Tuesday, July 21, 2020

[EXCLUSIVE] Pita Grille Says Shalom, Shutters

Popular Kosher eatery Pita Grille in north Buckhead near Chastain Park has closed.  The restaurant, located in the Fresh Market-anchored Roswell Wieuca Shopping Center, reportedly closed without warning at the end of last week.  A simple sign was posted to the restaurant's front door announcing the closure and thanking customers for their years of patronage.  
David Bloom, co-founder of email marketing business Silverpop, originally opened the restaurant in 2013 in place of what had then most recently been Swirll, a failed frozen yogurt franchise.  Bloom recruited Roi Levi, then manager at Pita Palace (now Toco Grill) near Toco Hills, to run the restaurant.  An internet entrepreneur by trade who had in 2014 sold Silverpop to IBM in a deal valued at $275 million, Bloom eventually sold the restaurant business to Levi.   

Despite the restaurant's relatively small size (1,635 square feet) and poor location with no visibility from Roswell Road, it garnered a devoted following, largely from the Jewish community that sought a Buckhead area Kosher restaurant option.  

No explanation was given for the closure, but sources tell ToNeTo Atlanta that the affects of COVID-19 played a role in the decision to close, and that Levi will reportedly be returning to Israel.  

With ToNeTo Atlanta headquarters nearby, we had several times enjoyed Levi's falafel, which we considered among the best in the city.  That said, and while not kosher, a new Mediterranean eatery that recently opened nearby should be a welcome replacement for those in the area seeking similar fare.  Sahara Cafe opened June 1 in the nearby Publix-anchored Chastain Square, and has quickly become a favorite of ours for their generous portions, flavorful sides and awesome service.  Sahara is a counter service eatery featuring falafel, gyro, lamb, and chicken plates and wraps, among other options.  Sahara Cafe will also in the days to come start offering "family meals" featuring larger portions of their most popular dishes to feed families of four or more.

Were you a fan of Pita Grille?  What would you like to see open in place of Pita Grille?  Have you tried Sahara Cafe?  

Please share your thoughts below.     

6 comments:

Atlantan99 said...

I have deleted the initial comment and will not be publishing any of the others that followed it. This is not a forum for political bickering/blaming/name calling etc. Thank you for your readership and respectful commenting.

Howard said...

All the food was really good. Fairly authentic Israeli dishes-- schnitzel, falafel, salads, & hummus. Used them for catering several times.

It's so hard to keep supporting all these restaurants. There's so many out there that need our help. I don't know what else I can do to help, especially with being laid off myself.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for nipping that issue in the bud, Eli. Unfortunately, I think you are going to be very busy reporting closings over the foreseeable future.

RayAtL said...

Kudos Eli...
I have never understood why some feel like your blog that’s basically about real estate is a place for churlishness ...

NorthBuckheader said...

Sahara Cafe is excellent! A great option for Mediterranean food.

Anonymous 2 said...

I will sincerely miss this restaurant. Their food was sooooo GOOD. I’m really sad they closed because there’s not enough Kosher restaurants in Atlanta. I was planning to take my family here to try their food... I’m really disappointed. I don’t think Sahara Cafe is a good comparison. I need to grieve this closure before trying something else.

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