Owner of Wichita restaurant that closed after 5 months reflects on what went wrong
The owner of Wichita’s Levantine Kitchen, which closed on Monday after only five months in business, says he’s not entirely sure what went wrong.
“I don’t know,” Levantine’s Hassan Ballout said Wednesday. “If I knew what it was, I would have fixed it.”
But the numbers were never there for the restaurant, which served healthier Mediterranean dishes including bowls and pita-wrapped sandwiches made with fillings like chicken shawarma, gyro, seared tuna, grilled jackfruit, beets and falafel.
Ballout, who also owns Albero Bistro at K-96 and Greenwich, opened Levantine Kitchen in late February at 3337 E. Central. The restaurant operated in the same strip center as Panera.
Now, Ballout said, he’s trying to find another business to take over the remainder of his lease.
Ballout said he suspects inflation played a role in the restaurant’s demise.
“Honestly, people are not going out,” he said. They’re not spending money like before.”
Before opening Levantine Kitchen, Ballout was still considering finding a new spot to open his Albero Cafe, which opened in 2014 at 4811 E. Central but closed in 2023 after Ballout learned his landlord had other plans for the area. That restaurant building has since been demolished, as has the former Dillons store that sat next to it.
Now, the Albero Cafe plans are on hold. Ballout said he will focus on Albero Bistro, which he said is doing fine, and will spend time with his daughters.
“I just want to chill for one year,” he said.
This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 1:33 PM.
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