Evergreen moments in Delray Beach, Florida
Unveiling Delray Beach: A Year-Round Destination for Everyone
A new fast-casual restaurant, Amar Sandwich Shop, is set to open in late October in Delray Beach.It will serve Lebanese and Middle Eastern street foods like shawarma, pita wraps, and bowls.The new eatery is a grab-and-go version of the more formal Amar Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar.
The restaurant spot at 522 Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach was too sweet for Nicholas Kurban of Kurban Hospitality Group to just give up when the pizza joint Gesto proved to be an imperfect fit. So rather than move out, Kurban decided to pursue an idea that had been brewing for a while: a fast-casual version of an earlier restaurant he had in that space, one that is still going strong in another location, Amar Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar.
Amar Sandwich Shop promises many of the same flavors and even some of the same dishes as its sister, the Kitchen & Bar, only in a much more grab-and-go format, says Kurban. It is slated to open in late October.
Amar Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar, meanwhile, continues to operate around the corner at 25 SE Sixth Ave., where it migrated to in 2024.
As for Gesto, which moved into the Atlantic Avenue space in February and was closed by June, the sourdough, wood-fired pizza wasn’t the issue, Kurban said. They got excellent reviews and customer feedback, he said, but “there is a lot of pizza in the area.” The concept was unique, a pizza place in downtown Delray Beach wasn’t.
Once it was clear that a pizza joint wasn’t the best fit at such a prime location on Atlantic Avenue, Kurban had decide what was. “I decided there’s something I really wanted to do all along… a fast-casual version of Amar,” he said.
“We’ve always wanted to share Lebanese flavors in a more approachable way,” Kurban said. “Amar Sandwich Shop lets us showcase the same high-quality ingredients and hospitality, perfectly suited for a casual lunch or dinner along Atlantic Ave. Whether it’s one of our fresh sandwiches or salad bowls to enjoy in the restaurant or for takeout, we want every guest to enjoy a true taste of Lebanon with each bite.”
In addition to wanting to share Lebanese culture and dishes, Kurban said “There’s not a lot of great offerings on the avenue for sandwiches and salads… I think people are looking for more grab-and-go, something healthy,” he said. “I felt it’s a win, win for us.”
The new restaurant’s menu is a celebration of Lebanese and Middle Eastern street foods and will feature pita wraps, sandwiches, bowls, salads and more along with flatbreads from their wood burning oven.
Of all the options the new restaurant will offer, Kurban said he’s most excited to share one in particular with customers.
“The shawarma sandwich is going to be amazing,” he said. “No one does it like I’m going to do it. They’re going to fall in love.” Whether guests opt for chicken or beef, there’s visual component as well at Amar Sandwich Shop where guests will see that delicious, slow-cooked goodness on the spit before it is expertly sliced off for their sandwich, wrap or bowl.
In addition to Middle Eastern food, the shop will serve several beverages inspired by the region including rosewater lemonade and several shakes made with tahini instead of milk.
Another bonus of having a grab-and-go version of Amar Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar is that the larger restaurant will be able to do much of the prep work for both restaurants.
In addition, Kurban said that while Amar Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar is open only for dinner the new sandwich shop is open for both lunch and dinner, allowing them to target another meal.
Though there will be emphasis on grab-and-go and delivery, Kurban said he expects it to be about 50/50 when it comes to customers dining in or eating out at the new location. “We can seat 30 inside and have several tables outside as well.”
For those in an ultra hurry and in need of that Middle Eastern flavor fix, Kurban said they will have several premade grab-and-go options including hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, drinks and more that customers can grab from their refrigerator. “I think people around the area will welcome it.”
Though the current plan is to open by late October, Kurban said that if everything goes well opening could come as early as Oct. 20.
Amar Sandwich Shop
Where: 522 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week
Information: instagram.com/amarsandwichshop
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
Dining and Cooking