PepperJax Grill opening Ped Mall eatery in Iowa City

PepperJax Grill, a quick casual restaurant chain, will be opening location at 114 Clinton St. in the Ped Mall area of downtown Iowa City.

The Omaha-based company is known for its made fresh to order entrees and salads. Customers are able to watch their food prepared and have more than 40 toppings to choose from as well as a signature sauce bar.

The Iowa City PepperJax Grill, which is expected to open in early March, will be owned and operated by Restaurants Inc., which owns and operates all of the HuHot Mongolian Grills in Iowa.

Michael O'Connor will be the general manager for the new PepperJax Grill in Iowa City.

PepperJax Grill operates eight restaurants in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area. The chain also operates locations in Ankeny and Des Moines, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Lincoln, Neb.; Lee's Summit and St. Joseph, Mo.; and Lawrence and Overland Park, Kan.

PepperJax Grill is planning 15 additional locations in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and North Dakota.

"We're very excited to open PepperJax Grill in the Iowa City area," said Gary Rohwer, president of PepperJax Grill. "This new restaurant represents our new partnership with Restaurants Inc. and is a huge part of our expansion plans in Iowa, South Dakota, and Kansas.