Omar Alsaadi didn’t have restaurant experience, but he loved cooking. So, when he and his partner Mouhanad Kabbani were looking to start a business, they went all-in on his passion for making delicious meals and opened the first Pita Chip restaurant on Temple University’s campus. Now, there are two Pita Chips restaurants with two more on the way.
The fast-casual Modern Middle Eastern restaurant’s third location will open in the spring of 2022 in the Oxford Oaks Shopping Center at 1581 Big Oak Rd. in Yardley. The new site will occupy at 3,500 sq. ft. space with seating for 65. The expanded kitchen will allow Pita Chip to experiment with new item menus like additional hummus and pita chip flavors, as well as new vegan tahini options. The yet to be finalized fourth location for Pita Chip will be in Montgomery County.
“We initially had plans to expand into the city, but after COVID, the city locations were a little bit slower, so we made a change of plans and went into the suburbs,” Alsaadi tells What Now Philadelphia. “It’s a strategic location next to 95 and Route 1, and it’s an area that’s underserved without a lot of food options.”
Alsaadi and Kabbani planned to start a business as a franchise but instead decided to create their brand with the first Pita Chip opened in 2015. In 2018, they opened a second location in University City, at 3601 Market St., and brought Howard Klayman as a partner.
“I love to cook, and I love to entertain, but never had the guts to do it. I figured if I went the franchise route, someone would give me the roadmap to do it. But after we started, we figured we’d be better off doing it on our own,” Alsaadi said. “It took a year of sitting at a kitchen table figuring out the menu items, the logo, the name, the uniform, but I decided to create a brand. I didn’t know where it was going.”
Alsaadi, who immigrated from Syria in the late 70s, wanted to bring dishes and flavors from his native country to the menu, but also have it influenced by Philly’s diverse food scene where he adopted new cooking techniques.
“For me, the best part about Pita Chip is the memories our food evokes of my childhood. One bite of our falafel and I am transported back to Damascus, Syria, smelling all the wonderful street vendor foods,” Alsaadi writes on Pita Chip’s website. “Growing up, I would come home from school to find Italian food on the stove. Other nights, it was French or Greek. My mother used encyclopedias to learn how to cook. Her recipes evolved with inspiration from cultural influences near and far.”
Pita Chip’s build-your-own menu includes Lebanese-style wraps made from locally sourced bread, salad bowls, rice bowls, and half rice/half salad bowls. Customers choose from proteins like chicken or beef shawarma, falafel, or roasted veggies, and top off their main dish with hummus and other toppings like cucumber pickles, tabbouleh, seasoned onions, and pickled turnips. Pita Chip also has a range of dipping sauces and dressings like Falafel Chutney Sauce, Buffalo Tahini, and Garlic Sauce. You’ll also find signature dishes, like their Chicken Shawarma, sides that include fresh pita chips, fries with garlic sauce or grape leaves, and desserts like baklava. Pita Chip also provides catering.
The first 79 customers at Pita Chip on Dec. 10, starting at 11 a.m., can grab a free falafel wrap or bowl (limit one per person) in honor of Alsaadi’s anniversary of coming to the U.S. in 1979, which he calls his “Americaversary.” Those who miss the free giveaway can purchase a falafel bowl or wrap for just $0.79 throughout the rest of the day.
“Every year, I like to do something to celebrate living my American dream, and this year I’m really excited to celebrate by giving back,” said Alsaadi.
Learn more about Pita Chip at pitachipphilly.com.
