Upscale Iranian Spot Planned for Downtown

According to recent reporting in ABJ, local restaurateur Amir Hajimaleki aims to open an upscale Iranian restaurant called Roya.

“Hajimaleki’s vision for Roya has been about six years in the making. The Iran-born executive chef and co-owner of Silk Road Hospitality Group has opened Oasthouse Kitchen and Bar, Keepers Coastal Kitchen, Shorties Pizza & Grinders, and District Kitchen + Cocktails, typically sticking to a more casual dining experience,” the ABJ reports.

Before then, however, pop-ups will “ served monthly on the second floor of the cocktail lounge, where Hajimaleki plans to demonstrate the concept for his Iranian restaurant to potential investors.”

“We’re going to be very picky about who is going to invest (and) we want to get to know them,” Hajimaleki said. “If we’re going to have people that are going to be involved with us, with Roya, we want them to see kind of like, this is the vibe, this is the caliber of what we’re looking at doing.”

Investors are crucial as Hajimaleki estimates Roya will need “a minimum of about $2 million to open the restaurant — or $400 to $500 per square foot — a number contingent on the location and tenant improvement funds available. Plus, the money will help customize the kitchen,” given the high costs of running a downtown restaurant.

Hajimaleki noted to ABJ that he projects his annual Roya sales to be between $7 million and $8 million.

Assuming the real estate search goes smoothly, Roya is expected to open the second half of 2025.

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