The 12 Best Middle Eastern Restaurants In NYC
New York City is America's most cosmopolitan metropolis, with over 8 million people from around the world who speak some 800 languages between them. Naturally, a city this diverse produces a restaurant scene that offers everything from New York's best pizza places to innovative dishes rooted in Middle Eastern heritage. When it comes to the latter, recent years have seen an explosion in this particular gastronomy, with Middle Eastern flavors increasingly becoming central to the city's culinary identity.
In Manhattan and its neighboring boroughs, you're spoiled for choices whether it's Levantine, Egyptian, Palestinian, Yemeni, or Persian food you're looking for. Middle Eastern-style restaurants range from those sticking to traditional preparations to those inventing creative twists on customary dishes — including putting regional ingredients in very American foods, like tahini in soft serve ice cream. Vegetables often take center stage as well, but either way, the meals at New York's best Middle Eastern restaurants are a delicious and hearty testament to the cuisine.
Shukette
Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja, a James Beard 2022 finalist for best chef in the city, brings what the New York Times describes as a flavor bomb to Shukette. A native Brooklynite of Italian and Indonesian background, now cooking Middle Eastern food in Manhattan, Chef Nurdjaja's own story reflects the city's creative mixing of cultures.
Ultimately, a Levantine-focused Middle Eastern restaurant has to be judged by its hummus, akin to rating a pizzeria by its Margherita pie. Fortunately, Shukette passes with a smooth and airy hummus, topped with marinated chickpeas and spicy chili shatta sauce. A complementary mezze to hummus is labneh, a strained yogurt spread. As of writing, the menu lists labneh with sugar plums, and specials are common, including the dip with apricots, honey, pistachio, and mint, or a strawberry and hazelnut version. Hummus and labneh can be scooped up with a variety of freshly baked breads, such as whole wheat pita, Moroccan frena with toasted garlic and oregano, or a grilled flatbread.
Don't miss out on the ever-changing soft serve ice cream flavors, either. Shukette has featured tahini (sesame seed condiment) soft serve topped with halva floss or a blueberry swirl, and a coconut sorbet with orange blossom and shredded phyllo.
(212) 242-1803
230 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001
Ayat
Located in New York's Arab American neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Ayat is a Palestinian restaurant whose original success in Brooklyn has led to seven new locations around the city and beyond, from Manhattan's East Village to branches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
To figure out why this place is popular, head to any location and order a communal-style signature platter. The traditional Palestinian dish Maklouba (literally "upside down" in Arabic) is a six-layer (yes, six!) rice dish with chicken, eggplants, and other vegetables, finished by a drizzle of cucumber yogurt. You don't need to eat with a group as there are plenty of normal portion sizes, too. These include a lengthy list of grilled meats that pair perfectly with refreshing (and palate-cleansing) salads, like the pomegranate walnut or the watermelon feta salad. To warm up, you can grab one of their hot drinks, such as sahlab –– a traditional milk pudding beverage. Other beverages include mint tea or Arabic coffee with cardamom.
Ayat is a restaurant in the best sense of being a place where people break bread, literally and figuratively. In the wake of tension over the war in Gaza, Ayat hosted a free Shabbat dinner where over 1,300 Jews and Muslims ate and conversed in a spirit of respect and community, reflecting the city's better self.
Multiple locations.
Sofreh
Set in a minimalist white dining room with exposed wood beams (and a cool bathroom decorated with Iranian movie posters), Sofreh is helmed by the three-time James Beard semifinalist chef Nasim Alikhani. With a love for cooking that blossomed at a young age, Alikhani opened Sofreh in 2018, establishing a wonderful introduction to Persian gastronomy in NYC.
It is famous for its lamb shank that is braised and served in a lime broth. Other standout dishes are the tahdig –– a classic Persian dish that means "bottom of the pot." The name refers to the crispy golden rice (thanks to saffron) that collects at the base, known as the best part for its extra-buttery flavor. The 16-ounce ribeye steak kebab marinated in walnuts and pomegranate is another favorite.
For dessert, rosewater is a star ingredient in the sorbet, cardamom cake, and yogurt custard. Or, if you haven't had enough saffron, there's a basmati rice pudding seasoned with this highly valued spice's sweet and subtle taste. The cocktail menu features a Middle Eastern twist, such as mezcal with house-made, sweet-and-sour mint syrup and watermelon. However, we're eyeing the traditional sharbat –– non-alcoholic refreshers made from earthy syrups like orange blossom and sour cherry. The sparkling yogurt drink with mint and rose petals is sure to satiate your thirst.
