New Pita Inn restaurant opens in Naperville
The trek for West suburban fans of Pita Inn's falafel and hummus dishes recently got shorter with the February opening of the chain's fifth location in Naperville.
“We're a family business,” Manager Hazem Tabahi said. “My dad started it in 1982 in Skokie and we built it out from there.”
A Pita Inn opened in 1992 in Wheeling, followed by the 2003 opening of a restaurant in Glenview. The family's fourth establishment debuted in 2013 in Mundelein.
The family also runs a market and bakery in Skokie, where in 2016 they opened Zad by Pita Inn, a variation on the original restaurant's theme.
The newest Pita Inn, at 1835 Abriter Court near the corner of Diehl Road and Freedom Drive just south of I-88 in Naperville, brings the same style and menu as its forerunners.
“We're Mediterranean fast casual,” Tabahi said. “We're known for our falafel and hummus; people consider it the best in the area.”
The 7,200-square-foot restaurant seats 230 and also provides carryout service.
Tabahi said the Business Lunch Special, priced at $7.99, offers combinations of shish kebab, shawarma, chicken tenders, falafel, hummus and pita bread from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on weekdays. A vegetarian lunch special also is available.
Beef, chicken, lamb and vegetarian entrees offer combinations of rice, salad and pita bread and are priced from $7.99 to $11.99. Desserts include baklava and kinafa pastries.
The new eatery also features some veteran culinary talents.
“Every chef in our restaurants has been trained by my father,” Tabahi said. “The chef with us here has been with us 30 years.”
Fresh ingredients are key to Pita Inn's flavorful dishes, he said.
“Almost all our spices are freshly ground by a supplier here in the Chicago area,” he said. “We make our own pita bread in Skokie and bring it here every day.”
Tabahi said the food is prepared with a light touch.
“We're a place that some people eat several times a week at our location. Our food is not greasy, it's fresh. It doesn't make you feel bloated. Our food is mild-flavored and very healthy,” he said.
Pita Inn also puts a premium on cleanliness. The restaurant's layout allows diners to see into the kitchen and watch the culinary staff at work.
“We cook in front of the people,” Tabahi said. “It's all open.”
In addition to lunch and dinner menus, Pita Inn offers catering services.
The Naperville restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.