The floor is new and the walls have been painted. Still, May Alrshaidat apologizes for the new restaurant’s appearance.
“I’m going to add more decorations, but opening was not cheap,” she says. “At least we are open now.”
Habibi’s Kabab opened at the beginning of April after a renovation of two months. Although the space came prepared – a kitchen with all the appliances in working order – it took Alrshaidat and her husband Mahmoud some time to undo a notable feature of its previous existence.
“We spent nights and nights taking hooks from the ceiling,” May explains with a chuckle.
The hooks once held the prized beer mugs of regulars at English Ales, the longstanding Marina brewpub that closed in November of 2025. Alrshaidat says they were fortunate to find an established location. Former customers of the pub have been peeking in, while others are excited to have a Mediterranean kitchen in the neighborhood.
“On the third night, people were lining up,” she adds.
The real attraction is on the plate. Baba ghanoush spreads an earthy, smoky savor with a faint tangy counterpoint over nutty pita. Cubes of beef perched on rice and a salad offer a swarthy, fire pit notion that stands out against the sweet bite of the dressing and calm of basmati. The menu features fava beans flavored with lemon and olive oil, gyros, dolma and crispy falafel with a mellow, grassy sensation. Another welcome menu item is lentil soup, a hearty, cozy homestyle staple. It suits the restaurant’s purpose nicely.
“We cook food just like we do at home,” Alrshaidat says. “You should try our shawarma.”
Mahmoud – who goes by Mike – handles the cooking. He’s a restaurant veteran who stepped away from the kitchen a decade ago, frustrated by the slow pace of Capitola winters. Yet he never lost any of his passion for food service.
Habibi’s is still in the process of becoming. The couple have applied for a beer and wine license. A belly dancer will entertain guests every other Friday, beginning on May 1. And there are some other finishing touches planned.
“We haven’t done breakfast yet,” Alrshaidat points out. She says this with a smile. A visiting son checked in on the restaurant one morning, so the couple prepared a family breakfast. “Now people are asking,” she observes, laughing. “But we’d have to sleep in the restaurant.”
Habibi’s is a family affair. One son designed the menu, other family members helped throughout renovation and opening. Alrshaidat’s husband works the kitchen, while she is responsible for baklava – in pistachio form the pastry layers nutty, malty notes over the palate with a delicate sweetness, but she also prepares a version with walnuts.
There are nods to the restaurant’s previous life. One can order onion rings or garlic fries alongside fresh tabbouleh or lamb shank bamya, with its sharp tomato and okra broth. The menu also features wings, burgers and other pub fare.
“The old customers are so happy to come back, but with our food,” Alrshaidat says. “That helps us.”
That English Ales was a Marina landmark was not a concern to the couple. They saw value in a location with strong public recognition.
The new restaurant is brighter. There is nothing to indicate that the space spent a few decades as a wood-paneled English pub.
“We’re lucky,” Alrshaidat says of the location’s features. They had been searching for real estate before it became available, but each place they inspected needed a new hood or other repairs. “It’s a good size, a good opportunity.”
From the start, the Alrshaidat’s had settled on the name Habibi’s. The suffix, however, is a compromise.
Habibi’s Mediterranean was the first choice. But a place called Habibi Mediterranean Cafe looks ready to open on Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey after well over a year of promise. Alrshaidat has even been asked if they were behind both (they are not).
But with a lineup that includes beef, lamb and chicken skewers, Habibi’s Kabab is equally apt. Either way, Alrshaidat says, “My husband is excited to be cooking again.”