California has lost another longtime dining fixture amid a wave of painful local restaurant closures. Oasis Grill’s First Street location in San Francisco closed on October 29 after nearly 30 years of serving shawarma, kebabs and fresh Mediterranean meals to the city’s downtown workforce.
Owners Muna Azzghayer and Mohammad Zughaiyir said landlord Kilroy Realty declined to renew their lease and gave the space to another restaurant. The couple said they had expected to remain after investing about $2 million in a yearlong build-out completed in 2015. Their family business, founded in 1999, continues at three other San Francisco locations.
A family vision for Mediterranean food
Oasis Grill grew from the couple’s different but complementary roots. Zughaiyir grew up around his family’s produce business in Jerusalem, while Azzghayer was raised in San Francisco. Together they introduced Eastern Mediterranean flavors to customers who wanted a fast downtown meal made with fresh ingredients…