Photograph by John Alburl, The Imprints
Downtown Mediterranean eatery Aviva by Kameel is opening its second location Friday—this one in the Collective food hall in Coda Tech Square. As the new location is only 560 square feet, down from the 4,000 square feet of the original location at the Mall at Peachtree Center, it will serve a condensed menu featuring its most popular items, including chicken shawarma, rosemary chicken, falafel, hummus, and baba ganoush. All meats are antibiotic- and hormone-free.
A socially distanced launch party will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the food hall and on the patio. Food will be served by employees via an assembly line. In lieu of payment, Aviva by Kameel will be collecting donations for the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation.
Photograph by John Alburl, The Imprints
Photograph by John Alburl, The Imprints
The grand opening party was originally planned for March 19 but delayed due to COVID-19. Now, the restaurant has implemented safety procedures including temperature checks, masks, and gloves for employees, and contactless pickup for customers.
The downtown location of Aviva by Kameel gained popularity both as much for it’s Mediterranean build-your-own platters as its charismatic chef and proprietor, Kameel Srouji, who often greets his customers with a cheerful “I love you!” and a free sample.
Kameel’s son Nas Srouji leads operations for the restaurants. “It’s just my dad’s personality,” he says. “We have so much love and appreciation for our guests.”
Nas says he expects many orders to come via DoorDash and Uber Eats. However, the new restaurant does offer picnic tables and booths for dine-in.
Photograph by John Alburl, The Imprints
The restaurant is named after Kameel’s sister and Nas’s aunt, Aviva, a name which Nas says translates to spring, fresh, and renewal. “She’s the inspiration behind the Middle Eastern traditional dishes. They are family recipes,” Nas says.
