Former Employee’s Pita Bowl to Take Over Shish Kabob Spot Downtown

Shish Kabob, a long-running Mediterranean counter in the City Plaza glass pavilions on Fayetteville Street, closed its downtown Raleigh location on January 23, 2026. Owner and chef Sam Yehia invited former employee Omar Dakdouk to take over the site with his fast-casual concept, Pita Bowl, which began in 2020.

The new operator plans a soft opening in mid-February 2026 and a possible grand opening in early March 2026. The downtown outpost will be primarily takeout-focused and will offer online ordering, reflecting demand for quick-service options among downtown workers and visitors. Pita Bowl’s menu will center on build-your-own bowls and pita sandwiches with Mediterranean and eclectic influences, featuring shawarma, shaved lamb, jerk chicken, chimichurri steak and other protein choices.

For regulars of Fayetteville Street, the handoff maintains continuity in the City Plaza glass pavilions, a visible retail stretch that feeds lunchtime and courthouse foot traffic. Sam Yehia’s decision to invite a former employee preserves a link between an established local operation and a newer, pandemic-era brand. Pita Bowl, launched in 2020, brings a model built around customization and speedy service that aligns with downtown patterns of short lunch windows and to-go orders.

Economically, the change signals small-business adaptability at a central downtown node. The City Plaza pavilions serve office employees, shoppers and visitors to downtown Raleigh, so the move to a takeout-first layout and online ordering may help stabilize daily transaction volumes even if dine-in demand is variable. The substitution of an independent fast-casual brand for an established counter also matters for local employment and vendor relationships, as new menus and sourcing choices will ripple through suppliers and staffing needs.

Practical details for downtown customers: Pita Bowl will occupy the same glass pavilion stall used by Shish Kabob, emphasizing build-your-own assembly and a compact footprint optimized for takeout. The mid-February soft opening will give the team time to refine operations before a broader launch anticipated in early March.

For Wake County residents and downtown workers, the change means more choice in quick Mediterranean-style meals and continued use of a familiar Fayetteville Street pickup point. Watch for the mid-February soft opening and the early March grand opening to see how Pita Bowl’s menu and online-order system fit midday rushes and evening orders.