2 Polk County Restaurants Planning to Open This May

We've reported on several restaurants that are planning to debut in Polk County, but here are two local businesses that plan to open this month.

Business Debut carefully interviews each business owner we report on to bring you the information below. You will see when we last spoke with them. Be mindful that opening dates can get delayed occasionally.

Three J’s Ice Cream — Winter Haven

Address: 1600 Dundee Rd, Winter Haven, FL 33884

Status: Targeting a mid-May opening, pending final inspections and licensing approvals, as of our interview with ownership on April 28, 2026.

What to expect: A family-focused rolled ice cream shop from owner Jaryaca Baker, expanding from her existing food trailer into a permanent Winter Haven storefront. Guests will be able to watch the ice cream made fresh at a visible cold plate station.

Menu highlights: Rolled ice cream made on a cold plate at about negative 21 degrees, with more than 20 flavor options. Popular choices include Fruity Pebbles and cookies and cream, plus seasonal mix-ins like Christmas tree snack cakes and Peeps.

Hours: Planned Monday–Friday from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Weekend hours are still to be announced.

Who’s behind it: Owner Jaryaca Baker, who named the business after her three sons: Jericho, Jhennie, and Jheptzyn. Baker built the original food trailer with help from her father and continues to rely on family support as the business grows.

Read our full article.

Gin Khao — Bartow

Address: 750 W. Main Street, Bartow, FL 33830

Status: Targeting a May soft opening, with a broader opening planned around June, as of our interview with ownership on April 9, 2026. The timeline depends on final maintenance and operational readiness.

What to expect: Gin Khao is opening its first brick-and-mortar restaurant after more than five years as a Polk County food truck. The Bartow space will be fast-casual, with limited seating for about 14 guests and a focus on lunch service and evening takeout.

Menu highlights: Authentic Thai dishes including pad thai, fried rice, basil fried rice, pineapple fried rice, pad kee mao, and five curries. The larger kitchen may also allow the team to bring back items like chicken satay, pad see ew, and mango sticky rice when available.

Hours: Planned Tuesday–Saturday, with lunch expected from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Select evening takeout hours are expected from 5 p.m.–8 p.m., while Sunday and Monday are planned as closed days.

Who’s behind it: Owners Thomas Klug and Prapapan Klug. Prapapan is a third-generation restaurateur with experience in Thai kitchens, French cuisine, royal Thai cuisine, and Central Florida restaurants including Morimoto Asia.

Read our full article.

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