A new crop of Middle Eastern- and Mediterranean-inspired restaurants is broadening Southern appetites with a healthy mix of time-honored traditions and modern design
Words by Colleen McNally Arnett
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee, Soraya Cafe and Casey Eastwood
Pomegranates hold promise. Anyone who has sliced into the ruby-red fruit knows the joy waiting inside: hundreds of translucent, juicy seeds like tiny jewels just waiting to burst with every bite.
For generations in the Middle East and beyond, pomegranates have held a pride of place in markets and on kitchen tables. The vibrant superfood isn’t just packed with healthful antioxidants. It also has cultural significance—a symbol of rebirth, abundant blessings, and wisdom to some and of happiness and good luck to others.
So, when Alexis Levin set out to open her Shuk Mediterranean Cafe & Bar in Savannah’s Victorian District, she chose a pomegranate illustration for an auspicious logo with universal appeal.
Building Shuk was uncharted territory for Levin, not just because she had never owned a restaurant before or because she was working on the plans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The New England transplant also knew she was creating something new that didn’t quite exist in the port city.
New Beginnings
“I’m from Boston originally, where we have a plethora of Mediterranean food compared to here,” Levin said. Looking at the Uber Eats app at lunchtime, she saw a gap among the pizzas, cheeseburgers, and fried chicken biscuits. “My dad is also originally from Israel, so that was a big piece of the puzzle, figuring out what I wanted to do cuisine-wise.”
Taking a modern approach to traditional ingredients, Shuk’s veggie-forward menu is all made from scratch, with fresh produce arriving daily.
Within a couple of years, the Habersham Street eatery has already become a staple for visitors and locals of all ages, particularly those with special nutritional requirements.
“The cuisine itself is healthier than a lot of Southern fare that we’re used to,” Levin adds, noting the beverage menu boasts delicious nonalcoholic cocktails, like the signature limonana. “We’ve really seen an uptick in people who have special dietary needs, and we’re able to meet them naturally.”
These places offer more than just soulful meals; they offer windows into a broader worldview
While chicken shawarma has been a great “gateway” for those who aren’t familiar with Mediterranean flavors, Levin has also seen repeat diners often become more adventurous. The Sabich sandwich, a take on an Israeli street food made with fried eggplant and spicy egg salad wrapped in pita, has gained “a cult following.”
Of course, pomegranates aren’t just a symbol at Shuk. Guests can enjoy the fruit in bubbly cocktails and glasses of tisane (tea) or nosh on sweet pomegranate honey atop a weekend brunch bowl of labneh with spiced granola or a plate of whipped feta served with crudité and pita.
Labor of Love
Shuk represents a fresh crop of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants that have become must-visits across the Southeast in recent years, helping expand the region’s palate and cross-cultural knowledge. Beloved Lebanese bistro Epice in Nashville, Tennessee, recently expanded with a second location in Birmingham, Alabama. Farther south, near Florida’s Ormond Beach, circa-2023 Soraya Café’s Turkish coffee, simits, cardamom lattes, and pistachio cakes boldly stand apart from the neon lights, motor sports, and coastal kitsch in nearby Daytona. And in New Orleans, award-winning Israeli American chef Alon Shaya has received so much critical acclaim that he now consults on others’ projects through his aptly named Pomegranate Hospitality.
These places offer more than just soulful meals; they offer windows into a broader worldview through intentional design choices. Shuk, for example, draws inspiration from the Bauhaus architecture of Tel Aviv, Israel, and the city’s busy, open-air markets, also known as “shuks.” In a similar spirit, Levin regularly brings neighbors and artisan vendors together for community markets in Shuk’s courtyard.
Another popular destination is Delbar Middle Eastern, known for serving elevated Persian dishes, such as tahdig (crispy rice) and kebabs, in transportive, light-filled interiors, where local art by Leila Farhan shines alongside Turkish pottery by Lori Ceramic and hand-glazed Moroccan tiles. Since debuting in the Inman Park neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, in 2020 to much fanfare, chef/owner Fares Kargar’s celebrated concept quickly added more locations in Atlanta’s Buckhead and Alpharetta neighborhoods, plus a Persian street food stall, called Bibi, in Ponce City Market.
The heartfelt success of Delbar—a Farsi word meaning “beloved” or “darling”—is especially profound, given Fares’ far-reaching culinary journey. After arriving in Atlanta in 2007 as a refugee, he worked as a Kroger cashier and a restaurant server, rising through the ranks to general manager of Atlanta mainstay Rumi’s Kitchen before launching his own business.
Fares’ labor of love has been well rewarded. When Michelin premiered in Atlanta in 2023, Delbar earned a spot on its guide.
When you go, don’t miss Delbar’s signature muhumara, a Middle Eastern spread made with honey, roasted pepper, walnut, and one extra special ingredient: pomegranate molasses. An abundant blessing, indeed.
