From Istanbul to Maryland — the first Turkish restaurant in Howard County

Welcome to Rudy’s! Rustem "Rudy" Keskin grew up in Istanbul, Turkey, where his early career took shape in restaurants and food service. In 1998, he moved to the United States, bringing with him both that experience and the food traditions he knew best. For approximately ten years, Rudy worked at the Double T Diner in Ellicott City. He was building something beyond a career in hospitality: a community of guests, coworkers, and neighbors who knew him by name.

Those relationships later shaped how he would open a restaurant of his own. In 2009, Rudy opened Rudy's Mediterranean Grill in Columbia. He chose the name so that the people he had met over the years would know exactly where to find him.

Rooted in Turkish cuisine, the restaurant brought dishes such as grilled lamb Adana and Turkish doner kebab to local tables. In a 2024 interview with Beverage Journal, Rudy described it as Howard County's first Turkish restaurant. Additionally, Rudy emphasized the details that make a restaurant last: quality ingredients, experienced people, consistency, and the simple act of welcoming everyone well.

At Rudy's, the goal remains the same: serve food with care, look after every guest, and give people a reason to return.