Our Story
From the village of Machgarah in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, the Hajjar family has brought their family recipes to Toledo and have shared them with this community as their cultural expression of love. It's been a true honor and a privilege!
A little background on how we got here...
Labib Hajjar studied agriculture in Michigan after working in the fruit orchards back home in Lebanon and opened a bakery in Toledo in 1974, then the Beirut restaurant with his wife, Karyn and partner Riad Abouarrage, in 1977. The rest is history, as they say. When his oldest son, Elias, graduated from the Ohio State University in Hospitality Management, he took over the newest concept, Poco Piatti. Over the years it has expanded to three locations, serving tapas style dishes from different regions in the Mediterranean. The experience of sharing dishes and eating “family style" is how most Middle Eastern cultures share meals together. Byblos is run and operated by family members as well and Nasri, the youngest son, now runs and operates the front of the house at Beirut. It's a true family affair. Hospitality is their way of life!
The kitchen operations are also an authentic process. The restaurants all clean, trim and grind their meats in house, make puffy pita bread from scratch daily and use local vendors and partnerships to source and create consistently delicious homemade food just like you would get at a family dinner.
In the Summer of 2023, The Garden by Poco Piatti opened at The Glass City Metropark. The concept is fast casual Mediterranean inspired wraps, salads and pizzas. It offers family friendly snacks and desserts while still staying consistent to quality and flavor! Not to mention the full bar, hot chocolate and s'mores kits to use over the numerous bonfires around The Ribbon ice skating/rollerblading rink. The venue is perfect for groups and is most popular during the summer months and during the Winter holidays.
Most recently, Elias and Nasri partnered to open Stone Cut Bistro. It's fun, fresh, intimate and a brotherly partnership to bring an exceptional dining experience to a neighborhood gathering spot.
The guiding value for these organizations is to “share the love” and the goal is to do that in every personal encounter and ultimately, in every dish and every bite.
In the press
The name Hajjar in Arabic means stone cutter. Brothers Elias and Nas Hajjar honored their heritage through the name of the first restaurant they opened together, calling the space Stone Cut Bistro. The 60-seat bistro, located at 4332 W. Central Ave., opened to the public on Nov. 21.
When Toledo restaurateur Elias Hajjar was approached about opening an eatery at Glass City Metropark, he knew he needed to come up with a new concept to suit the unique location on the east bank of the Maumee River.
New menu items for The Garden include popcorn, pretzel bites, pizza by the slice, hot chocolate, spiked hot chocolate and s’mores kits. They also are offering drink bucket choices for guests renting cabanas at the park.
The Garden by Poco Piatti at the Glass City Metropark is more than your average park fare; it offers an affordable dining experience with an upscale feel.