(646) 798-1690
75 St Marks Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Levant
Located on the stretch of Astoria's Steinway Street known as Little Egypt, Levant is renowned for its feteer. While it may look like an Egyptian-style pizza, it's more similar to a calzone since the ingredients are baked inside the bread. These flaky, crispy layers of pastry are made with ghee and baked in a brick oven, amounting to a dish that dazzled the New York Times.
The specialty can be ordered savory, from cheese or sausage to — this being New York City — the pastrami feteer. There are also sweet options, including custard or Nutella and nuts. Another popular item here is the za'atar pies with the famous Middle Eastern spice blend of thyme, oregano, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt, topped with creamy labneh.
There's beef, lamb, and chicken shawarma roasted on a vertical spit. All the breads are made fresh daily, put to good use wrapping sandwiches, making feteer, and baking open pies called mana'eesh. Lastly, don't skimp on the rich baklava that comes in a large triangle with a thick layer of custard.
(718) 233-8800
25-64 Steinway St, Queens, NY 11103
Eyval
The New York Times sees Eyval as the trendier take on the more formal Sofreh, where chef Ali Saboor used to cook before opening his spot in Bushwick, Brooklyn, the hipster mecca of New York. Ordering several plates for the table and dipping in may be the best way to enjoy its varied menu.
Start by pairing the turmeric and cumin bread with the whipped feta, fig jam, and basil oil spread. Then, move on to the lamb ribs with tamarind-date sauce and tahdig rice, prepared with nuts, candied orange, and pomegranate dressing. For dessert, there's cardamom chocolate cake and a saffron ice cream sandwich coated with crushed pistachios.
The New Yorker praises Eyval's drink menu, which features saffron martinis and a tahini-flavored rum. The latter is made through the technique of fat washing, whereby the sesame seed fat oil is infused into the rum. Another imbued liquor is the cacao vodka cocktail with coffee, walnut, persimmon, and cinnamon. The wine list is also celebrated and features several bottles from Lebanon. But it's not all alcohol: They also serve sharbat with many different flavors, including a lime, honey, and rosewater concoction.
(929) 339-0438
25 Bogart St, Brooklyn, NY 11206
AbuQir
Another Little Egypt mainstay, AbuQir, named after a fishing village outside of Alexandria, Egypt, proves that even a hole in the wall can be worth the visit. There is no official menu: You simply show up, choose fish or seafood from the available fresh collection, specify whether you want it grilled, baked, or fried, then sit down and prepare to enjoy one of the best Middle Eastern meals New York has to offer.
A whole baked branzino seasoned with Egyptian spices is always a solid choice. You can't go wrong with crispy, fried calamari that are seasoned with cumin, or stewed calamari and shrimp that are served, still cooking, in a clay pot as Egyptian tagine. The grilled shrimp with lemon is also stellar.
Side dishes, which arrive before the seafood, include a baba ganoush and other fried eggplant plates.
(718) 274-3474
24-19 Steinway St, Astoria, NY 11103, United States
Tanoreen
Rawia Bishara and her daughter have turned this Palestinian restaurant from a local favorite in Bay Ridge to a global destination. In fact, there's even a cookbook featuring the restaurant's beloved dishes.
The Michelin Guide describes the sheer quantity of Tanoreen's heaping Middle Eastern dishes, making it a must on any foodie's tour through New York. You can't start off on the wrong foot here, with appetizers like stuffed grape leaves, red bell pepper spread (muhammara), or flatbread topped with lamb. Star entrees include various types of kebab served over rice.
And the classic Palestinian knafeh pastry, originating in the city of Nablus, is the dessert of choice. Made with shredded phyllo dough and gooey, rosewater-infused cheese, soaked in orange blossom syrup, and topped with pistachio, there's a reason it made it onto Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate."
The drinks menu features house-made Arabic mint tea and rosewater lemonade, as well as a Cabernet Sauvignon from Palestine (aged in French oak barrels for 23 months) with notes of blackcurrant and dark plum. Additionally, the drinks menu includes a Lebanese Pilsner and Middle Eastern-style cocktails. The Figtini with fresh muddled figs and vodka or the za'atar mezcal margarita are stellar.
(718) 748-5600
7523 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209
Sawa
While it's nearly impossible to get a reservation at some restaurants in New York, Sawa (or "together" in Arabic) is known for attracting a line before the doors have even opened. Once you're inside and try the starter mezze of rakakat –– fried halloumi and akkawi cheese rolls –– you may already judge it worth the wait. If not, the lamb ribs with tahini and ahi honey will probably persuade you. A New York Times review praises both the fattoush salad with grilled nectarines and the beef cheeks glazed with pomegranate sauce as dishes that exemplify the balance between tradition and Big Apple-inflected innovation at this establishment.
