Miami's Pincho Factory Opens First Broward Location in Pembroke Pines

Get ready, Broward County burger lovers: On Thursday, Pincho Factory will open its first location outside of Miami-Dade County. The restaurant will host an invitation-only, grand-opening, ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its new Pembroke Pines location.

A Miami import, Pincho Factory has gone from an in-the-know-locals' secret to a well-known Miami concept best-known for its Latin-inspired fusion fare, unique burgers, and pinchos (AKA kebabs, their own take on Spanish pinxtos, or tapas). Take the toston cheeseburger, because what's better than a cheeseburger? A cheeseburger between two hot, salty fried plantain "buns," that's what.

A homegrown success, the concept was founded by cousins and business partners Nedal Ahmad, Otto Othman, and Nizar Ahmad. Together, they dreamed up a delicious way to combine their family recipes to open a restaurant. With only $6.27 in their bank accounts, the trio opened their first store in Westchester in 2010.

In the past five years, Pincho Factory's menu has graduated to more than creative burgers and kebabs. Favorite menu items include hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and the "chalkboard" specials that offer a creative new menu item each month. Some of the concept’s most popular items (like that toston burger) began as chalkboard specials. 

Since launching, the fast-casual burger concept has quickly expanded to include several additional corporate stores in Coral Gables as well as two outposts in American Airlines Arena. Last year, Pincho Factory also announced plans to franchise. What really thrust Pincho Factory into popularity was its 2015 South Beach Wine & Food Festival debut.

Nedal’s croquetesa burger won the festival's Amstel Light People's Choice Award, a high-profile win that catapulted Pincho Factory into the media stratosphere, putting lines around the corners at both Miami locations. Post-Burger Bash, Ahmad and Othman – who were already working on franchise possibilities – say they were inundated with franchise requests.

"Burger Bash did wonders for us," says Nedal Ahmad. "Considering the very stiff competition it was amazing just to win, but the ripple effect from it has been so beneficial to the brand and to business development. We went from selling ourselves to potential franchise partners to being romanced by them."

This week, the company will welcome its Pembroke Pines location into the fold, a restaurant that marks the brand's first franchise store, as well as its first in Broward County.

The grand-opening ribbon-cutting will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, followed by a complimentary lunch reception. The restaurant will officially open to the public at 1 p.m., and a portion of the opening day's proceeds will be donated to the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation. Attending the event will be special guests from the City of Pembroke Pines, including Commissioner Jay Schwartz and representatives from the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Pincho Factory is located at 155 N. Hiatus Road, Pembroke Pines. Call 786-405-1475, or visit pinchofactory.com.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.