John Foster, one of the people behind May’s Counter Chicken and Waffles at 2945 E. Speedway Blvd., says the restaurant is on track to open by the end of the month.

May’s Counter Chicken and Waffles will specialize in Southern comfort food: Po’ boy sandwiches made with homemade bread, red beans and rice, chicken done several ways, hamburgers, collard greens, candied yams, fried okra and broasted sweet-potato wedges. The chicken and waffles will be made with pressure-cooked chicken and malted waffles, a combination Foster says is best served with Vermont maple syrup and a dash of Cholula.

The eatery will also have a full bar, lots of outdoor seating on a wrap-around porch and live music on Sundays, said Foster.

The restaurant is a collaboration between Foster, famed Phoenix chef Aaron May and Ryan Field of the local My Big Fat Greek restaurants. Foster is currently helping Field with a new My Big Fat Greek location at the Foothills Mall, which is expected to open this weekend.

Foster and his family have been behind-the-scenes players in the Tucson food scene for decades. He’s designed interiors, kitchens and buildings for Thunder Canyon Brewery, El Guero Canelo, Brooklyn Pizza Company, Safehouse, Beyond Bread and Xoom Juice. His younger brother has designed kitchens for local resorts, including the recently opened Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, and his father repaired restaurant equipment back in the 1970s.

Hours will be 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and 6:30 a.m. to “whenever” on weekends, says Foster.