Chapel Hill Institution Mediterranean Deli Damaged by Fire Over the Weekend

On Saturday, July 22, Chapel Hill firefighters rushed to Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering (410 West Franklin Street) to battle a rooftop fire. According to several reports, it took over three hours to extinguish the smoke and flames with heavy damage to the Franklin Street establishment.

As soon as word about the fire spread, fans of “Med Deli,” as it’s known by locals, wanted to know how they could help. Opened in 1991 by Jamil Kadoura, the deli is known for affordable falafel, baba ghanoush, and gyros, but also for its welcoming atmosphere and the generosity of Kadoura and staff. The space is a staple for University of North Carolina students, staff, and faculty. In response to the fire, a GoFundMe was created and already raised over $93,000 by Monday morning.

Kadoura addressed customers on the Med Deli Facebook page on Sunday, July 23.

Dear loving community,

It is with a heavy heart that we must share the unfortunate and devastating news of our beloved establishment, Mediterranean Deli that was burned. We are very sad to share this news although everyone is okay.

We want to thank the Chapel Hill Police and Fire Departments for their help and continued support.

To our customers, we love you and are so thankful for the kind words, prayers and thoughts from the community.

We will keep everyone updated regarding the future of Med Deli at the appropriate time. We ask to please respect the family’s privacy.

There has been a go fund me set up by a local citizen that has fully passed on the account to us. This go fund me is strictly to help our employees during this hard time.

The source of the fire is under investigation.