Feature photo caption: Al Salaam Deli owners Meqbel and Rose Salameh hold Brittany Curry’s illustration celebrating their 26 years of business. Courtesy of Brittany Curry.
Press Release
Submitted by InkyBrittany
Oct. 25, 2026 – Savannah artist and graphic recorder Brittany Curry, founder of InkyBrittany, LLC, recently presented Meqbel and Rose Salameh, owners of Al Salaam Deli, with a commemorative illustration celebrating 26 years of serving Savannah.
The new piece revisits a graphic Curry originally created on November 4, 2016, during a pivotal moment in her own entrepreneurial journey.
Having recently returned to her hometown of Savannah, Curry was preparing to pursue her graphic recording and visual communication business full-time. What had begun as a nights-and-weekends endeavor in November 2014 was becoming her primary professional pursuit. With very few paying clients and a determination to establish herself, she began creating illustrations inspired by local businesses, community events, and Savannah stories that she admired.
Rather than waiting for commissions, Curry used her skills to express gratitude for the people and places contributing to the character of her hometown.
Al Salaam Deli was one of them.
Located at 2311 Habersham Street, the small, family-owned Middle Eastern restaurant opened in March 2000. Over the past 26 years, Meqbel and Rose Salameh have cultivated a loyal following through their homemade food, warm hospitality, and genuine relationships with customers.
Originally from Amman, Jordan, Meqbel brought family recipes and culinary traditions learned from his mother and grandmother to Savannah. What began as one of the city’s few restaurants offering Arabic food has become a beloved neighborhood gathering place, welcoming people from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life.
The restaurant’s walls, famously covered with decades of National Geographic magazine covers, reflect a philosophy that extends well beyond the food.
“It takes many cultures coming together to make a world,” Meqbel explained, a sentiment that became the centerpiece of Curry’s updated illustration.
The new visual story incorporates the Salamehs’ journey from Jordan to Savannah, family recipes, signature dishes, community recognition, and memorable interactions with loyal customers. It also celebrates the restaurant’s role in fostering peace, understanding, and tolerance through the simple but powerful acts of sharing food, conversation, and friendship.
For Curry, revisiting the original artwork ten years later brought her own journey full circle.
“Back in 2016, I had very few clients and no clue how I was going to make it happen as a small creative independent business,” Curry said. “So I began creating work about the people, places, and experiences that made Savannah special to me. Al Salaam was one of those places. Ten years later, I have an even deeper appreciation for what Meqbel and Rose have created. Their contribution to Savannah goes far beyond delicious food. They’ve built a place where people feel welcome, valued, and connected.”
The original 2016 illustration has remained a cherished part of the restaurant’s history. The updated piece, created digitally and presented as an enlarged print, builds upon that first tribute with additional stories and reflections gathered through a personal interview with Meqbel.
The project represents the shared milestone of 26 years of Al Salaam Deli and a decade of Curry’s work documenting Savannah’s people, organizations, and community life through visual storytelling.
“Some of the most meaningful things that shape a community happen in small, everyday interactions,” Curry said. “A conversation across a counter, a familiar face, a meal shared between friends. Those things matter, and they’re worth celebrating.”
About Al Salaam Deli
Established in March 2000, Al Salaam Deli is a family-owned Middle Eastern restaurant located at 2311 Habersham Street in Savannah, Georgia. Known for its gyros, falafel, hummus, and other Middle Eastern specialties, the restaurant has earned a devoted following for its authentic food, hospitality, and welcoming atmosphere.
About InkyBrittany, LLC
Founded by Savannah native Brittany Curry, InkyBrittany, LLC specializes in graphic recording, graphic facilitation, and visual storytelling. Through hand-drawn and digitally illustrated graphics, Curry helps organizations, businesses, and communities communicate ideas, document experiences, and tell meaningful stories. Her work spans public health, education, civic engagement, business, and community development.
Website: www.inkybrittany.com
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