Fadi’s Pizza & Donair Reopens In Fredericton Under New Ownership
FREDERICTON – When a popular pizza restaurant went up for sale on Fredericton’s north side last year, Tania Tahan brought up the idea of restarting the eatery with her sister-in-law.
A few days later, Tahan and Hiyam El-Tahhan became the new co-owners of Fadi’s Pizza & Donair. The restaurant reopened on January 6 to a crowd of customers, after closing in May 2019 following two decades of operation.
“It was working so well before, so when we reopened people were so happy,” El-Tahhan said. “The people that came in the first three days, it was unbelievable.”
The sisters-in-law were longtime customers themselves and would frequently come dine with their families before Fadi’s Pizza closed last spring.
At the moment, the new ownership is changing little about the menu and focusing on maintaining the original taste. The previous chef is helping with the transition.
“Fadi’s Pizza has a large following. People were sad when it closed,” El-Tahhan said.
The menu currently offers Greek and Lebanese dishes, donair and wood-fired, brick-oven pizza with generous toppings. New options include a falafel sandwich and the new owners hope to add a Lebanese breakfast dish, more vegan choices and variety to the kids menu.
“We’re trying to get used to it first, then there’s lots of things we can add to it,” Tahan said.
Tahan and El-Tahhan completely renovated the two levels of the restaurant to create additional space and a modern look. The dining room on the second floor now includes a bar.
The upgrades to the restaurant took about three months to complete and included an updated kitchen and prep room. An exterior renovation to include a side-seating area and improve the exterior is being planned for the spring.
This is the first time in the restaurant industry for both Tahan and El-Tahhan. But they say the help received from family members has made a huge difference as they learn about the industry.
“Everyone is helping out in any way possible,” El-Tahhan said. “They all come in, they ask if we need help and they all just put an apron on and help.”
The owners hope to have a grand opening sometime next month. Right after completing renovations, Fadi’s Pizza held a last-minute “soft opening” with advertising only through social media and word of mouth.
Tahan and El-Tahhan said the place was packed and it was difficult to keep up with the flow. But customers were patient despite running out of ingredients and wait times for certain dishes were as long as two hours and to two-hour waits for orders.
“We want everyone to come back to the way it was before with just a little twist,” El-Tahhan said.
Fadi’s Pizza has hired eight employees so far and plans to grow the staff throughout the year.
They expect to boost advertising by mailing out menus, offering specials, building a website and spreading the word on social media. The restaurant is open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, and Saturday for dinner. Fadi’s Pizza also offers take-out, delivery and catering for events.
The sisters-in-law both say going into business with a family member was a great decision.
You need someone you can trust,” Tahan said.