RICHMOND, Va. — An Egyptian restaurant in Richmond's Fan district is celebrating a major milestone while honoring the woman who inspired it all.
Memi's, located at 2229 West Main Street, marked its first anniversary in Dec. 2025 since opening in the former Barrio restaurant space.
The story behind the restaurant's creation centers on a family's desire to honor their hardworking mother.
Memi and her daughter Rania shared their story on this month's "Eat It Virginia" podcast with hosts Scott and Robey.
Rania and her brother, who also own 3 Monkeys in the Fan, said they knew they wanted to create something special for their mother when the restaurant space became available last year.
"Yeah, it was like, so big, and it needed that kind of love that it was just like a mother's love, and that's what we needed in that building," Yacoub said. "We needed to embrace Memi and, in a way, thank her for all that she's done for us and and honor her. Egyptian food is so traditional... but I think it's the most beautiful thing, because she cooks from her heart, and she really does everything by hand and so on. So we wanted to embrace that and put that out there."
Memi's features classic Egyptian dishes alongside cocktails and comfort food favorites, bringing a unique dining experience to Richmond's restaurant scene.
The complete "Eat It Virginia" interview is available on Spotify, YouTube and WTVR.com.
Memi’s
2229 West Main Street
Richmond, Va. 23220
804-353-2424
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