Turkish restaurant ZaRa to make its Manhattan Debut
NEW YORK BUSINESS JOURNAL
Turkish restaurant ZaRa to make its Manhattan Debut
By Julian Nazar – Staff Reporter, New York Business Journal
May 14, 2025
ZaRa, a Turkish restaurant with three locations on Staten Island, is coming to Manhattan.
ZaRa East Mediterranean Cuisine will occupy an approximately 5,300-square-foot space at 862 Second Ave. in Midtown East, which was previously home to Ali Baba’s Turkish Cuisine.
The restaurant is expected to open in June.
ZaRa offers authentic Turkish cuisine with a focus on fresh ingredients and exotic spices. The menu includes a variety of traditional dishes such as kebabs, mezes, pides and desserts. The restaurant serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.
The lease is for 15 years while asking rent was $26,000 per month.
Isa Realty Group’s Joseph Isa, Louis Franco and Jack Hurley represented ZaRa, while the landlord, 862 Second Ave. LLC, was represented by JLL’s Jesse Wolff and Elijah Mehl.
ZaRa East will be located in a standalone building a five-minute walk from the United Nations.
“It is a beautiful corner,” Hurley said. “They love the opportunity of the retractable rooftop for outdoor seating. There aren’t many of those in Manhattan.”
ZaRa is looking to open five more locations this year.