This College Student's Kebabs Could Stand Up To Anyone's
If he were in Wynwood, there'd be lines out the door
Check out the full video on our Instagram!
The college side hustle in South Florida looks a little different than it does in the rest of America. At Harvard, Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook out of his dorm room. At UM, students run billion-dollar Amazon scams and escort services. God bless our little corner of paradise.
But out at FIU, that hustle means owning a restaurant across the street from campus. At least it does in the case of Rani Marjiya, a computer science student who moonlights as the owner/operator of Sahara Grill. Marjiya, who moved to Miami from Nazareth (the biblical one, not the one in Pennsylvania) opened this Middle Eastern fast casual joint earlier this year, and the place has been packed ever since.
Fresh grilled meats, spices imported from the Middle East, and fluffy fresh baked pitas have drawn his fellow students and Sweetwater neighbors alike. And if you find yourself anywhere near the Modesto Madique campus, Sahara Grill needs to be your lunch stop.
The space: It’s a narrow fast-casual space wedged between a forthcoming sandwich shop and doctor’s office in a Sweetwater strip mall. Because where else would a hidden gem be? You’ll find nods to the Middle East on the walls and a cute stuffed camel at the bar by the window. There are a couple of outdoor tables too, and the whole place is wonderfully clean.
What to eat and drink: Sahara Grill brings all their spices in from the Middle East, so the meats have spicier, more complex flavors than a lot of more-generic pita palaces. Go for the pita sandwiches, which come in a pillowy soft pita, packed with grilled meat, veggies, and fresh-made hummus. The kebab bowls are much of the same, but set atop yellow rice. Both satisfy, and both bring tasting notes I haven’t found in other fast-casual Middle-Eastern spots.
Perfect for: Lunch, or to-go and delivery orders for those in the greater FIU area. Interestingly, Mariya is in the process of developing an affordable online ordering platform for small businesses that he’s testing with his own restaurant.
Expect to pay: About $15-20.
Pro tip: Check out the Red Bull cooler full of sauces next to the soda machine. They’re all homemade, and if you like your stuff spicy it’ll kick everything up a notch.
How’s the parking: Abundant, though on the weekend the strip mall lot can get crowded so you may need to walk a little bit.
@saharagrillmiami // 10526 SW 8th St., Sweetwater