Authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, sushi on-the-go and healthy fast-causal fare are coming soon to the heart of Midtown Atlanta. North American Properties (NAP) today announced three exciting additions to the culinary lineup at the reimagined Colony Square: Rumi’s Kitchen, Sukoshi and Freshii.
 
“Between the restaurants, luxury dine-in theater and expertly curated food hall, Colony Square will be the destination for great food, lively entertainment and community,” said Mark Toro, managing partner of NAP. “We’re looking forward to welcoming each of these exceptional dining concepts to Colony Square and are excited to be one step closer to delivering Midtown’s new center of gravity.”
 
Rumi’s Kitchen
 
Rumi’s Kitchen, the Atlanta-based Persian restaurant by renowned Chef Ali Mesghali, will open its first intown flagship location at Colony Square. Situated along the coveted corner of 14th and Peachtree Streets, Rumi’s Kitchen will serve its celebrated Persian cuisine in an upscale, custom designed space.
 
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Rumi’s Kitchen inside the perimeter and share our passion for innovative culinary experiences and delicious food with Midtown’s diverse community,” said Chef Mesghali. “Our team has experienced firsthand how NAP creates value by activating the public realm at Avalon, and we are eager to see the same experiential strategy come to life at Colony Square.”
 
The buildout for the modern, 4,833-square-foot space will begin in December with the restaurant set to open in May 2020. Rumi’s Kitchen will also feature a 1,500-square-foot outdoor patio designed to bring energy to Midtown’s vibrant streetscape. The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry is leading the design efforts.
 
In 2017, Rumi’s Kitchen opened its second metro Atlanta location at Avalon in Alpharetta, NAP’s award-winning mixed-use project. The original Rumi’s Kitchen location resides in Sandy Springs.
 
Sukoshi
 
James Beard Award-nominated restaurateur Steve Palmer and the Indigo Road team are bringing Sukoshi, the fast-turned-fine casual dining experience to Colony Square. Set to open in 2019, Sukoshi combines the precision of an authentic sushi experience with a cheeky, on-the-go atmosphere perfectly suited for the Colony Square neighborhood and Midtown’s bustling business district.
 
The Indigo Road team is well-known for concepts such as Oak Steakhouse and Colletta at Avalon in Alpharetta, along with Donetto and O-Ku on Atlanta’s Westside.The 2,000 square-foot space will be designed by Powell Architects.
Freshii
 
Located in Building 100 across from the new Starbucks, the fast-casual restaurant will be owned and operated by Atlanta-native Dustin Saboorian. While new to Freshii, Saboorian is an experienced restaurant business owner and operator. He currently owns Graveyard Tavern, a restaurant, bar and live music venue in East Atlanta Village.
 
“Prior to my ventures in the food and beverage industry, I worked for a company housed within Colony Square and have always loved the fast-paced, lively energy that surrounds this corner of Midtown,” said Saboorian. “We’re eager to engage with Colony Square’s active lunch crowd and are confident our healthy and affordable offerings will appeal to everyone, from busy office workers to passersby looking for a delicious meal on the go.”
 
Famous for its nutritious meal options inspired by global health trends, Freshii is on a mission to help citizens of the world live better by making healthy eating convenient and affordable for all. Through its diverse and customizable menu, Freshii caters to every dietary and taste preference, even offering gluten- and dairy-free products. The concept features a wide variety of dining categories, including bowls, burritos, salads, wraps, soups, smoothies and juices. The Colony Square location will also offer catering options, plus, guests can order ahead using the Freshii Orders app.
 
In partnership with WE Charity, an international charity and educational partner dedicated to empowering impoverished communities,Freshii features a WE menu which is comprised of a handful of the restaurant’s most popular menu items. For every meal purchased from the WE menu, Freshii donates one meal to a child in a WE village in Kenya, Ecuador, Ghana or India.
 
The fast-growing eatery is constantly evolving, rolling out a new item that incorporates the latest health and food trends every 90 days. Colony Square marks the brand’s second location in Georgia.
 
The three restaurant announcements come as part of NAP’s hospitality-driven approach to retail real estate. The firm recently hiredAdam Schwegman as partner and senior vice president of retail leasing. At Brookfield Properties (formerly GGP), Schwegman launched a national team within the organization called Eat/Drink to lease all food and beverage deals, from Hawaii to Maine. Under his leadership, he expanded the food and beverage share from 6% to 13% of the entire portfolio.
 
Schwegman is applying his experience and relationships in “eatertainment” – the intersection of dining, entertainment and hospitality – to NAP’s $5 billion development pipeline, which includes Colony Square, Avalon, High Street, Revel and Riverton.
 
“We are committed to bringing great food and beverage experiences at a variety of price points to Colony Square, and we can’t wait for our community to indulge in this incredible culinary lineup,” said Schwegman.     
 
Earlier this month, Colony Square celebrated the grand opening of The Grove, an urban park on 14th Street; the return of hometown favorite Chick-fil-A; and the new Building 400 Lobby. Additional experiences coming to Colony Square include the 25,000-square-foot Main & Main food hall; IPIC, a first-to-market luxury dine-in movie theater; and the return of Starbucks and Moe’s.
 
Colony Square sits at one of the most highly trafficked intersections in the Southeast. The destination is currently undergoing a $160 million transformation to become Midtown’s Living Room – a place for Midtown’s 20,000 residents, 70,000 office workers, 25,000 college students and 6.1 million annual visitors to gather and commune. Colony Square’s redevelopment will be completed in May 2020.