Castalita’s story is deeply rooted in a family tradition that began in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City in 1958 with the opening of the Kirresh family’s first butcher shop. As the family grew, so did their expertise and dedication to providing the highest quality meats, leading to the opening of additional butcher shops in Beit Hanina in 1993 and another location in 2015. Each branch of the family developed its own success within the butchery business, building a strong reputation for quality and service.

Khaled Kirresh, deeply influenced by this family legacy, recognized an opportunity to further showcase the quality of the family’s meats based on his own experience within the family business. Drawing from his years of experience preparing orders for other restaurants while working within the family business, he envisioned a way to control the entire culinary process, from livestock to the customer’s plate, ensuring the same exceptional quality throughout. This was a personal ambition, inspired by the family’s dedication to quality, to bring his own interpretation of that quality to the restaurant world. Khaled also harbored a personal passion for crafting exceptional burgers, a culinary interest he carried with him for years.

In 2017, Khaled humbly pursued this vision with the opening of Castalita restaurant. This marked a new chapter, extending the family’s expertise beyond the butcher shop and into the kitchen, under his own direction. Castalita offers a diverse menu featuring delicious Middle Eastern BBQ, handcrafted salads and appetizers, and attentive customer service. The restaurant quickly became a local favorite, and due to its growing popularity, expanded its location in 2021 to accommodate the increasing demand. While the entire dining experience was well-received, the restaurant’s overall success provided the perfect platform for Khaled to realize his long-held passion for burgers. In 2024, this success inspired the opening of Castalita Burger, a dedicated space for crafting the ultimate burger experience.

To maintain the unwavering commitment to quality and consistency that the family has always upheld, Khaled established his own factory. This factory plays a crucial role in ensuring consistent quality and safety in the production of burger patties, while also supporting the high demand for both the restaurant and the dedicated burger bar.

Now, Khaled is excited to bring his own interpretation of quality and flavor to Ramallah, continuing a legacy of culinary excellence, now in the restaurant world.