Zunzi's has closed its lone Atlanta area eatery. Located at 1971 Howell Mill Road, Zunzi's Atlanta opened May 30, 2018 and closed as of November 30, according to signage at the restaurant. There was reportedly no advance warning of the impending closure.
The sandwich shop, which had in years past won awards from BuzzFeed and People Magazine, among others, had made some menu changes in recent months that seemed to suggest they were looking to appeal to a wider audience. Among the more notable changes were the addition of a burger to the menu and the removal of the eatery's popular fresh (and bottomless) chips in favor of a variety of bagged chips from Zapp's.
The company also closed a location of sibling concept, Zunzibar, on Hilton Head Island. The Hilton Head restaurant opened last May and closed as of November 22. The Zunzi's website suggests it's only a "seasonal closure," but a statement from Zunzi's public relations spokesperson indicates that it, like the Atlanta unit, is closed for good.
"26X Restaurants closed Zunzibar on Hilton Head Island on Nov. 22 and Zunzi’s in Atlanta on Nov. 30 to pivot toward stronger future growth. This decision allows the company to reallocate resources—people, money, and time—to support our overall success better. Insights gained from these locations will influence future concepts. 26X Restaurants will now focus on launching a new menu and upgrades at the Tybee Island location and supporting upcoming openings in Jupiter, The Villages, and Jacksonville, Florida. This move positions the company for a dynamic new chapter of growth, new markets, and upgraded stores. We are working with other hospitality groups to help employees who will not be taking jobs at one of our Florida locations."
Husband and wife founders Johnny and Gabriella DeBeer opened the first Zunzi's on East York Street in Savannah in 2005. The restaurant grew to attract a cult-like following to its compact 1,000 square foot space. "Zunzi’s is a mixture of international cuisine that comes from Johnny and Gabriella’s very different cultural backgrounds. A combination of Swiss, Italian, South African and Dutch, Zunzi’s brings together flavors that are unique and delicious as well as always being fresh." The name itself is derived from the island of Zanzibar in East Africa.
Chris Smith, along with business partners John Hooff, Sr. and John Hooff, Jr., purchased the concept from the DeBeers in late 2014. Smith, who comes from a franchise background that includes Five Guys, is now offering franchises of both Zunzi's and Zunzibar, according to the Zunzi's website.
Employees were on site Monday clearing out and "debranding" the 2,195 square foot Howell Mill restaurant. It remains to be seen what, if anything, will take over the Zunzi's space anytime soon.
Are you surprised to see Zunzi's close in Atlanta? What is your favorite sandwich shop in Atlanta? What would you like to see open in place of Zunzi's on Howell Mill Road?
Please share your thoughts below.
12 comments:
Their "Sh!t yeah" sauce was reason enough to stay the hell away from this place
That's too bad, I really loved this place, their salmon baguette was amazing
Great spot for a Trader Joe’s
Never understood the hype about this spot. It was fine, a little underwhelming. Not sure if they bought reviews or just had a crack marketing team.
The Conquistador was amazing! The bread, sauces and South African tea👍🏻👍🏻 Sad to see it go 😢
Too expensive for a very subpar sandwich. In reality it was a $5 sandwich and you couldn't get out the door without spending $20.
Never ate there, but I’m a delivery driver and the handful of times I’ve picked up from there over the past year the place was empty and smelled funky.
We just wanted to say that we are sorry to hear this. We enjoyed the sandwiches, sauces and the opportunity to get the free monthly sandwich. What really made it special was the staff and especially Joe who had outstanding customer service and was very attentive and made sure we were taken care of. We will miss you all. Fran and Chelle.
I'm heartbroken, that godfather sandwich with the boerwars sausage was on point. Staff was always real friendly too.
Amazing and flavorful food. Sauces were also great. It was getting a little too expensive for what it was but will miss it dearly.
Never Fit
I was just thinking about them a month ago. Decided to google and I am not surprised they closed. I never got a chance to visit the Atl location. I first visited Zunzi at the original Savannah location circa 2007-08. The food and service was amazing. The owners and their staff were top notch. I became a regular before I moved and I was fortunate enough to visit again shortly before the original owners sold the restaurant. From my understanding the new owners opened two locations in Savannah. I was able to visit the newest/largest of those two back in 2022. My experience was mixed. It was nice to have Zunzi's again, but the vibe was way different. 1) They decided they wanted a "surfer boy" theme. The young employees who were probably too young to have known the original Zunzi's were friendly, but didn't have the "sauce". The food quality wasn't the same and the portions were smaller. They also got rid of all the comfort food available at the original location. Prices had greatly increased as well. It was different and I'm sure alienated the OG fans. Without the original owners running the show it is impossible to make the concept work, especially outside of a very unique small college/historic tourist town like Savannah. That concept can't be retro fitted to attract a wider audience.
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