Yet another new establishment is opening doors in The Grove. Co-owners Ricky Barakat and Ahmad Salameh are putting the finishing touches on Shisha at 4229 Manchester Ave., the former home of SoHo Restaurant and Lounge. Barakat said they hope to host a soft opening by mid-September.
“The Grove took me back to the Delmar Loop area 10 years ago,” Barakat said. “When you go into The Grove, all you see are locally owned businesses.”
Barakat said they are currently renovating the 5,200-square-foot space to accommodate 100 diners for a Mediterranean-inspired menu. The owners and kitchen team are developing recipes for beef, chicken and fish shawarma served traditionally wrapped in pita or as panini, gyro sliders, falafel and more.
Shisha will also boast a full bar and a patio with 40 seats where patrons can enjoy hookah outside, a favorite pastime for Barakat and Salameh. “We love food and love to smoke hookah… it’s a soothing type of thing,” Barakat said. “We wanted to incorporate what we do … bring (those things) to everybody.”
Development in The Grove has boomed in recent weeks. Beth Styles announced the arrival of her kitchen goods store, Lemon Gem, late last week, and Intoxicology co-owners Andy Foerstel and Melissa Pfeiffer are opening their spirits shop and bar supply store this fall.
This article appears in August 2016.