New Laziza owners making their mark on the restaurant after Awad family retires

The new owners of Laziza have added unique and approachable items to an already popular menu, like a Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich with harissa oleo, and they’ve started serving Sunday brunch, twisting familiar favorites into modern Mediterranean recipes.

In September 2024, former owners of Kent-based Laziza Mediterranean restaurant, Mike and Nicole Awad, decided to retire. They sold their restaurant, located at 195 E. Erie St., to husband and wife duo Ryan Metcalf and Cassandra Frantz, who moved to Kent from northern California late last fall, after searching for a family-friendly location to raise their three children, Vaughn, 11, Noemi, 9, and Shay, 4. Along with Kent’s charm, the opportunity to buy Laziza is what finalized their decision to put down roots in the area.