Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill to Open in Former Taco Bell Cantina Space on Public Square

The space at 184 Euclid Ave., once occupied by the loved-and-hated Taco Bell Cantina, will soon be home to a fast-casual Middle Eastern eatery. Credit: Mark Oprea

It’s been almost two years since the margarita machines stopped humming and the late-night Cheesy Gordita Crunches stopped crunching.

But the former Taco Bell Cantina space off Public Square will soon come to life again.

Next March, a trio of restaurateurs will open up a new Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill location from the fast-casual chain.

Operators Dhruv, Pratik and Viral Patel chose the spot—along with two other Northeast Ohio locations—in part due to the opening of Sherwin Williams’ office tower early next year, they told Crain’s.

And a general buzz around Middle Eastern-related openings in the city center.

Shah’s Halal, a decades-old kebab concept,opened around the corner in July and Ebreeq Coffee, a contemporary Yemeni café, opened a block east on Euclid Avenue the same month.

Coming from the phrase that means “fan the flame,” Naf Naf sells stuffed pitas, rice bowls and hearty meat-and-rice trays in a Chipotle-style format. The restaurant blends “comfort-food familiarity with its authentic Middle Eastern roots,” its website reads.

Chef Sahar Sander opened up the first Naf Naf in Naperville, Illinois, in 2009. Since then, Naf Naf’s gone on to open more than 40 stores in 13 states as of earlier this year.

And starting next year, in Public Square, where the Patels found a good fit due to an ongoing resurgence of openings around the area, from Flight Social, to Jolene’s Honky Tonk, to Pammy’s Ice Cream.

“Downtown is, right now, kind of growing,” Pat Patel told Crain’s. “We thought it was a perfect fit for Naf Naf and the lunch crowd.”