Having survived a horrible fire, Zeezenia re-opened some months ago better than ever, and just as…read moreof 4 August 2023, they have brought back their restaurant in the rear of the store as well! The grocery offers most everything you'd want from a pan-Middle Eastern grocer: dry goods, teas, frozen food, fragrant waters, syrups, canned goods, et cetera. They also have a good selection of baklava and other treats by the front counter worth checking out: they get different sweets in sometimes--always baklava but sometimes also namoura cake and other things. When they have sari burma it's normally excellent, so look for that as well. They also have a good spice selection and try to include a lot of Turkish and Persian speciality items as well (this include Turkish frozen goods and yes, the pudding mixes also). The restaurant portion is a buffet and they have a hot bar and cold bar. The hot bar has traditional Egyptian foods and was very good when I tried it while the cold bar has things that could also be taken away like hummus, salads, and babaganoush. You can get the hot bar to-go as well, but having things like hummus is a big deal because you can purchase enough to have on hand for the week. I hope the restaurant continues to work out for them: buffets only make money if they have a lot of customers, so I really hope the community supports this fine establish and wonderful people who own and run it.

Very pretty place and environment .Very quiet and friendly. Not too expensive either.read more

I visited with a friend and wow this place is a hidden gem. Apparently they have been around for 47…read moreyears! I had the lamb/beef gyro which was delicious! The pita was soft and pillowy and fresh, so authentic and the lamb and beef were seasoned well. The French fries were hot and fresh! I got my gyro without onions and tomatoes. They have a plethora of bak lavas! I tried the corn flake one and the chocolate almond one to go and they were both delicious!! The service was fast and efficient and ambiance was clean and casual. I will definitely visit again. Try them out if you haven't!

Honestly, I would rate the food lower than 3 stars but it's a family run business and I don't want…read moreto be too harsh. The food was okay and the prices were high for the portion size. There was barely any gyro in the plate and the "salad" was maybe 3 fork fulls. The hummus was tasty though. They do need to season the gyro more, however. Overall, it was ok but need improvement for the price and quality.

This is the best middle eastern food in Gainesville. I've tried the beef shawarma which you can't…read morefind anywhere in Gainesville, gyro meat and the falafel which is exceptionally phenomenal. Ehab the owner knows what he's doing! I grew up on Lebanese food and this is authentic

The interior at Grill Express was clean, but I waited about 30 minutes for my food to go. I ordered…read morea beef shawarma sandwich with feta fries. The sandwich was on the smaller side, but I liked that it was crisped up, and the beef was juicy and flavorful. The feta fries were overcooked. So crispy and hard that a fork couldn't even puncture them. The cheese topping was okay and nicely spiced. Overall, the meal was a little overpriced for the size and cost, but the sandwich itself was tasty.

5 STARS ALL DAY!!!…read more Listen... when I tell you this place is TOP TIER, I mean it!! From the moment I walked into Tazki's, the atmosphere was welcoming, the service was on point, and the food? MAN... the food was an experience all by itself! Everything came out fresh, hot, and seasoned to perfection. You can tell they don't cut corners--they take pride in what they serve. Every bite had flavor, every detail was right, and I left FULL and satisfied! Customer service deserves a shout too--they were friendly, attentive, and made sure everything was right without being overbearing. That kind of service makes you want to come back AGAIN and AGAIN. If you're thinking about trying it... don't think twice--JUST GO! You won't regret it. I'll definitely be back, and next time I'm bringing somebody with me because this is too good to keep it to myself!

I really wanted to like this place as the menu and calories seem like a great option for eating out…read moreand being healthy. calories are low because the portions leave you hungry and they are stingy on ingredients. like the Greek salad had no more then 3 olives. the rice was severely dry. could be the worst side of rice I've ever paid for. I'm really against a place that pushes a Tio for counter service. food was fine in taste (other than the rice) but pricey for what you get.

Joy runs a tight ship and Carson and Lauren were freaky fast at getting the bowl prepped!…read more Highly recommend!

Quick line despite it being lunch and lots of mobile orders. Tasty and filling amounts. Clean and…read morecomfy sitting outside. Love CAVA.

I loved curia!! I ordered a cappuccino with orange cardamom syrup and it was extremely satisfying!…read moreThe orange didn't really come through a whole lot but the cardamom was front and center (which I loved). My boyfriend got a cappuccino with strawberry syrup but we didn't really taste the strawberry in his. Regardless, it was delicious. We also got one of their biscotti which seemed like they made in house but I'm not sure. It was yummy, but definitely was not a very traditional recipe. It tasted more like a short bread than a biscotti but still very yummy. We walked out to the food truck to get some vegan bites and they definitely met expectations. The crabby patty was delicious with a great texture, and my boyfriends patty melt was also super good. We shared a mac and cheese and honestly I was full before we even got to that. The Mac and cheese was great but did taste a lot like coconut so if you're not into that then maybe veer away. The ambience was a mixed bag. The initial shop that you order the coffee in had a very cozy vibe with great decor. If you walk past the patio into the overflow seating the vibe changes a ton. The decor felt very uncanny valley, back rooms, like very odd. I think they need to work on that side of the property a little bit and make it more cozy. Maybe it's a work in progress or maybe they like it that way, I'm not sure, but it wasn't the sort of vibe that made me want to stick around. Overall great experience though! Will be coming back & hopefully I can get seating in the main shop ;)

After nearly four years I finally got a chance to check out Curia On The Drag. This place is hard…read moreto define: it's a bakery, an art space, a vendor marketplace, a podcast recording studio, a bar, a coffee shop, a food truck, a community event center. I came with a friend for dinner and we got food from the food truck, where all of the menu options are 100% plant-based. I got the mojo tacos and for my chosen protein I went with the fried fishless filet. The two tacos came on corn tortillas with pico de gallo, queso fresco, pickled red onion, mojo sauce, and lime. Each bite was so refreshing! The lime gave a citrus kick to the sweet pickled red onions. The fried fishless fish was tender and flaky like real white fish. I was thoroughly impressed with Curia and think it's one of the most unique places in Gainesville. Check it out!

One of my favorite places to grab dinner in Gainesville. I usually go for the burger (it's…read morephenomenal), but opted for the steak and it did not disappoint! We also tried to Dijon buffalo wings and they were also good. Always recommend getting a side of fries here - they are crispy and delicious!! I also tried one of their drink favorites - the Saturn. It was recommended to me by one of the staff and it was great as well as their cosmopolitan that had pomegranate. I always enjoy the ambiance here - it's good for date night or grabbing a bite with friends.

I'd describe this place as nice casual. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown…read moreGainesville. Grab a menu, find a spot to sit, and order at the bar. They give you a number and bring your food/drink to the table. Reasonable prices and great variety of craft cocktails. The burger was good, but I honestly liked the pork tacos more! Everyone at the table agreed that we would have liked the fries to be a bit crisper. Probably will return to try their cheese and charcuterie offerings!

Decided to check this place out with a group of friends and I can't believe I missed out on this…read moreplace. We were greeted and taken care by a very attentive server from start to finish and the 3 course meal was prepared and served in a perfect way. This hidden gem is a great restaurant to check out when you are nearby.

Greek salad was fantastic. Cake was a tad underwhelming but the service and food were great. vibes…read morewere fun and would recommend this spot for small groups and get togethers.