Rumi's Kitchen Opened Restaurant in Century City
The popular dining concept has officially expanded to the Los Angeles market with a new 310-seat venue.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Dining Out
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Rumi's Kitchen has opened a new restaurant at Westfield Century City, marking the brand's debut in Los Angeles. The founder, Chef Ali Mesghali, returned to the city where he grew up to launch the location.
Why it matters
The restaurant brings an established regional dining concept to a new major market after successful expansions in Georgia, Washington D.C., and Texas. This opening represents a significant homecoming for the founder who established the brand two decades ago.
The new restaurant spans a 310-seat capacity, a significant scale-up from the brand's first 1,600-square-foot location opened in 2006. The original startup was financed by $100,000 in credit card debt.
The players
Ali Mesghali
He is the executive chef and founder who established the first Rumi's Kitchen location.
Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry
This architecture and design firm collaborated on the aesthetic and layout of the new Los Angeles restaurant.
Dean Barger Studios
This design firm provided the custom murals installed within the interior of the new Century City venue.
The details
Designed in collaboration with Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry, the space features an open kitchen equipped for coal cooking and murals from Dean Barger Studios. The menu focuses on traditional kebabs, stews, and market-style side dishes.
Timeline
The first Rumi's Kitchen location opened in 2006.
The original restaurant expanded to a 6,000-square-foot building in 2011.
A second Atlanta location opened in 2017.
The Washington D.C. branch opened in 2020.
The Century City location opened on September 23, 2026.
Culture Shift
This opening follows the broader national expansion trend of specialized Mediterranean dining concepts. It highlights the shifting reach of regional chains as they secure prime retail space in major urban hubs like Los Angeles.
Residents in the area now have access to a large-scale venue for traditional kebab and stew dishes. The opening adds significant seating capacity to the local Westfield Century City dining scene.
The takeaway
The brand demonstrates how a small start-up can successfully scale across multiple major U.S. cities over two decades. Aspiring restaurateurs can learn from the importance of maintaining consistent quality while adapting architectural designs to fit new premium retail environments.
Further reading
For more on the latest restaurant arrivals, visit Dining Out.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Eater LA.
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