Toledo’s Stone Cut Bistro Continues a Family’s Restaurant Tradition

Not all siblings work well together, but Elias and Nas Hajjar radiate warmth with their easy laughter and made-from-scratch, Lebanese-inspired dishes. Both men are highly regarded Toledo restaurateurs, with Nas working with their father at The Beirut and Elias operating the city’s three Poco Piatti locations, but Stone Cut Bistro is their first joint venture. 

“Hajjar” means stone cutter in Arabic, so the siblings chose the name for their intimate 60-seat bistro tucked in the back of the red brick Ottawa Hills Shopping Center that serves classic Lebanese flavors, reimagined.

“We wanted to do something together,” Elias says, “and this was kind of our perfect little space.” 

Wood-paneled ceilings and globe pendant lights create a calming atmosphere in this currently dinner-only bistro. Diners savor entrees such as grilled baby lamb chops, short rib, and mushroom moussaka (a layered eggplant dish — traditionally Greek, this one has a Lebanese twist). 

The restaurant’s one-page menu suits various dietary preferences, starting with the hot and cold mezzes (Mediterranean appetizers). Even the unassuming roasted baby carrots are an explosion of sweet, hot, citrusy and savory. Tender carrots rest on a bed of za’atar (an herb and spice blend) and labneh (a strained Greek yogurt) topped with walnuts and hot honey.

The brothers point to the short rib with labneh-chive mashed potatoes, carrots, celery and crispy onions as their favorite entree. Another standout is the Gyro Burger, made with beef and lamb.

“It’s actually named incorrectly. It’s a kafta burger,” Elias says. Kafta is a labor-intensive process in which fresh meats like lamb and beef are ground in-house. “Kafta is the one item on the menu that defines who we are as cooks because of the amount of labor and love that goes into it,” he says.

Stone Cut Bistro’s Gyro Burger is the Hajjar brothers’ twist on their family kafta recipe. Served on a bun, it is topped with fresh salad, homemade tzatziki and served with a side of za’atar vinegar fries. 

No shortcuts are taken at Stone Cut Bistro. Chickpeas are soaked in a kettle overnight and ground into hummus in the early morning. Everything is made from scratch, including sauces and salad dressings, lessons the Hajjar brothers learned at a young age. Their dad, a Lebanese immigrant, opened The Beirut in Toledo in 1974 and the brothers grew up in the business. 

“It’s really fulfilling,” Nas says. “It’s just in our DNA, how we were raised.”

4332 W. Central Ave., Toledo 43615, 419/930-9499, stonecutbistro.com

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