Located roughly 7,000 miles from what is considered the Middle East, most people might assume that New Orleans has a sparse selection of Middle Eastern cuisine. Oh, how wrong they would be! A melting pot of culture, traditions, and nationalities, the Big Easy has a large and diverse selection of delicious Middle Eastern food. From Lebanese, Israeli, Syrian, Egyptian, and much more, there is a great selection of authentic and fusion style dishes that anyone can enjoy.
Whether you are looking to try something new, or simply have a meal that reminds you of home, this following list is sure to not disappoint!
10 Best Middle Eastern Spots in New Orleans
1. Lebanon's Café
1500 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 862-6200
lebanonscafe.com
Proclaimed the "Best Middle-Eastern Restaurant in New Orleans," Lebanon's Cafe is known for their handmade and homemade hummus and tzatziki and their three-day marinated chicken shawarma. Serving the New Orleans community for over 20 years, the restaurant prides itself on being family owned and a perfect welcoming, neighborhood spot to grab a bite to eat!
Try all the fixins' from labna, hummus, and baba ganoush—all great shareable starters—to their chicken kabob, lamb shish kabob, and beef shawarma. Truly authentic, Lebanon's Cafe is a delicious and friendly cafe that will serve you up some of the best Middle Eastern food in town.
2. Shaya
4213 Magazine St., (504) 891-4213
shayarestaurant.com
James Beard Award winning restaurant Shaya fuses traditional Israeli flavors with Southern staples to curate a delicious selection of diverse, shareable, plates. Elevated and luxurious, Shaya is a great spot for an intimate date-night or a group lunch-outing.
Serving up fantastic dishes like fried chicken hummus, falafel, crispy halloumi, and gulf-shrimp kebab, their unique menu is sure to delight both new and returning customers. Central to their cooking is their wood-fire oven, which makes their homemade and warm pita bread the best in New Orleans!
3. Saba
5757 Magazine St., 504-324-7770
eatwithsaba.com
Saba, meaning "grandfather" in Hebrew, is a culinary gem that reflects the hard work, talent, and heritage of renowned chef Alon Shaya. Influenced by North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, Saba's cuisine is continuously revolving and creates an intersection between cultures from around the world. Sourcing food from local farmers and fisheries, dishes are meant to be served family style and enjoyed by the whole table.
Boasting an impressive dinner, brunch, dessert, and drink menu, Saba is a great place to enjoy on any occasion—a fancy birthday dinner, to a casual lunch with friends. Their watermelon salad, shakshuka, and lamb kofta are all delicious and all fantastic if you are looking to be introduced to Middle-Eastern food.
5. Saj
4126 Magazine St., (504) 766-0049
sajnola.com
Saj has a small, but mighty menu of Middle
Eastern/Mediterranean fare and they have a lovely Turkish coffee service that
you can enjoy at the end of your meal. The lunch platters are a great deal. The
Gyro Lunch Platter includes a delicious gyro sandwich, hummus, saffron rice, house salad, and saj bread.
For dinner, you'll want to check out the mashawi wood-fire grilled plates. Vegetarians will prefer the grilled vegetables with the chef's selection of seasonal vegetables. The Moroccan-style petit snapper sits on chickpea tomato stew with Middle Eastern spices.
6. Shawarma on the Go
3720 Magazine St., (504) 269-6427
shawarmaonthego.com
You can find Shawarma on the Go inside of
the Jetgo Gas Station on Magazine Street. While the base of the dishes are Middle Eastern, there are influences
from all over the globe, including New Orleans flavors. The sandwiches and wraps
are the most beloved menu items.
The Gyro Philly is gyro meat, onion, bell
pepper, mushrooms, provolone cheese, and homemade garlic mayo on French bread. The fried halloumi cheese wrap is stuffed with halloumi cheese, pickles, lettuce,
tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, hummus, baba ganoush, cucumber, and kalamata
olives.
7. Cleopatra
2701 Manhatten Blvd., Harvey, (504) 361-1113
cleocuisine.com
Serving up Palestinian cuisine, Cleopatra has brought flavors to the Westbank. With an assortment of delicious food and great drinks, this restaurant is a fun spot to introduce yourself to—or simply continue to enjoy—Middle Eastern flavors. Boasting a large menu that can appease anyone's needs, Cleopatra serves lunch, dinner, and dessert and is sure to leave you satisfied.
Try their falafel and chicken shawarma for some authentic Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dishes, or go with something small and shareable like their hummus, baba ganoush, fried halloumi, and dolmehs. And if you are looking for some delicious baklava, Cleopatra is the place for you!
8. Cleo's Mediterranean Cuisine
Multiple Locations
cleos-mediterranean-cuisine.business.site
Cleo's has been around for a long time. It's
a favorite with locals who love that their original location is open 24 hours, which is great
for service industry folks and late-night revelers. The flagship location (940
Canal St.) happily serves guests around the clock. The entrée items are mostly
consist of vegetarian and seafood plates.
The latest restaurant (117 Decatur St.)
is a gorgeous dine-in restaurant with decadent décor and an exciting menu of
vegetarian, seafood, and meat-forward entrees. Cleo's in the French Quarter is
open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
9. Pyramids Café
3149 Calhoun St., (504) 861-9602
neworleanspyramidscafe.com
Where Y'at Magazine crowned Pyramids Café the
Best Mediterranean Restaurant in town in 2013 and 2015. It's obvious why this
nearly 20-year-old restaurant is such a hit. Their authentic Mediterranean fare
is tough to beat when it comes to flavor and freshness.
There are tons of options for entrees: chicken kebab, gyro plate, hummus with lamb, meat grape leaves plate, and vegetarian plate. The sandwiches are popular for those coming in for a quick lunch, including the beef shawarma sandwich, chicken kabab sandwich, and eggplant sandwich. The regulars will recommend getting a yogurt salad with cucumber for an appetizer.
9. Mona's Cafe
3901 Banks St., (504) 482-7743
Cozy and inviting, check out Mona's Cafe's outdoor seating on a sunny day and enjoy some delicious Middle Eastern food. Offering all the classics, like lentil soup, zaatar bread, gyros, and falafels, you are not going to go wrong if you choose to dine at Mona's Cafe.
Loved by tourists and locals alike for their reasonable prices, fantastic food, and friendly atmosphere, Mona's Cafe is often boasted to have the best hummus in town. Try them out if you are looking for your next best meal.
10. 1000 Figs
3141 Ponce De Leon St., (504) 301-0848
1000figs.com
Light, refreshing, and hip are the words
that best describe 1000 Fig's restaurant interior. The food may also be described
using those adjectives. 1000 Figs takes inspiration from traditional Middle
Eastern food, but the dishes are reimagined into something more contemporary.
The Falafel Fest is perfect for a table with at least two people. The feast has falafel, hummus, baba ghanouj, tzatziki, pickled veggies, kale and cabbage salad, seasonal vegetables, tahini, zhoug, toum, and bread. You can add chicken, brussels sprouts, charred scallion whipped feta, or even fries for a few dollars more.
The Best Middle Eastern Restaurants in NOLA
Gyros, dips, and fantastically seasoned food, there are so many reasons to love the cuisine from the Middle East. Try out—or return to—these restaurants for a great night out or a casual family lunch, whatever you choose you are guaranteed to leave full and satisfied!
