Shay Lavi, the owner of newish catering company Let’s Eat, is opening Rozina Bake House & Coffee downtown, at 33 Hurt Plaza SE near Georgia State University.
Rozina Bake House will replace the now-shuttered Sivas Express, a spin-off of the wildly successful full-service Midtown restaurant by the same name.
Lavi and his partners, which include members of the Sivas team, are targeting a November, early-December opening, the Israeli-born restaurateur Wednesday told What Now Atlanta in a telephone interview.
“Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food are much more than just falafel and gyros,” Lavi said.
“When you visit Rozina, you’ll see what I mean. We’re teaming up to change the way people think about Mediterranean food.”
On the menu will be pre-made grab-and-go pastries and sandwiches as well as made-to-order breakfast and salads at “prices designed for everyone to afford.”
In a partnership with Athens’ 1000 Faces Coffee, Rozina will serve ice coffee slushies along with the roaster’s “amazing coffee program.”
The 3,000-square-foot space will feel like you’re sitting in an outdoor cafe in Europe, according to Lavi.
Think exposed bricks, plants, and a central fountain “for the water noise.”
Every table will offer an outlet for charging phones and laptops to make the space student and business-friendly.
Lavi moved from Israel only three years ago and named Rozina after his grandmother.
“My mom, grandma, and my wife are my inspiration. They’re everything to me. My grandma had a big role in my life. I wanted my first place to honor her name.”
