Zoë’s and Marky’s Kitchen held its grand opening in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday.
The restaurant’s concept originates from Zoë’s Kitchen, which was founded in 1995 by Zoë and Marcus Cassimus in Birmingham, Alabama. The original restaurant featured authentic Mediterranean food that was made in-house each day by the owners.
The business was bought out by CAVA in 2018. By 2023, all of the Zoë’s Kitchen locations were either closed or converted into CAVAs.
John Cassimus, son of Zoë and Marcus Cassimus, has brought the restaurant back to Tuscaloosa with a modern twist. He is also an alumnus of the University, graduating in 1990.
“The unique thing about opening a company and a business for the second time is that we had such a loyal following with our customers across the United States,” Cassimus said. “And so our customers now are telling us where they want us to come back.”
Cassimus and his wife, Lexi Cassimus, welcomed customers into the store, greeting and conversing with the people who flowed in.
The original founders and John’s parents, Zoë and Marcus Cassimus, also attended the opening, with Zoë bringing her original recipes from 1995 out to customers and Marcus on the line cooking.
Many of the customers who came in early to the opening were previous customers of the first Zoë’s Kitchen.
“I loved the old one when it was over here,” said Sandy Scarbrough, a Northport resident. “I think what makes Zoë’s and Marky’s stand out is it’s fresh; it’s healthy.”
With the revival of an old concept, Cassimus said a big part of Zoë’s and Marky’s brand is authenticity, as they try to stay true to what made the original restaurant so great to customers.
“When this concept, the original Zoë’s, started in Birmingham, all the food was just my mom and my dad’s recipes. And that’s really what it was about,” Cassimus said, “and the authenticity of that is that’s what we’re still doing with Zoë’s and Marky’s today.”
The restaurant is located at 1665 McFarland Boulevard North in the Galleria shopping center and is open seven days a week.
The store features a sit-down option as well as a drive-through. They are also available for delivery on DoorDash.
Inside the restaurant, the decor pays homage to the original Zoë’s Kitchen and the Cassimus’ family history that brought them here today. The walls are lined with family pictures, copies of Zoë’s original recipes and other memorabilia.
The menu features both lunch and dinner versions of classic Mediterranean foods such as grilled feta sandwiches and chicken kabobs that are made fresh in the store each day.
“It’s a food that you can eat every day, and I think that’s what people really love about us,” Cassimus said.
Cassimus said he hopes to be able to give unique opportunities in his business to students of the University as he has previously done in his other ventures.
“It’s super exciting to be back and to be back where I spent so much time in such a meaningful place,” Cassimus said. “Taking young people and empowering them and teaching them to do things and giving them an opportunity that most people won’t give them, that’s what we do.”
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