Bay Area/ San Jose
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Published on April 02, 2024
Bay Area's Popular Mediterranean Eatery Mazra Set to Open New Redwood City LocationSource: Google Street View

The Bay Area's culinary scene is heating up again as Mazra, a local Mediterranean hotspot, prepares to debut its new location in Redwood City today. With a gleaming 22-foot grill and seating for 130 guests, this expansion comes from humble beginnings—a modest grill within a San Bruno Mediterranean market that quickly rose to Yelp's no. 2 on the list of Top 100 Places to Eat in the nation.

Brothers Saif and Jordan Makableh, who owe their restaurant's meteoric rise to a blend of luck and culinary prowess, are poised to introduce their Levantine specialties to a broader audience. Faced with overwhelming demand in their original San Bruno location, customers can now look forward to the same beloved chicken and lamb kebabs, as well as exciting additions like a Mediterranean ceviche, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Aside from the traditional offerings, the new space will also feature an espresso machine offering coffee drinks paired with Middle Eastern flavors, and in about a month, they'll be serving breakfast dishes like shakshuka and ful. The spot's design flaunts lush green tiling, faux plants, and striking murals, transforming the 5,000-square-foot space into a vibrant dining oasis, as per the San Francisco Chronicle.

"I don't want people to feel like we sold out," Saif Makableh told the San Francisco Chronicle, noting the importance of maintaining the restaurant's charm amidst its success. Meanwhile, fans of the original site need not despair—the San Bruno location is set to be back in action in winter 2025 following its renovation, as announced in a Facebook post.

The city's ongoing efforts to foster vibrant street life led to the permanent closure of Broadway to traffic, allowing Mazra to extend its presence with outdoor dining options. With the new location's anticipated opening, the culinary destination will continue to serve both old and new patrons, cementing its place in the Bay Area's rich tapestry of eateries.