One of Wichita’s legacy restaurants is, for the first time, getting a sister restaurant

For the first time in its 34-year history in Wichita, N&J Cafe is getting a sister restaurant.

“It’s something we always hoped for,” said Nick Srour, who owns the business with his brother, John.

The two grew up in the restaurant their parents started in 1991.

The two purchased N&J from their mother, Mona, in 2020.

“We were a bit overwhelmed,” Srour said.

At the time, he said the thought of a second restaurant “was just kind of a pipe dream.”

Now, it’s a reality. The Srours signed a lease for the space on West Central just east of Tyler where the Sweet Spot was most recently.

That restaurant moved to the former Doma space near Towne East Square.

Srour and his brother began talking with InSite Real Estate Group partner Jake Ramstack last year, and Srour said Ramstack helped them see that the West Central space made more sense for them with plenty of housing nearby but not as much congestion as Maize Road often has.

“We decided that might be a little too far out there, especially for us.”

Both Srours are east-siders.

Don Piros of Landmark Commercial Real Estate also helped with the deal.

Like the original restaurant, the second N&J will offer lunch and dinner but likely have more expanded hours at night.

“We just don’t have much of a nighttime crowd at our existing location,” Srour said.

Also, there’s a bar already in the new space that he and his brother plan to remodel as well.

“We just thought it was a perfect location for us.”

Srour said Wichitans are making it possible for the expansion.

“The city’s been great to us as far as supporting the restaurant.”

The Srours’ first foray into business was running their late father’s John’s Pita Bakery.

“Everything I know about business is because of my father,” Nick Srour said.

From a young age, he knew he’d one day run the restaurant.

“I still remember talking to my dad about it.”

Srour said his father emphasized quality and a good price point.

“Our earliest memories are inside that kitchen. . . . It’s really all we know.”

However, Srour said, running a restaurant — or two — is “a way different challenge” than the bakery.

He and his brother hope to open sometime in the spring, but it sounds like he already knows the construction business well and how that may affect his plans.

“There’s what I hope, and there’s probably what’s going to happen. Multiply that by three.”

So once he makes it through this opening, could there be more N&Js to come?

Maybe, Srour said.

“Let me get through this one.”