José Andrés Group (JAG) and Simon have announced that they will collaborate to bring award-winning restaurants to several of Simon’s properties. JAG will enter new markets and expand its footprint in existing anchor cities by with restaurants at Stanford Shopping Center, in Palo Alto, California and The Shops at Crystals, and introducing Zaytinya to The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The new restaurants are expected to open in 2023 and 2024.
“Now is a time of dynamic growth and investment in our future,” said Sam Bakhshandehpour, president of José Andrés Group. “Simon Property Group is the preeminent retail property owner with a significant footprint in cities where we are looking to grow. Our innovative and diverse portfolio of restaurant brands put us in a unique position to build incredible culinary anchors in these key markets and developments. Our goal is to inspire and delight both local and destination-driven guests looking for something new.”
“We are proud of this announcement, which continues our commitment to owning and developing properties with premier dining and mixed-use experiences,” said Jonathan Murphy, Co-President, Simon Malls. “JAG’s involvement in curating new to market culinary experiences befitting of these iconic shopping destinations is an exciting step in that process and we are hopeful that success at these locations will lead to new opportunities for each of us going forward.”
The JAG portfolio includes Michelin-starred fine dining to fast casual eateries. In Las Vegas, the new slated openings with Simon will add to JAG’s four existing distinctive culinary destinations and introduce Zaytinya, a mezze menu inspired by Turkish, Greek and Lebanese cuisines, built on Andrés’ deep knowledge of Mediterranean cooking and years of research and travel. In California, the Stanford Shopping Center will be the group’s first restaurant in Palo Alto and join JAG’s five original concepts in Los Angeles.
