
He is delivering on that promise again.
Longtime South Tampa institution Wright’s Gourmet House, located on South Dale Mabry Avenue, has announced plans to open two new restaurants — one in Brandon and another in Wiregrass Ranch.
Scott Sheridan, the chief operating officer of Porter’s Locust Branch LLC, confirmed that Wright’s Gourmet House is bringing its highly rated cakes and sandwiches to Wesley Chapel with a planned location expected to open in summer 2028, according to a news release.
The Brandon location, expected to open in 2027, is slated for the Brandon Town Center area.
“The goal is simple: when someone walks into a new Wright’s space, it should feel like walking into a well-loved room of the same house,” the release said.
Caspers Co., run by siblings Allison Casper Adams and Blake Casper, purchased the lone location of Wright’s Gourmet House in 2024 from previous owner Jeff Mount. Casper told the Tampa Bay Business Journal that his team began almost immediately exploring expansion opportunities in suburban markets.
Blake Casper was previously the largest McDonald’s franchisee in Florida until selling its stores back to McDonald’s in 2022.
Caspers Company is a local design, hospitality and wellness group. The company manages restaurant concepts including Oxford Exchange, Predalina and Mad Dogs & Englishmen.
The Wiregrass Ranch location will be just west of the Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant that opened in 2023.
Although Wright’s Gourmet House is expanding, it still remains the kind of locally owned, family-run restaurant that Porter has long promoted as part of his vision for Wiregrass Ranch. The deli/bakery was founded in 1963 by Marjorie and Pete Wright, and sold to Mount, their grandson, in 1981.
It is known for its oversized gourmet sandwiches, like the Beef Martini and Golden Gate (served on pumpernickel bread), as well as its popular cakes, catering services and signature recipes.
“The reason we can open in Brandon and Wesley Chapel with confidence is our people,” Wright’s director of operations Yesy Cruz told the Tampa Bay Times by email July 20. “We’ve doubled our team without losing a single member, over the last two years.”
With the 30-acre Legacy at Wiregrass Ranch downtown project set to begin construction in the coming years, Wright’s will be ideally located right off State Road 56.
Wesley Chapel continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in the state, attracting businesses and entrepreneurs as thousands of more homes and commercial projects move forward, attracting younger families to the area.