By J.R. Tidwell / Editor

Patrons in Clanton and the surrounding area who have been looking for a new food option to choose from are in luck.

A new restaurant named Pita opened on Nov. 15 at Exit 208 off of Interstate 65.

The establishment, which specializes in Mediterranean street food, is connected to the side of the Exxon gas station that sits just across from Shoney’s.

Anish Noorani, the owner of the Exxon gas station, had the space and desire to open a restaurant on site. He wanted to bring something to Clanton that residents could not otherwise get here in the county so they would have another food option.

While searching for the right fit, he came across Pita, which is headquartered in Atlanta.

Pita offers Mediterranean fare such as gyros, shawarma, grilled fish, beef kafta (kebabs), falafel, Greek fries (seasoned and topped with feta cheese) and dips like hummus and baba ghanoush to eat along with toasted pita slices.

For dessert, patrons may try some baklava, a traditional dish made by layering a mixture of honey and nuts in sheets of phyllo dough.

Pita has multiple variations of baklava, including a popular cheesecake version.

Other desserts are available as well, such as ice cream and a Nutella pita.

There are platters available for most dishes, appetizers, salads and a kid’s menu.

Noorani said that once he tried the food served at Pita, he fell in love with it.

He decided to add a franchise to his station in the hopes that others would fall in love with the food as well.

“We have already had repeat customers and people learning about us through social media and word of mouth,” he said. “We had one lady who came in here for lunch when we opened. She came back for dinner, and she came back for lunch and dinner the next two days. She said she couldn’t get enough of the food.”

Noorani said one of the main ideas behind Pita is offering fresh food and healthier options than most fast food places.

He said that he specifically wanted a sit-down style restaurant with the quality of food you might expect to find at such a place over offerings from most fast food chains.

“The ingredients come from a commissary in Atlanta,” Noorani said. “Everything here is so fresh.”

Anyone who would like more information on the restaurant or to see a menu may visit pitastreetfood.com.

Pita is located at 942 Lake Mitchell Rd. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.