REVIEW: PITA + OLIVE, Clifton Park
PITA + OLIVE, CLIFTON PARK
Pita + Olive 309 Clifton Park Center Road, Clifton Park, NY 12065 | pitaandolive.com | IG: @pitaandolive
REVIEW: From Sal Niazi and Zeb Neyazy, the brothers behind Zaitoon Kitchen, a fast-casual, halal Afghan concept that opened in Latham in 2017 and expanded pre-pandemic to Crossgates Mall, Pita & Olive is a more elevated Mediterranean restaurant in the former Kati Roll Wala and Smashburger spot in Clifton Park Center. With counter service and a dining room decorated with vibrant colors and faux olive trees make it feel like the lovechild of Sea Smoke Grill and Simone’s Kitchen. And while other Clifton Park takeout like the new Herbie’s Burgers or Koi Ramen can hit the spot, they aren’t an inviting dine in option for a meeting or a date, while Pita + Olive would work for both. This is restaurant-quality food at wallet-friendly prices.
In early 2026, the brothers added a new café bar serving lattes like the banana pudding matcha and salted Biscoff Butter Oatmilk latte from a standalone green-tiled station in the center of the dining room.
Hours: Mon–Thu 11am–9pm, Fri–Sat 11am–10pm, Sun 11am–9pm
The vibe: Elevated fast-casual with a modern, open interior, faux-foliage and a clean, modern aesthetic. Yes, you order at the counter and your food is delivered to your table, but the decor and faux olive trees make this a spot to linger.
We like it for: Lunch, dinner, afternoon coffee, catering.
Must try: Hand-stretched pitas, hummus, lamb chops, and a the mixed grill platter for two are good choices and don’t skip the fragrant kabuli rice. And check out the matcha lattes.
Dishes: The menu spans mezze (hummus, baba ghanouj, falafel, dolma, fattoush), pitas (chicken, kofta, falafel, shawarma), kabob and grill platters, lamb chops, and build-your-own bowls over rice or salad. Gluten-free pitas available. Vegetarian-friendly options throughout. It hits well above the average Clifton Park take out.
Good to know: Catering is available for groups of 25 and up.
Drinks: The new café bar is a brand new bonus is capitalizing on the popularity of Yemeni coffee shops and coffee bars as the new hang out space.
Style: Bright, contemporary, and more stylish than you'd expect from a mall setting for a feel of a standalone restaurant that happens to have mall parking.
Sound: The brothers have a melodic, EDM playlist with Brazilian elements on tracks like Claxy’s ‘Before the Sun.’ Guaranteed to siren call Gen Z.
Inside/outside? Indoor dining, counter service + table delivery. Parking lot adjacent.
Parking: Mall parking lot.
Nearby: Inside the Clifton Park Center corridor, you’re within reach of any fast food chain you can name. Instead try: (1.) The Grille by Jacob & Anthony (2.) Delmonico’s (3.) The Bunker (4.) Koi Ramen (5.) Herbie’s Burgers
