On what feels like the very recent news that Tutta Pesca is closing, we’ve got another transitional piece of news to share — especially for those that crave hummus on the regular. Flatbread Grill, Hoboken’s locale for flatbreads and Mediterranean comfort food, is closing its brick-and-mortar doors and transitioning to a “delivery-only concept.” Here are the details:
Becoming Delivery-Only
We chatted with the Esendemir sisters, founders of Flatbread Grill and Hoboken B-N_R, who shared their thoughts on the situation with Hoboken Girl. “The restaurant industry is going to see incredible shifts over the next couple of years. Through our deep involvement in this industry for the past thirteen years with running our stores, we have prided ourselves in being forward-thinking. The reality is, we must pivot to maintain long-term sustainability in an uncertain environment.”
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Those shifts in the industry are what have led Flatbread Grill to become a “delivery-only concept,” operating out of shared kitchen spaces starting this fall. The goal of this shift, according to the trio, is to enable the restaurant to serve a larger audience “while giving it the opportunity to meet consumer demand in retail,” they shared. “We are really excited about the next step in our journey. We will also continue to consult other young restaurant brands and advise them as opportunities come up.”
Rest assured, lovers of Flatbread will not go hungry. The now delivery-concept will allow customers in all of Hudson County and parts of NYC to shop an online store of Flatbread’s packaged goods, including sauces, seasonings, hummus, and frozen flat melts. Popular menu items from the physical restaurant will also be available for delivery. What is even better is that the restaurant’s famous Thumb bread will also be available in nationwide retail outlets — so you can enjoy it at home!
^The incredible Thumb Bread that you *must* try if you haven’t
Beyond the delivery, customers can also utilize Flatbread’s upcoming app-based food business, Gonca said.
About Flatbread
Flatbread Grill began back in 2008 in Montclair by the Esendemir sisters, Gonca, Fusun, and Arzu. Following the restaurant’s one-year anniversary, the sisters decided to bring their delicious Turkish food to Hoboken, opening up the 517 Washington Street location.
“We started the business with nothing in 2007 to save our father’s life [to pay for his medical treatments]. It has been an incredible journey filled with challenges, obstacles, and achievements,” Gonca said.
As the name would suggest, Flatbread Grill sold a variety of breads, toppings, platters and all-around delicious food — but, this well-known restaurant offered so much more than that. The fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant dished out gourmet salads, flat top platters, and sandwiches; all of which were paired with an array of freshly-baked specialty flatbreads.
Beyond its famed bread, Flatbread Grill also regularly celebrated Pride month and the local LGBTQ+ community by making rainbow hummus, often donating proceeds from hummus purchases to local LGBTQ+ organizations.
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The Future of the Flatbread Brand
Now that the restaurant’s offerings will be moved exclusively online, it leaves us Hobokenites with a burning question — what does this mean for the physical Flatbread restaurant?
“It was an absolute pleasure to serve our hometown of Hoboken,” they shared. “We had hoped to find a new concept to take our place before we vacated, however, given the pandemic, many concepts are not looking to expand right now. We hope our landlord finds someone who is a great fit and can continue serving the community with delicious, high-quality food.”
Though we’re happy to know that we’ll still be able to eat Flatbread’s delicious food, the restaurant will truly be missed here in the Mile Square.
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