Zaytoona Brings Middle Eastern Fare to South Burlington

A new Middle Eastern restaurant is coming to South Burlington's burgeoning city center. Zaytoona opens this weekend at 155 Market Street, taking over the space previously occupied by Heart n Soul by Mark BBQ, which closed in mid-July.

It's the first restaurant for owner Arwa Dawman, who has lived in Vermont since 1998. Originally from Yemen, Dawman has teamed up with two chefs to "create a space for the growing Middle Eastern community, where they can come and experience their culture and taste their authentic food and flavors," she said.

Zaytoona's menu focuses on dishes from Eastern Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Chefs Mohamad Habahbeh and Hashem Abdallah hail from the latter, where they worked as chefs for four years after graduating from culinary school. Both recently finished training programs through Hilton Hotels, which brought them to the Burlington area.

"We've always wanted to have people try our food," Habahbeh said. "Especially here in Vermont, because there is a need for it."

Mezze dishes such as hummus, baba ghanoush and tabbouleh salad will be available for lunch and dinner, along with mixed grill kebabs, falafel, and chicken and lamb shawarma sandwiches or bowls. All the meat is halal, the chefs said, and they're sourcing hard-to-find specialty ingredients directly from the Middle East.

The menu also offers specialties such as chicken kabsa, a seasoned rice dish, and desserts such as saffron-infused milk cake and khunafa, a sweet melted cheese topped with crispy phyllo dough and drizzled with sugar syrup.

Dawman spent August renovating the former barbecue spot, which now features elegant green accents that nod to the restaurant's name: Zaytoona is the Arabic word for olive tree.

The 31-seat restaurant will offer dine-in and takeout, as well as delivery via DoorDash. Eventually, the team plans to add breakfast service. The fragrant aroma of burning bakhoor incense will greet customers as they enter the restaurant, Dawman said, and a soundtrack of vibrant Arabic music will fill the space.

"Hopefully we'll cover all the senses," she added. "We want to create warmth and a welcoming spot for people to relax."

Zaytoona will host its soft opening this weekend, then will be open for regular lunch and dinner service Tuesday through Saturday. Follow @zaytoonarestaurant on Instagram for updates.