Mr. Chickpea, a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant, launched recently on the first floor of South Portland’s Thornton Heights Commons affordable housing. The restaurant opened quietly in September at 611 Main St.
, without advertising, to give staff a chance to tweak menu items and hone their workflow, according to co-owner Ahmed Abbas. A ribbon-cutting with town officials is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant Mr. Chickpea opened in September at 611 Main St. in South Portland.
Courtesy of Mr. Chickpea The 1,000-square-foot restaurant has 30 seats, including six booths, Abbas said. Mr.
Chickpea’s menu offers a selection of plates ($14.95-$19.95) featuring items like falafel, biryani, kebabs and beef gyro, along with wraps ($7.
45-$9.45) with fillings like falafel, kebab or shawarma. Abbas said the restaurant specializes in more than 20 varieties of grab-and-go dips ($5.
45), such as fava bean dip, pumpkin hummus, baba ganoush, labneh and tzatziki. “It’s family friendly and there are a lot of takeout options,” Abbas said. “It’s casual and quick.
Our business is to give people quick access to nutritious and delicious items, and our prices are very affordable. We want the neighborhood to enjoy the tasty meals without overspending.” For now, Mr.
Chickpea is open seven days from 11 a.m. to 11 p.
m. Within the next couple of weeks, though, Abbas plans to open for breakfast, starting at 7 a.m.
and featuring a mix of American and Mediter.