Owner Annah Awartani had been planning a transition in her life. A new owner of the building housing the restaurant only hastened her plans.

“I’d like to thank Greensboro for all of the wonderful support I have received from this wonderful community,” Awartani says.

Awartani and her husband Masoud Awartani opened the downtown restaurant nine years ago when they relocated it from a West Market Street shopping center.

Masoud Awartani died in 2010 following an illness.

The couple prided themselves in offering items free of preservatives and hormones and with local ingredients when they could get them. They were among the first to rally for a local Slow Food movement.

Zaytoon has also been a staple vendor at the Greensboro Farmers’ Curb Market since 2000.

Awartani plans to continue vending at the market where she will extend her offerings including soups and other specialties from her Palestinian roots.

Awartani is donating much of Zaytoon’s restaurant equipment and dining room furniture to the Greensboro Farmers’ Curb Market, which has plans for a seated area and learning cafe.

“The market is dear to my heart,” Awartani says. “It is a beautiful space.”

The gift comes at a good time for the market.

“Annah’s generous donation will jumpstart our efforts to establish the Harvest Learning Café where we envision a demonstration kitchen, new programming opportunities, along with food preparation and preservation courses and tastings for the community,” says Lee Mortensen, executive director of Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, Inc., the non-profit that runs the market.

“The café will also provide a comfortable indoor seating area for market patrons who already purchase a variety of prepared foods, fresh roasted coffee and artisanal brewed teas from market vendors each week,” Mortensen says.

Margaret Arbuckle, board chair of Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, Inc. adds, “We are so thankful to Annah for her contributions to the Market. Sharing these assets with us will serve the Market’s vendors and customers in so many new ways.”

Awartani is also donating kitchen equipment to the Guilford County Cooperative Extension for a new “shared use kitchen” at the Guilford County Agriculture Center in Greensboro.

John Ivey, who serves as Local Foods Coordinator for Guilford County Cooperative Extension, has spearheaded the effort to establish a shared use kitchen.

“This is going to be a fantastic opportunity to empower our communities, and provide the possibility for entrepreneurship,” Ivey says. “There has been much support for the idea of a shared use kitchen. This one will be one of only five in the state.”

In addition to remaining at the market, Awartani plans to teach cooking classes and create a “healing garden” from which to conduct programs.