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Mezeh Mediterranean Grill to open Capitol Hill location

By Jeff Clabaugh

Fairfax, Virginia-based Mezeh Mediterranean Grill will open its newest D.C.-area restaurant on Capitol Hill on Feb. 6, which will be its 52nd location in barely a decade since its founding.

Friends and business partners Saleh Mohamadi, Steve Walker and Tai Chiao opened the first Mezeh Mediterranean Grill in Annapolis in 2012. It has expanded beyond D.C., Maryland and Virginia to locations in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. The company has grown to about 800 employees.

Mezeh’s rapid growth is all internal. The company does not franchise, and all locations are company-owned.

The Capitol Hill location is at 333 Pennsylvania Ave. in Southeast D.C., next to longtime Capitol Hill institution Hawk ‘n’ Dove.

It is Mezeh’s third location in the District.

Mezeh’s menu leans heavy on the Mediterranean diet, with bowls and flatbread or pita wraps. Its bowls are largely a build-your-own menu, with greens and grains, proteins and toppings. There are more than two dozen toppings and a dozen sauces to choose from. Mezeh uses only 100% olive oil and halal protein, including chicken, steak and lamb. There are also vegan options.

“Mezeh” is a twist on mezze, or mazza, words for flavor or taste in Mediterranean culture.

The Capitol Hill location will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and seven days a week.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

By The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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