New restaurant with shawarma and other Middle Eastern cuisine coming to Loves Park
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — A restaurant franchise focused on authentic Middle Eastern cuisine including shawarma and falafel is coming to Riverside Boulevard and Forest Hills Road.
First Midwest Group announced Monday that its leasing space to Tahini’s at Loves Park Crossings. The restaurant will open at 1521 E. Riverside Blvd., suite 4, which is next to Penny Lane Slots in a business center that includes Verizon.
“This new eatery promises to delight your taste buds with a selection of authentic and healthy Middle Eastern cuisine, all served with fast, friendly, and reliable customer service,” First Midwest Group wrote on social media. “Tahini’s is committed to using only the freshest ingredients and the best service, ensuring every visit becomes a memorable experience.”
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No opening date is set. For now, the space inside the suite is empty.
The chain is based in London, Ontario, and has more than 50 restaurants across Canada. It started moving into the U.S. this fall with plans for restaurants in Chicago and New Jersey. The franchise is one of the fastest growing in Canada, according to Retail Insider.
Tahini’s specializes in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine including a variety of shawarma and bowls such as the habibi bowl with freshly cut chicken shawarma on top of rice, pita chips and fried onions.
There is also spicy chicken shawarma infused with jerk sauce served on basmati rice topped with fresh pineapples, onions, tomatoes, fried onions, spicy, garlic and parsley. Or classic Canadian poutine with crispy fries layered with cheese curds and beef gravy, to name a few options.
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The menu also includes fattoush salad, samosas, tenders, hummus and curry fries, among other items.
This will be the first Tahini’s in the Rockford region as it expands into the U.S.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
