Suffolk’s first Zoës Kitchen opened for business on Friday, and employees gathered in the kitchen before the doors opened for their customary clangs of knives on steel to mark the occasion.

“We do it for every store opening,” said Alan Bitgood, spokesperson and general manager of the 1544 Laskin Road location. “It gets everybody pumped up and excited.”

The 252nd location for the fast-casual restaurant chain is located at 2099 Sun Harbour Ave. in one of the two new retail buildings developed by Atherton Construction and Development on Harbour View Boulevard.

The 2,600-square-foot space seats 64 patrons indoors and 24 on the patio, with 27 employees serving made-from-scratch recipes from the kitchen. More than 100 travel-sized sports cups were handed out worth free refills for the first month of business.

The Mediterranean-inspired menu features new additions like Sorrentina Baked Ravioli, baked falafel for vegans and Moroccan Citrus Roasted Chicken with Turmeric Rice.

General Manager Timothy Johnson said the restaurant’s catering will be a boon for all of the corporations and businesses in Harbour View.

“I’m excited to give customers a healthy alternative to their business lunches and meetings,” Johnson said.

Driver resident Meredith Daugherty brought her children, Madison Wiley, 17, and Adam Daugherty, 5, to try the menu on opening day. Daugherty ordered the cauliflower rice bowl with salmon.

“It’s actually really good,” she said after a few bites. “There’s a lot of different stuff going on in this bowl.”

Madison enjoyed her own cauliflower rice bowl with falafel.

“It’s very fresh with a slight spice,” she said.

The North Suffolk Zoës Kitchen is open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Call 942-2587 or visit zoeskitchen.com for more information.