Popular Mediterranean Chain Expands To Stanford

PALO ALTO, CA — A popular Bay Area-born Mediterranean restaurant chain is expanding its Peninsula presence with a new location at Stanford University.

SAJJ Mediterranean is opening inside Tresidder Memorial Union at 459 Lagunita Dr., bringing its customizable Mediterranean menu to the Stanford community.

The company described the Stanford outpost as its first “non-traditional” restaurant and said it plans to pursue additional locations of that kind in the future.

SAJJ serves customizable bowls, wraps and salads with a variety of proteins, spreads, sauces and toppings. Menu offerings include falafel and shawarma.

The Stanford opening comes as SAJJ continues a broader Bay Area expansion. The company recently added its third San Francisco restaurant, at 71 Stevenson St., which was in its soft-opening stage as of Monday.

“The Bay Area is home for SAJJ, and we believe there is still tremendous opportunity to grow here,” founder and CEO Zaid Ayoub said.

Ayoub opened the first SAJJ in 2012 and has since expanded the concept throughout the Bay Area, including locations in San Mateo, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Sunnyvale and San Jose.

The company stated it is targeting opportunities elsewhere in California with the possibility of eventually moving into other states.

The Stanford opening comes as SAJJ is also growing in San Francisco. The chain recently added a restaurant at 71 Stevenson St. downtown, its third location in the city.

“We're continuing to invest in corporate growth in our home market while building a franchise strategy that can introduce SAJJ to more communities throughout California and beyond,” Ayoub said.