Northside is about to get a serious shot of Findlay Market flavor. Dean's Mediterranean, a longtime staple at the historic market, is opening a full-service outpost in the neighborhood next Tuesday. The new space, dubbed Dean's Mediterranean Table, will blend a sit-down café, a retail pantry and a small event program, while the original Findlay Market stall keeps right on serving customers. The expansion is set to add even more Lebanese and Mediterranean plates to Hamilton Avenue's steadily growing restaurant strip.
According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, owner Kate Zaidan has taken over the corner storefront at 4024 Hamilton Ave., where Dean's will occupy the first floor of NEST's new Hamilton Avenue development. The outlet reports the new concept is officially called Dean's Mediterranean Table and is slated to open its doors next Tuesday. The Northside outpost is designed to complement, not replace, the original Findlay Market shop.
What to expect
FOX19 reports the Northside location will function as an all-day café serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu of Lebanese-influenced options that includes hand pies, sandwiches and shareable platters. In the lead-up to opening, Zaidan and her team have been hosting ticketed dinners and cooking classes to test-drive dishes and formats, according to Dean's Mediterranean event listings.
Menu, seats and design
Per reporting in the Cincinnati Enquirer, the menu will feature fatteh, roast chicken shawarma, falafel and kefta kebabs, plus a dedicated "sauce station" where diners can load up sandwiches and plates with their preferred toppings. The paper notes that the dining room will seat roughly 25 guests, with additional patio seating, keeping the space cozy but workable for both dine-in and carryout. The storefront will also house a retail pantry, giving customers a chance to stock up on many of the olive oils, spices and prepared foods that show up on the café menu.
From market stall to neighborhood anchor
Dean's roots stretch back to a Findlay Market stall opened in 1985, and the business is widely known for its roasted nuts and deep spice selection. Northside's community development group NEST has framed the lease as a key step for Hamilton Avenue's business district. Owner Kate Zaidan told CityBeat she hopes the café will "transport customers to our ancestral home of Lebanon" while making pantry staples more accessible for neighbors who want to cook at home.
The original Findlay Market location will remain open, and Dean's plans to use the Northside café as a testing ground for dishes that could appear at both spots. For reservations, tickets to upcoming dinners and the latest menu details, visit the Northside page for Dean's Mediterranean.
