- April 26, 2024
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Granada Family Diner owner Talaat El Bayomy smiles as he demonstrates using the juicer on opening day. The diner will have fresh juice every day. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Granada Family Diner is owner Talaat El Bayomy's ninth restaurant, counting his first two pizza shops. Photo by Michele Meyers
Servers Macy McDilda (left), Vanessa Hopkins (center) and Lily McDilda (right) wrap the coffee spoons according to Talaat El Bayomy's demonstration on opening day at the Granada Family Diner. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Granada Family Diner opened Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 6:00 a.m. They willl server breakfast and lunch Monday through Sunday from 6:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Granada Family Diner has plenty of seating in the newly opened restaurant at 1140 W. Granada Blvd. Photo by Michele Meyers
Host Robert Profeta (left) gets ready to seat Daytona Beach resident Paul Lenic--Granada Family Diner's first customer. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach resident Paul Lenic checks out the menu at the Granada Family Diner. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mo Mohamed prepares to put more pastries in the display case at the Granada Family Diner. He helped his father Talaat El Bayomy rennovate the building and now manages the family's restaurant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mo Mohamed fills the pastry-cake display case at the Granada Family Diner. He manages the daily operations of the family restaurant. Photo by Michele Meyers
Server Vanessa Hopkins laughs with the Granada Family Diner's first customer, Paul Lenic, as he shows her the menu. Photo by Michele Meyers
Server Vanessa Hopkins laughs with the Granada Family Diner's first customer, Daytona Beach resident Paul Lenic. Photo by Michele Meyers
Host Robert Profeta (left), Mo Mohamed (center) and host Habibi Elzanfali (right). Photo by Michele Meyers
Granada Family Diner head chef Christopher Forrester is all smiles on opening day. Photo by Michele Meyers
One of the staff cooks homemade corned beef hash. All the kitchen staff are trained by the head chef Christopher Forrester. Photo by Michele Meyers
After two years of renovations, the Granada Family Diner is open Monday through Sunday 6:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Photo by Michele Meyers
Servers Stacey Agront (left) and Vanessa Hopkins cut-up on the Granada Family Diner opening day. Photo by Michele Meyers
Granada Family Diner employee Stacey Agront gives the juicer a try on opening day. Photo by Michele Meyers
Servers Jennifer Brumbaugh (left), Lily McDilda, Macy McDilda and Vanessa Hopkins prepare for the opening of the Granada Family Diner. Photo by Michele Meyers
Paul Lenic holds a plate of homemade corned beef hash. It is on the menu at the Granada Family Diner. Photo by Michele Meyers
A new diner has opened its doors in Ormond Beach.
Restauranteur Talaat El Bayomy recently added the Granada Family Diner to his list of business ventures launched in the U.S. The restaurant opened its doors early Tuesday morning on Oct. 3, at the former Bodez Personalized Fitness Center building at 1140 W. Granada Blvd. in the South Forty Shopping Center.
The diner is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, and offers comfort foods and homemade dishes made from fresh ingredients. A full menu will be available to order online for takeout or no-contact delivery.
El Bayomy purchased the property in November 2021 and toiled with his family for two years to bring it up to restaurant specifications. Because the building previously housed a gym, it was necessary for El Bayomy to build-out the space “from scratch.”
“First of all, when we moved to the area, I wasn’t planning to open another business,” he said. “I was satisfied with whatever I had in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, but as a habit, I can’t stay with ‘not working’ so I decided we are going to open a business here.”
El Bayomy was born into a family of bakers in Cairo, Egypt. He learned the business from his father, who owned three successful bakeries.
In 1999, he moved to Enola, Pennsylvania, with his wife Gigi Amer. He worked as a dishwasher, became a “pizza man” then bought his first pizza shop — Pizza Fresca — which he owned for three years. He switched to the restaurant business and went into partnership with his three brothers. They opened two diners in Pennsylvania.
The Chambersburg Family Diner in Pennsylvania and the Hagerstown Family Diner in Maryland were El Bayomy’s first independently owned restaurants. His brothers currently manage the family businesses while he focuses on the new restaurant.
“It’s literally the classic American dream,” El Bayomy’s oldest son Mohamed Talaat Mohamed said. “This is all we know. In Egypt, we ran a bakery. It’s our lifestyle. So when we came here, we amplified it a little bit. Instead of a small shack in the corner bakery, we opened up a few restaurants.”
The restaurant business has always been about family for Amer and El Bayomy. They have four sons — 26-year-old Mohamed, 23-year-old Youssef Mohamed, 20-year-old Mo Mohamed and 16-year-old Adham Mohamed — who have all worked in the diners at some point in their lives.
It’s literally the classic American dream. This is all we know. In Egypt, we ran a bakery. It’s our lifestyle. So when we came here, we amplified it a little bit. Instead of a small, shack in the corner bakery, we opened up a few restaurants. - Mohamed Mohamed, Talaat El Bayomy's oldest son
The family travelled to Prescott, Arizona, where their oldest son Mohamed attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In 2017, they moved to Port Orange while Youssef attended ERAU in Daytona Beach. El Bayomy also opened a diner in Arizona.
After graduating from ERAU, Mohamed became a commercial pilot who delivers organs to hospitals for surgery and Youssef is now a survey pilot. They help with the restaurant when they visit their family.
Mo has helped his father renovate the Granada Family Diner property for the last two years. He currently manages the day-to-day operations of the restaurant.
“I’ve been in the restaurant business since I could walk,” he said. “I started as a host and was promoted to cashier when I was 8.”
El Bayomy said he has designated himself as “quality control.” His position during restaurant hours will be at the window where the food comes out from the kitchen. Mohamed Talaat Mohamed believes that the quality and freshness of the food will set them apart from the other restaurants.
“Most of the owners, they’re not right at that window checking how crispy those French fries are,” he said. “I think that’s what’s going to differentiate us. Quality of food is a big thing. Over the years, quality has decreased. We are back to set a standard.”
Christopher Forrester said that fate and a mutual contact brought him to work for El Bayomy as his head chef. He comes from a culinary background and attended the hospitality management program at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
“I think that synergy brings people together,” he said. “I am very, very passionate about food but service and taking care of others has always been my calling card. I love preparing food but I love to see the reaction of people when they eat something that I have prepared. That to me is like a drug.”
Daytona Beach resident Paul Lenic was the first customer to walk into the diner. He ordered biscuits and gravy, homemade corned beef hash and a cup of coffee. He gave the food and coffee a glowing review.
“It’s hard to find restaurants I like,” he said. “I was anxious to try this because it’s new and I like to support businesses in our local area. It’s hard to find good coffee in this town and this is a good cup of coffee. I’m a coffee connoisseur.”
El Bayomy gave Lenic a gift card for being the first customer in his restaurant.
“The restaurant needs to reflect the community,” Forrester said. “I think we are in a good spot where we are going to bring fresh from scratch to the community with some unique dishes but also, (bring) the vibrant and open, welcoming atmosphere that we have here.”
In the future, diners will have the option of special weekly dinner nights, homemade pizza, catering and maybe even a bot server or two to deliver their orders.
