Popular Florida Restaurant Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen Signs On To Open Maryland Location

Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen has signed on to open a new restaurant at Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront. At this time, it’s unclear which space Kareem’s will be taking, but we will update with that information as soon as it becomes available.

The restaurant has a Naples, Florida location that opened in February of 2018 and has garnered a 4.6/5 Google rating on over 900 reviews as well as a 4.4 rating on Yelp with over 300 reviews. Rio has shared that the restaurant is known for its authentic Lebanese flavors” and “brings a taste of the Mediterranean to our vibrant dining scene. From savory shawarma to fresh mezze, their menu is packed with rich traditions and bold flavors!” The full menu from the Naples location can be seen below.

According to the restaurant’s website, Kareem is the Arabic word for “generous” – a perfect reflection of chef Rachid’s philosophy and cuisine. Enjoy the generosity of Kareem’s Lebanese kitchen through a plethora of delicious flavors. Experience the core value of hospitality, for which the Lebanese culture is well known.

Founder and Chef Rachid Eido is the third generation of a family dedicated to crafting authentic Beiruti Lebanese cuisine. In 2010, he relocated from Lebanon to the United States, where he honed his skills at prestigious establishments such as the InterContinental Hotels Group in Texas, the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, and Lebanese Taverna, a well-known local restaurant chain here in the Washington, DC area.

The website shares, “In order to understand Chef Rachid’s culinary heritage we have to take you back in time – at least a couple of generations. Imagine the hustling and bustling streets of Beirut in the early 1940s. This active metropolis is where people traded and conducted business for thousands of years. This is where Chef Rachid’s grandfather was preparing, on a daily basis, his delicious hummus following his old family recipes. This family tradition was perfected by his father, Chef Jamil, whose talent has been recognized and appreciated by prominent middle eastern families, ambassadors and royalty alike.

Growing up surrounded by so much culinary talent, it was inevitable that young Rachid would find his calling in the heat of the kitchen. He was formally trained at the culinary school of Beirut, a prestigious institution that has matriculated many generations of world-class chefs. With that effective training and his family’s legacy, Chef Rachid confidently pursued his passion in life. His career started at the acclaimed intercontinental hotel in Beirut, followed by a move to the four season’s hotel in Washington D.C. By this time, he had become a known master of the Lebanese cuisine. His delightful and personalized preparation of a world renown cuisine was soon appreciated by many middle eastern families, ambassadors and well-traveled Americans in the nation’s capital.”