CLEVELAND, Ohio—Zanzibar Soul Fusion restaurant dates back to 1985, but the history of food that they dish out —Peach Cobbler, Candy Yams, Collard Greens Mac and Cheese, Catfish Fingers— to name a few, dates back even further.
- Zanzibar Soul Fusion restaurant offers soul food with a twist
- Started in Cleveland’s Shaker Square neighborhood and now has a second location on Prospect Avenue
- Named after an island located off the east central coast of Africa and was designed to help bring its guests closer to their own cultures through a unique, but familiar, dining experience.
“Your great grandmother use to make it, your grandmother made it, your mom made it and your family functions, Sunday afternoon dinners, after church… it’s all food that makes us feel extremely comfortable,” said Johnny Hutton, owner.
The restaurant had humble beginnings, starting in Cleveland's Shaker Square neighborhood.
“We had like 70 seats on the square in a little 1,800 square feet area,” said Executive Chef Tony Fortner.
But it didn’t take long for the Cleveland community to embrace the menu that Fortner created and perfected.
“We fused different foods that we normally would eat, and put a twist on ‘em, said Fortner. “The city received it, Zanzibar was born, and here we are today.”
And today, Zanzibar not only has a location in Shaker Square, but they have a second restaurant in downtown Cleveland on Prospect Avenue.
Fortner says no matter what location, there are certain menu items that are always in high demand —like the Soul Roll…
“Our twist on our classic egg roll… but inside of the egg roll wrap is going to be collard greens, black, beans, roasted corn chicken,” said Fortner.
And their fried chicken—
“We have a seasoned flour that is proprietary, that we are the only ones that have it in the city of Cleveland, so when you eat our chicken, it’s four steps above any other chicken,” said Fortner.
Owner Jhonny Hutton has worked in the restaurant and hospitality industry since he was 15 years old, and after traveling all over the country doing it, he says there’s no place like home and there’s nothing like soul food.
“It makes us feel warm, it makes us feel comfortable, it makes us feel family, it makes us feel history, it keeps us in touch with everything that we’ve ever grown up with,” said Hutton.
Zanzibar Soul Fusion restaurant, affectionately named after an island located off the east central coast of Africa, was designed to help bring its guests closer to their own cultures through a unique, but familiar, dining experience.
“Everyone has it in their own environment… it doesn’t really matter what racial or cultural background you come from… you have something like that,” said Hutton.
“Food crosses all backgrounds, no matter what denomination, no matter what ethnicity…it doesn’t matter,” said Fortner.