Dametra Cafe
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| Dametra Cafe | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | June 2008[1] |
| Owner(s) | Faisal Nimri[1] Bashar Sneeh[1] |
| Chef | Faisal Nimri[1] |
| Food type | Greek Mediterranean |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | Corner Of Ocean & Lincoln St |
| City | Carmel-by-the-Sea |
| County | Monterey |
| State | California |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 93921 |
| Country | United States |
| Seating capacity | 33 |
| Reservations | Yes |
| Other locations | Dametra Fresh Mediterranean, Del Monte Shopping Center, Monterey, California[2] |
| Website | dametracafe |
Dametra Cafe is a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California in the United States. They have a second, smaller, fast food location in Monterey, California.
History[edit]
Dametra Cafe is co-owned by Bashar Sneeh, who is from Syria, and Faisal Nimri, who is from Jordan. Nimri also serves as executive chef. Nimri moved to the United States in 1994, with his parents, and started working in Monterey as a teenager in the restaurant business. In 1998, he opened Da Giovanni in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Nimri wanted to open a restaurant that served Middle Eastern food similar to what his family made. He met Sneeh, who relocated to the US from Syria in 2004. Sneeh was working in Pebble Beach at a gas station when he met Nimri. Sneeh became involved in the food industry and came to manage three area restaurants. They opened Dametra Cafe in June 2008.[1] Dametra is a portmanteau of Damascus and Petra.
The cafe has live music and belly dancers. The decor includes a rose-colored stone signature of Petra. The restaurant was named "Business of the Year" by the Carmel Chamber of Commerce in 2010.[1] Customers can make reservations and walk-up customers wait in line outside.[3] The restaurant serves Greek wine, including Boutrai.[3]
In 2014, they opened a second location in Monterey. The second location, Dametra Fresh Mediterranean, serves mainly Greek fast food.[2] A third location called Dametra and the General is a fast casual restaurant and sports bar. It opened in Marina in 2018. The bar’s 30-foot-long, L-shaped parquet bar top was rescued from Fort Ord’s Stilwell Hall.[4]
Cuisine[edit]
Dametra Cafe serves food from the Middle East. The menu includes calamari, moussaka, cioppino, smoked salmon, hummus, lamb shank, gyros, kebabs and spanikopita.[1][5]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g May, Meredith. "Carmel's exciting Dametra Cafe one-of-a-kind spot". Restaurants. SFGate. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ a b Anderson, Mark. "Super-popular Dametra opens a new outpost in Del Monte Center in Monterey". Monterey County Weekly. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ a b Howard, Jeanne. "Little Wonder: Tiny has rallied a big Carmel following in no time". Monterey County Weekly. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ Anderson, Mark C. "In Monterey County, Mediterranean cuisine keeps expanding on the Pacific". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
- ^ "Mediterranean mix: Newcomer Dametra Cafe in Carmel pairs healthful food with joie de vive". News. Monterey County Herald. Retrieved 19 August 2015.