A long-vacant corner in Fremont is about to smell like fried chicken again. Starbird Chicken plans to open a new restaurant at 3966 Fremont Blvd., taking over the space at Mowry Avenue and Fremont Boulevard once occupied by Boston Market, with the building set for a remodel that includes a new outdoor patio.
Fremont Mayor Raj Salwan confirmed the move in a July social media post, announcing that Starbird would fill the site and detailing plans for the remodel and patio addition. The corner had sat empty since Boston Market’s exit, and the new location is expected to open in the coming months, though an exact date has not been set.
Once open, the Fremont shop will mark Starbird’s 14th traditional brick-and-mortar storefront in Northern California, according to WhatNow, adding to a Bay Area lineup that already includes San Francisco, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto and Campbell, plus venue outposts at Levi’s Stadium and SFO Terminal 1. The Mercury News reports the Fremont restaurant will be the chain’s ninth traditional Bay Area location, and that Starbird made its debut in Sunnyvale back in 2014.
A Menu Built Around Brined, Gluten-Free Chicken
Starbird’s menu centers on tenders, wings, nuggets, sandwiches, salads and wraps, per the outlet’s reporting. The chicken is marinated in a signature brine, hand-breaded in a gluten-free flour and spice mixture, and fried in rice bran oil, which founder Aaron Noveshen has said gives the chicken a lighter taste and better crunch. The Mercury News notes the chicken is fresh and antibiotic-free, and that the menu also leans into salads and wraps such as the green goddess cobb, Thai chicken, chicken Caesar and elote chop varieties…