Ferdos Mediterranean Restaurant, a staple on the University of Toledo campus since the mid-1990s, has closed permanently.
According to news reports, with restrictions already in place that limited business at the restaurant at 3065 W. Bancroft St., owner Maher Barazi, a native of Syria, chose to retire and close his business which specialized in Mediterranean cuisine, but with a Syrian-style influence.
Mr. Barazi, who became the owner of Ferdos in 2000, has indicated that the restaurant site will be filled soon by another restaurant offering a different style of cuisine.
First opened in 1995, Ferdos — an Arabic word meaning “Paradise” — was a favorite lunch spot for university officials and students. It suffered devastating fires in 1997 and 2005, but each time it was restored, refurbished, and reopened.
But with the coronavirus pandemic, Ferdos, like all restaurants in Ohio, closed its dining room in March and was required to limit business to takeout and delivery. It reopened its dining room partially in early June and then in early September it opened for both lunch and dinner indoor dining.
But then as the year closed, Mr. Barazi announced he was retiring and closing Ferdos permanently.
First Published January 6, 2021, 5:53 p.m.
