Via Lev’s website
May 31, 2016 By Jackie Strawbridge
A three-story Egyptian-themed family restaurant is looking to open a spot in Manhattan after about half a year in Astoria, according to the owner.
Tut’s Hub Royal Cuisine opened last October at 30-91 Steinway St. serving traditional Egyptian dishes as well as casual American fare, in a setting decked out with gold sculptures and hieroglyphic decorations inspired by ancient Egypt.
The restaurant has been listed for sale on broker Lior Lev’s website. However, Lev characterized this as a marketing technique to bring in possible investors ahead of the expansion, which owner Khaled Abdelhaleem confirmed.
“It’s a door to get people to invest, not to sell,” Abdelhaleem said.
The Manhattan location will be on 2nd Avenue, according to Abdelhaleem. He said it is too early to provide an exact address.
Tut’s Hub in Astoria will ultimately become a corporate headquarters and training facility, he added. In the long term, he also wants to open a third location on Long Island.
“I’m focusing on the city now because more of my clientele is coming from the city,” Abdelhaleem said. “It’s hard for them to cross the bridge every time they want to come here.”
The Manhattan location would be smaller than the Astoria spot – about 2,100-square-feet but only one story, Abdelhaleem said. He also said that whereas the Astoria Tut’s Hub has a children’s playroom, the Manhattan location will instead have a hookah bar, as those customers will be “mostly singles” as opposed to families.
Abdelhaleem said he is planning for the Manhattan location to be open sometime before Christmas.
