A new restaurant will celebrate its opening just in time for Memorial Day in Allentown, replacing the now-closed Ayat.
Breeze Mediterranean announced it will hold a soft opening at 11 a.m. Monday at 1243 W. Tilghman St., ready to serve Mediterranean & Middle Eastern dishes.
Owner Ahmed Nhele said he previously owned Mama Nina’s in Bethlehem for 13 years until he sold it about two years ago.
With a good friendship with his Allentown customers, he said, “They always asked me to open another branch in Allentown. I said, ‘Guys, Allentown and Bethlehem, that’s too close, so no need to open another branch. And then when I got this opportunity here at this location, I said, ‘I’m going to try something different.’ “
Dishes at Breeze Mediterranean will include kebabs, salads, gyros and Italian dishes like chicken Parmesan and spaghetti.
The restaurant will operate 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday for the first week, and then will operate Tuesday through Sunday for the same hours after that.
The restaurant will also eventually have a grand opening, Nhele said.
Ayat, a Palestinian-cuisine restaurant chain, opened in 2023 at the property. Signage visible in November at the entrance announced the restaurant’s closure.