When husband and wife Abdul Elenani and Ayat Masoud opened Ayat in New York City in 2020, their goal was to share their stories and culture through home-cooked Palestinian food and fresh takes on other Middle Eastern cuisine.

The concept's tenth location opened in Richardson earlier this year at 200 W. Spring Valley Road ( it was a hit ), and now they're opening the second Dallas location in Oak Cliff at the site of a former church, slated to open sometime in 2027. The new property at 660 S. Zang Blvd. is just a couple of blocks south of Jefferson Boulevard and backs up to I-35; it's several blocks outside of the Bishop Arts District.

"Our new home was once a church. A place where generations gathered, where families came together, where people found comfort, faith, and a sense of belonging," starts Ayat's announcement post , "And although the building will have a new purpose, our hope is to carry that same beautiful spirit forward. Different traditions, different backgrounds, different ways of praying, but the same love for bringing people together.".