VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Ezma Terzic becomes emotional when she thinks back to 1992, when war erupted in her home country of Bosnia.
“You see bombings. You see burning. You hear all the noises—airplanes, people screaming, people running,” she recalls.
The 22-year-old mother tried desperately to get herself and her 3-year-old daughter to a safe place.
“You live in shock and try to figure out how to survive and where you're gonna go next,” she said.
More from Positively Hampton Roads: YMCA diving into swim lessons ahead of summer
For two years, she wandered from village to village looking for a safe haven, leaving her parents and siblings behind, not knowing whether they were alive.
“No money, no family around, no nothing. You’re just trying to survive,” she said. “Especially to save my daughter, always—that's my goal.”
She escaped to Germany, where she learned to cook. But the job prospects were not good there, so she set out for the land of promise: the United States.
They first came through Ellis Island in New York in 1999, on the cusp of a new millennium and new hope. Next stop: Hampton Roads.
“I landed in Norfolk, and my first experience when I walked off the airplane was, I felt like… 'Ah, what a great feeling here,'" she said.
More from Positively Hampton Roads: Portsmouth elementary students score free books as part of book campaign
With her cooking experience, she got a job at a local sandwich shop.
“With no language, what I would do, Beverly, is write down on my hand translated English to Bosnian—turkey, ham, cucumber, onion,” she said.
Working long hours and saving money, she was able to open her own restaurant in 2002: Ezma’s Bread Box, a breakfast and lunch spot on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
Over two decades later, she has a huge family of loyal customers.
“We’ve been with Ezma for 20 years,” one customer said.
Customers raved about the European-style dishes served up at the restaurant, including everything from goulash to stuffed cabbage.
“The way she makes her sandwiches, her soups, salads, everything is so tasty and delicious,” a customer said.
Most here tell me it's not just the home-cooked meals that keep them coming back.
“Basically, anything Ezma makes has that touch of love in the food, and you really can taste it,” a customer remarked.
“You feel welcome here. There’s a love in this room, in this restaurant, that you can’t find in other places,” another added.
With her daughter Crystal at her side, Ezma’s restaurant has survived through two serious illnesses, a recession, and a pandemic.
“I love people. In my career with food, meeting so many grateful people—that’s what always kept me going,” she said.
Related coverage: A sister restaurant of an Outer Banks staple opens its doors
Starting her successful business after surviving war and overcoming poverty was quite a feat, but Ezma tells me one of her proudest moments was yet to come.
“In 2011, I finally became a citizen of the United States!” she exclaimed.
Still beaming with pride, Ezma has yet another goal: She wants to fly with the Blue Angels.
“Maybe somebody will offer me a chance to fly with them—they're on my bucket list!” she said.
And if that happens, you can bet we’ll be there to see the proud American and beloved member of the Hampton Roads community take to the skies.
If you'd like to try Ezma's Bread Box, you can check it out at
