Zov’s Bistro

Zov’s Bistro is a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern–influenced restaurant group based in Orange County, California. The company focuses on scratch cooking, an in-house bakery program, and full-service dining, supported by catering and private events. Its restaurants serve a mix of Eastern Mediterranean flavors and California ingredients, with menus that support breakfast, lunch, and dinner across different formats.

The business was founded in 1987 by chef and cookbook author Zov Karamardian, who opened the original bistro in Tustin. That flagship became both a neighborhood destination and the operational backbone for the concept, housing the main kitchen and bakery that support the broader operation. A notable milestone in the company’s growth was its move from a single bistro into multiple locations across Orange County, including the addition of units in Newport Coast, Irvine, and inside John Wayne Airport, which put the brand in front of office workers, neighborhood residents, and travelers.

Over time, Zov’s evolved from one upscale yet approachable bistro into a mix of full-service restaurants and smaller café-style formats. The cafés emphasize bakery, coffee, breakfast, and lunch, while the bistros offer a more complete dining experience. The company has also developed a meaningful catering and events business, using its established kitchen infrastructure to serve off-site functions and private gatherings. This combination of formats allows the brand to plug into neighborhood centers, lifestyle centers, and travel hubs and to support multiple dayparts in a single trade area.

As of October 2024, Zov’s operates three locations in Orange County: its primary bistro in Tustin, a location in Newport Coast, and a branded presence within John Wayne Airport. Public records and local coverage reference prior sites in Irvine, Anaheim, and other nearby communities, reflecting a footprint that has been refined over time rather than pushed into new markets. Recent years have been defined less by aggressive new-unit growth and more by maintaining a stable regional presence, focusing on the core Orange County trade areas the brand knows best.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, Zov’s represents a long-tenured, independent operator with nearly four decades of experience in higher-income suburban submarkets. The company brings a recognizable local name, a track record in both destination dining and all-day café service, and the operational depth to handle a range of food and beverage needs in neighborhood centers, mixed-use projects, and airport or travel settings.