The Buzz: 'We finally made it:' Anthony's opens downtown. Latest on Nathan's, Fatburger

It was hard for Amin Wahbi to contain his enthusiasm.

Wahbi sat inside his relocated Anthony’s Mediterranean Cuisine and talked about the journey to get it open. It was a day before his grand opening, and he was brimming with anticipation and energy.

“I have been searching for almost three years,” Wahbi said. “Finally, after three years searching, we got (the) place, we got the deal, and it’s completely mine. No partnership, the same family who owns Anthony’s.”

The place is downtown Redding in the Cascade Square building near the corner of California and Placer streets.

Wahbi and his family worked for about a month to turn the former Rose‘ Kitchen & Spirits into Anthony’s. Gone is the pink and purple neon lighting and in its place a soft white décor.

“We finally made it, thank God, and I am so happy,” he said.

Wahbi opened Anthony’s, which is named after his eldest son, in July 2015 on Eureka Way across the street from Shasta High School. He also owns the Greek Shack on Hartnell Avenue and Xander’s Greek Gyro on Churn Creek Road, a drive-thru kiosk that is named after his son Alexander.

And Wahbi and his family operate two Anthony’s Mediterranean food trucks.

Wahbi’s Eureka Way restaurant closed in 2021, a disappointment as Anthony’s had built a loyal following in its short time in its six years in west Redding.

Wahbi told me it took him awhile to find a new location because he was looking for a spot where he could offer a restaurant with a bar.

“I want a bar, I want a full restaurant, I want a full Mediterranean and Greek restaurant. We got lucky. We have a full liquor license and now it’s the official Greek restaurant in Redding, California,” he beamed.

Anthony’s opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and midnight Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Sundays.

The menu features appetizers like hummus and pita, falafel balls; Greek salad, Greek salad with lamb; lamb and chicken gyros; and full dinner plates like lamb, chicken and beef kabobs, and a mixed-grill plate.

Baklava is on the dessert menu, and there also is a kids’ menu.

Wahbi is from Syria. He came to the United States and lived in Michigan before moving to Redding in 2007. The first business he bought was Bob’s Liquors on Hartnell Avenue, which he still owns.

“Redding is my community, my people, my family lives here,” Wahbi said.

When to expect Fatburger, Nathan’s

Owner Gurinderjit Sidhu recently told me that building his new Beyond Food Mart in north Redding has been a challenge.

Without going into details, Sidhu said he hopes the location will open in about a month.

Currently, the traffic improvements needed to open the gas station-minimart are being put in: a traffic light at the Cascade-Oasis intersection; southbound Cascade at Oasis will be restriped to include a separate left turn lane onto Oasis and a separate shared through/right-turn lane.

Other improvements will include curb, gutter and sidewalks.

Fatburger and Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs are among the food choices customers will pick from inside Beyond Food Mart.

The gas station portion of the project is complete: the pumps are in, the pavement is down, the canopy is up and the 76 Gas signs are there.

The dirt on Caldwell Park

A reader recently emailed about a large mound of dirt spied east of the North Market Street Bridge.

What’s going on?

Redding parks director Travis Menne told me the dirt was trucked in for the bike park that is being built as part of the Caldwell Park expansion.

“The dirt was brought in because we were able to partner with a contractor to get material from a job, so we saved hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Menne said.

SnL Group is the contractor. The company also is building Whistle Stop Park in downtown Redding between the Shasta College Health Sciences and University Center on Market Street and Shenanigans Baby Boutique.

That project is nearly complete, and Menne said Whistle Stop Park is expected to open June 21. Meanwhile, the Caldwell Park expansion's bike park east of the North Market Street Bridge is expected to be completed in 2025, Menne said.

Four years ago, the city announced with much fanfare that it had received a $6.7 million grant to expand and upgrade the popular park. The state money Redding received was established by Proposition 68, the $4 billion parks and water bond act of 2018.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: The Buzz: Popular Greek restaurant opens in downtown Redding