Welcome Back: The reopening of a beloved shuttered restaurant is much like the return to Athens of a good friend who’s moved elsewhere: both very rare and wonderful when it happens. When The Sultan closed on the Atlanta Highway, vacating the small strip shopping center in front of Best Buy where it had operated for some years, serving tasty Middle Eastern food and retailing relevant groceries, it promised it would rise again, closer to the middle of town. I didn’t believe it. I’ve heard that kind of statement and seen no results all too often. But, lo and behold, Zouheir Abouharb has made good on his words, taking over the space at 1074 Baxter St. that most recently housed Stuffed Burger and has been a revolving door ever since Chef Wolfgang’s left it years ago.

The interior hasn’t changed much since the last tenant, but the elaborately patterned wallpaper may work even better in its new context, and a new flatscreen plays Middle Eastern music videos. The patio out front should be a nice addition once the weather warms up again. The menu is a godsend for vegans, with a majority of items marked as meeting their dietary restrictions, and both meat and veggie options contain plenty of tastiness. I’ve always been a big fan of the dolmeh (stuffed grape leaves) at the restaurant, and although they can be a little mushy, they still have considerable flavor. Arnabeet maqli, sautéed cauliflower dosed with za’atar (a mixture of spices, mostly sumac, with its distinctive sour tang and red color) is likewise a bit overcooked, but the taste is delicious, and the chunks that have begun to caramelize and get chewy are exceptional. The problem with the appetizer section is that too much of it is appealing, necessitating tough choices, a visit with a large party or a substantial budget.

One way to sample an array of items is to order the Sultan combo, which comes with excellent hummus, silky and flavorful baba ghannouj (a purée of smoky eggplant, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil) and a couple of small but tasty and well fried falafel. Warm pita accompanies it, but not enough of it, unless you really pile the dips on. Even if you order all this, you’ll miss the labne (a sour cream dip), the fried potatoes, the spinach pastries and the zucchini fries. On the back of the menu are the mains, including manaeesh (a Lebanese pizza of sorts, which requires an extra 20 minutes to prepare), an array of wraps, several soups (one featuring chicken and rice is as comforting as mull but with more complex spicing) and big, fresh salads. The shawarma isn’t as well executed as the gyro, and the latter will make you ashamed of all the inferior gyros you’ve eaten, with a savory fattiness that doesn’t tip over into pure grease. The dinner menu adds even more options, with kabobs, kibbeh, sautéed lamb and roasted chicken.

The restaurant also still serves gelato by Il Gelato, in Watkinsville, which makes a delicious product. The grocery selection has been scaled back, but is still notable, with a refrigerated case full of large tubs of Bulgarian feta, prayer compasses meant to be worn on your wrist, olives, rosewater syrup, candies and more. The Sultan is open for lunch and dinner six days a week and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. It sells nonalcoholic beer, does take-out and takes credit cards.

Expanded: The café at UGA’s Main Library, ‘Tween the Pages, was never more than a place to grab a refrigerated, pre-made sandwich and a Coke, but with the whole building impressively renovated, it, too, has undergone some alterations. Relocated but still to your left when you walk in, it now makes use of a tiny TurboChef oven to heat hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, pretty tasty and large slices of quiche studded with bacon and veggies, hot dogs and more to order, which you can key in on a touchscreen as you step up to the counter. A few minutes later, the folks assembling your order will call your name, and you pay at the register behind you. The back wall contains a nacho station and a hot bar with soup and two hot entrées daily, usually pasta-based. Breakfast features bagel sandwiches and sausage biscuits.

Is any of it amazing? No, but it’s a step up, and if you’ve been in the library for hours, digging through papers, it’s nice to have an option that’s real food. I remain a fan of La Fonda Dawgs, which sets up its cart on Jackson Street, behind the library, grilling tasty hot dogs and retailing chips and canned drinks at exceedingly reasonable prices, but when the weather is chilly or rainy or school isn’t in session, he’s not always to be found, whereas the library is almost always open.

What Up?: The Fresh Market and Stripling's are now open, retailing fairly different kinds of food, the former in Beechwood and the latter at highways 78 and 53. LongHorn Steakhouse is open in its new Atlanta Highway location. Chango’s downtown on Clayton Street and Sisters Creole Market have both closed.