Kunwar Khuldune Shahid
Jun 16, 2025
Building on years of success, Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches (17 S. Vandeventer) is unveiling its exclusive halal ice cream brand, Yapi Scoops (15 S. Vandeventer). Yapi Scoops’ grand opening is slated for June 17 at 4 p.m., when traditional baklava with a vanilla scoop will be $5. Here’s what to know before you go.
Yapi Scoops is attached to Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches. According to co-owner Lisa Grozdanic, the new concept optimizes the space and fulfills a need in the market for halal desserts.
“Our concept was to imagine how cool it would be to actually get toppings on our ice creams that are halal,” says Lisa, who runs the business alongside her son, Aallen Grozdanic.
The ice cream brand came into being after the Grozdanic family paid heed to many of the devout Muslim students that visited Yapi Mediterranean from nearby Saint Louis University, Washington University, Harris-Stowe State University, and beyond. “Many Muslim students told us that they do not have any place to hang out later in the evening that don’t serve alcohol,” says Lisa. (Observant Muslims avoid places that serve alcohol and follow the halal dietary restrictions that mandate that no pork or its products be consumed.)