We’re excited to announce that Lazeez Grill, a fast casual Mediterranean concept, is coming to The Lydia and will occupy the third and final restaurant space in the building. Lazeez will sit next to Whit’s Frozen Custard, across the building from the upcoming OX-B’s, completing the restaurant lineup at The Lydia.
The name Lazeez means delicious or tasty in Arabic, and that definition is a fitting preview of what’s coming. Lazeez Grill is led by brothers Ahmed and Moe Qaraja, whose family operates several well-known Mediterranean concepts in central Ohio, including Zaki Mediterranean Grill. If you’ve eaten at Zaki’s location at Budd Dairy Food Hall or one of their food trucks, you already have a sense for the flavors, freshness, and hospitality they bring to the table.
At its core, Lazeez is about approachable Mediterranean food. The menu features classics like hummus, baba ghanoush, grape leaves, falafel, and fresh salads, along with hearty bowls and wraps built around chicken shawarma, gyro meat, lamb, shrimp, and salmon. Everything is built with bold spices, house made sauces, and plenty of options for vegetarian and gluten free
diners. I personally have had their food on multiple occasions, and I absolutely love it.
Lazeez Grill will be a great fit for downtown life and The Lydia. It’s designed to be a quick lunch or casual dinner spot, with some seating inside, easy carryout, and compatibility with third party delivery. It will also be an ideal option to grab food and head across the street to Founders Park on a nice day, or to pair savory Mediterranean flavors with dessert next door at Whit’s.
More details on timing will be shared soon. We’re excited to welcome the Qaraja family and Lazeez Grill to downtown Marion. Be sure to follow their Facebook Page to stay up on the latest!
Whit’s Grand Opening is finally here! Serving up special flavors every day, it’s a brand new experience daily. Frozen Custard is a treat unlike any other, thicker than ice cream, creamier than yogurt, and delicious, unlike other frozen sweets you’ve experienced. If you haven’t had the pleasure, try them out for yourself and support a new business downtown! The perfect treat, just in time for the sunshiny days coming.
There’s a lot happening at The Lydia and downtown right now, and today is a fun one and a full circle moment. When we first announced Main Street Reimagined, nearly every survey and conversation about what downtown needed circled back to the same response: a Whit’s! If we could just get a Whit’s Frozen Custard in downtown Marion, this would be deemed a success.
Well, here we are nearly eight years later. Whit’s of Marion is officially open, and we hope you’ll stop by early and often to show them some love. New openings are exciting, and they’re also a learning curve. Aurelia, the General Manager, and her “Scoop Squad” have been working incredibly hard to make this happen. As with any new shop, grace goes a long way as teams train, systems settle in, and the experience keeps getting better week by week.
Being able to introduce Lazeez Grill, a concept I think is truly unique and a great complement to the downtown food scene, is another boost to the momentum around here. I’m excited that within the next few months we will have four new food and beverage concepts open downtown.
Aligning visionary entrepreneurs with our vision for historic revitalization and community development has been both a great joy and a heavy lift, as we work through an infinite number of details. They’ll be opening soon, and I continue to ask for your support. Without you, none of this stays viable over the long term.
If you’ve been meaning to spend more time downtown, this is a good week to start! Bring a friend. Take a walk. Grab a Whitser (I recommend the Buckeye Madness!). And help us welcome a few more new neighbors along the way.
Better Together,
Luke Henry Col 3:23
