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Zazios to Close at End of January

The Birmingham restaurant at Woodward and Maple will close at the end of the month to make way for an as-yet undisclosed development.

 

Birmingham's Zazios, located at the busy intersection of Woodward Avenue and Maple in the heart of Birmingham, will be closing at the end of this month.

According to a release from the Greenleaf Hospitality Group, the Birmingham restaurant will close its doors effective Jan. 31.

Taking its place will be a "new and exciting concept" that will be revealed soon, Greenleaf's PR and marketing manager Sarah Lee said.

Whatever will replace Zazios will be led by the Kalamazoo-based Catalyst Development Co., LLC, which is currently in charge of developing the Greenleaf Trust Building, in which Zazios is housed.

"We had a great run and truly enjoyed serving our loyal guests as well as their support," said Michael Oswald, director of food and beverage for the Greenleaf Hospitality Group.

"We proudly support this new opportunity spearheaded by Catalyst Development that will add to Birmingham's already rich culture and quality of life," he added.

Zazios has been open at its colorful and modern Birmingham location since July 2010. The star of Zazios, besides its views of Woodward Avenue, was the 24-seat Chef's Table, which surrounds a kitchen stage where a chef fixed a meal every night.

"Although Birmingham has a lot of great restaurants, I don't think they have what I call a serious restaurant large enough to hold parties," Matt Schellig, then Zazios executive chef, told Patch in January 2011

Since its opening, Zazios has been an active part of the Birmingham dining scene, hosting holiday parties and participating in Birmingham Restaurant Week.

According to the release from Greenleaf Hospitality Group, more details will be released as they become available on what will fill the space.

Related Topics: Zazios

ClassAct4

9:05 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013

We could really use another expensive steakhouse . . . How about a family oriented, moderately priced, restaurant? What a novel idea.

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Paul Reagan

2:25 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013

Exactly. Whether it's family-oriented, hipster or adult, pricing matters. Look at the most vibrant restaurant market in the area - Ferndale. It's difficult to enjoy yourself when your being fleeced for unimaginative decor, run of the mill food. You can clock the survival rate of any eatery in town just by knowing how much they're being charged per square foot (lease).

Carolyn J. Butcher

10:07 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013

Parking is a real problem, if you don't like to spend money for valet.

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Alan Stamm

10:32 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013

Worth noting: An old-school Birmingham tradition is next to the snazzy-design newcomer.

Peabody's opened in 1975 on the site of its owners' former Peabody Market (1946-74). That third-generation business has its own parking lot, an advantage Zazios lacks.

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Paul Reagan

2:19 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013

It wasnt' the parking (there's a deck adjacent) - it was the pricing. Expensive pasta.

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