If you've never had arak, the licorice-tasting spirit made from anise seeds, this is a good place to start. You can drink it straight or try it in a few cocktails, including an arak mojito. For teetotalers, there are refreshing alcohol-free drinks like lemonade with rosewater.
(917) 400-6182
75 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Al Badawi
You can come by yourself to Al Badawi but then you're missing out on so many of the large, communal dishes. The New York Times describes this Palestinian establishment as the place to go if you're dining out with a group, thanks to an enormous tasting menu at just $35 per person. If you're eating alone, the appetizer platter with four spreads, two salads, and three house-made fluffy pita breads may be enough to fill you up.
Standouts here include the cheese and pistachio flatbread, praised by Michelin Guide as one of the restaurant's best dishes, along with lamb shank or shredded spiced chicken on piles of rice. You can order plenty of seafood dishes, too. Branzino, red snapper, and salmon or shrimp kebab are all on offer. Also, this place is BYOB, so bring your favorite brews and wine bottles, which are thankfully free of any corkage fee.
The dining room in the original Brooklyn Heights location is warm and colorful with exposed brick walls, an artificial tree sprouting in the middle of the dining room, and faux flowers hanging from the ceiling. It's the murals of Palestinian life and heritage, however, that most stick as evocative reminders that food can be a powerful symbol of identity and a fountainhead of resilience.
Multiple Locations
Yemenat
Most Middle Eastern restaurants in New York serve Levantine-style food, a legacy of the disproportionate number of Middle Eastern immigrants who come from the Levant, the region encompassing countries like Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. This makes Yemenat a welcome addition, since this cuisine is often hard to find in the city even as Yemeni coffee grows in popularity.
Founded in 2024 by immigrant Ala Al-Samawi, who fled Yemen's capital amid conflict, this new establishment has already earned top reviews from the Michelin Guide. Al-Samawi had no experience, but he did have grit, and slowly — alongside partners — developed a menu that showcased dishes from all over Yemen.
The braised lamb shoulder over hadrami rice — referencing the Hadhramaut region — is an exceptional plate. The rice is cooked with meat and spices, traditionally in an underground oven. And the beef fasha: a thick stew sweetened with cloves and cinnamon, a hawaij spice blend — cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom — and a layer of fenugreek (maple-flavored seeds) foam. The New York Times calls it one of the city's best dishes in 2024.
For dessert, try the cardamom gelato sundae topped with hawaij-coated candied almonds and a crumble made from Abu Walid, a Yemeni cookie brand.
(718) 491-5600
7721 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209
Qanoon
Qanoon chef Tarek Daka grew up on a farm in a Palestinian town and started cooking traditional dishes as a child. More than anyone, his mother inspired his warm hospitality and love for Middle Eastern cuisine. He carries that legacy forward at Qanoon, where farm-fresh preparations take center stage.
Novel items on the menu, like the green lentil and rice croquette or kale salad with dates and chickpeas, sit alongside Levantine classics, like the earthy fattoush salad with crunchy pita chips. The labneh here does not come as a spread, but as round creamy balls coated with za'atar and fresh mint, swimming in a bowl of olive oil. They can be scooped up with the restaurant's delicious ka'ak bagel, sometimes called a Jerusalem bagel. Traditional Palestinian chicken rubbed with sumac and served over flat bread is a star entree.
Another tasty choice is the kofta meatball sandwich with cauliflower, onions, and tahini. And the fried halloumi with watermelon and balsamic glaze is a great way to start your brunch. Qanoon is also one of your rare opportunities to try the excellent Palestinian microbrewery Taybeh IPA. Plus, there's organic red wine from Palestine with notes of blackberry, vanilla, and coffee.
(646) 843-9711
180 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Duzan
Leave your fine-dining etiquette behind at this casual spot, famous for its generous platters and rotisserie shawarma that's praised for standing out on a street amid plenty of competitors.
The pitas here are stuffed, and we mean heavily so, with shawarma chicken or beef, vegetables, and your choice of sauces. You're bound to make a mess eating it, but it's worth it. You can do so with the fluffy, open, and freshly baked pitas or the pan-fried, stuffed sandwiches, known as arayes.
One hummus starter comes topped with beef shawarma, pine nuts, and an olive oil drizzle. Main plates can be ordered on a bed of creamy hummus, cucumber and tomato salad, or pearl couscous. The vegetarian plate could easily feed two with falafel, sliced eggplant, baba, and garlic pita. The New York twist is the side of fries.
(718) 204-7488
2411 Steinway St, Long Island City, NY 11103