De Babel

Walking into this Middle Eastern gem, you're immediately hit with the intoxicating aroma of spices--cumin, coriander, sumac--that hint at the culinary treasures waiting to be discovered. This isn't just another eatery; it's a journey through the flavors and textures of a rich cultural heritage. The food, let's talk about the food. The portions are generous, almost indulgent, as if the owner wants you to feel not just satisfied but embraced by the meal. Each dish is a symphony of well-balanced flavors, meticulously crafted with a level of care that's becoming rare in today's fast-paced dining landscape. The hummus, in particular, is the star of the show--creamy, velvety, and perfectly seasoned, it's arguably the best in town. We've returned many times since they opened, and not once have we left disappointed. In a world where culinary experiences can often feel transactional, this place stands out as a heartfelt celebration of Middle Eastern cuisine.

With great fortune, I phoned right before 9pm closing time, and discovered De Babel for the first time on their 3rd Anniversary! From the moment I walked in the door and looked around... lovely atmosphere then I heard "Hi Jewel" and immediately felt like home. I was greeted with warm smiles by the owner and his son.. moreover was gifted the awesome tote bag you see in the pic! De Babel Cuisine = Absolutely Amazing!

Dee-licious Jordanian food!I love that Scottsdale has so many choices of places to eat. De Babel would be one I would consider to be near the top of my list. It's moderately priced, outstanding food, and some beautiful food. You will walk away full, satisfied, and looking forward to more food to eat the next day. It's very family friendly, too.The pita pockets are obviously handmade, thicker than I am accustomed to, and filled with good stuff: your choice of meat, cucumber, tomato, pickle. Several members of our family went with gyros meat. I picked one filled with grilled halloumi. We were all very pleased.The fries are beyond heavenly. Not only are they their own fresh cut potatoes, they are seasoned beautifully. We got two side orders of fries and could not keep our jaws from dropping when they arrived. Super crispy. Huge. One of the orders was the amazing truffle cheese fries. These are beyond reproach. All in all, two orders were more than 6 of us could finish, even though we tried hard. But yes, get them anyway! And definitely bring them home for a second and even a third chance.We ordered a mixed sampler, the Mixed Mezza, a beautiful, generous platter, which came with hummus, baba ganoush, tabouli, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, and pickles. The baba ganoush was so smoky good, the stuffed grapeleaves were moist and flavorful. We added a side of okra that made me giddy. It is stewed with tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro until very tender. I need to remember to cook it that way at home now that I tasted it.The only thing that I regret was not getting to taste the fried cauliflower and their crispy za'atar pita chips. Well, I guess lamb and lentil soup might have to be in consideration, too. I guess that is for when we come back, which indeed we will!

Not only have I been following the fabulous reviews for De Babel for awhile, but I'd tasted their hummus at a friend's house too, so I was excited when an opportunity arose to try it firsthand...My husband and I made our way in for a spontaneous dinner date last night after dropping our kids at nearby Soccer Lab for a session.We saw some friends when we walked in and talked to them for a bit and then I ordered at the counter with the help of the owner and another employee. Everyone was extremely warm, welcoming and helpful.I landed on ordering a Schnitzel Plate with a side of hummus and chopped salad and a Tawook Plate with a side of baba ghanoush and fatoush... Now I know better as this was way too much food for the two of us, but we gladly took home our leftovers!As others have said, this restaurant is fast casual, with high quality, fresh and healthy Middle Eastern cuisine. Prices are very reasonable, portions are very large, and service is super friendly.We will absolutely be back to support this wonderful local business!

Great mediteranean place in town. One of the best we have tried! They have toms of options and you can choose between the lunch size that comes with 1 side or the dinner size that comes with 2 sizes. Really big portions and lots of flavors either size. We tried the lamb tikka and the kafta. The kafta was large in size bur really good. Also had the babganoush which came as such a big portion. The zatar fried was quite.crisp. they had tons of other items and even some fun desserts. We tried some cherry halva that they sold from other vendors but tasted great. Really looking forward to going back.

SO and I were in Phoenix/Scottsdale visiting family and I've had DB on my list for awhile. We were NOT disappointed. We actually went twice during our visit, once with family and then again just the two of us. Customer service was outstanding. During our first visit the young man behind the counter was so patient and enjoyable, answering all the questions one of the people in our group had. I wish I had gotten his name. We ordered several things during this visit:* GRAPE LEAVES - fresh, lemony, perfectly cooked rice* TABOULIH - amazing! We loved the use of quinoa, onions and pomegranate (I want it now!)* HUMMUS - so silky and smooth. The best hummus we've ever had..don't tell my Syrian mother-in-law ;)* BEEF & LAMB GYRO SANDWICH - abundant and flavorful! I added red onions, lettuce and tomato during our first visit* TRUFFLE CHEESE FRIES - so good. We ordered the mini and it was enough for four adults* FALAFEL SANDWICH - very flavorful and was so tasty when dipped in the hummusOur second visit was even better! I believe Saloom was the gentleman that served and entertained us. He came out and chatted with my SO and me and even allowed us to taste some of their sauces and my SO expressed his love for heat/spicy foods, he brought him one of his personally grown peppers. What a treat! The entire interaction made us feel like family. This visit we purchased:* BEEF & LAMB GYRO SANDWICH - added everything above and feta. SO GOOD AND PLENTIFUL * CHICKEN TAWOOK PLATE - SO really enjoyed the succulent chicken and he got the TABOULIH and HUMMUS as his sides. We left extremely satisfied and anticipating our next visit to Phoenix/Scottsdale and returning to DB. Oh and their PITA is so soft and flavorful. Honestly we've never tasted pita this good. The restaurant ambiance is relaxing, bright and "family oriented".

Yes the rumors are true, and man this place Is great. They need to open a second location right next door. No joke. It took a while during rush hour during a business day. But just wait for it. It's fresh and legit. No bad shawarma. Fresh shawarma. Probably the most legit place for it and I've been a lot of places to have it. As clean as it gets!

Great food, great staff! Even though we got there late they were hospitable and let us stay.Unfortunately the shawarma chicken is only available until 5pm, so we got the chicken tawook dinner and kofta kebab. The meat was tender and flavorful and the sauces, red and green hot sauce, were incredible! Baba ghanoush and hummus were really good and fresh too!

From Cyprus and I can tell you they have excellent food and service. They even have Halloumi cheese from Cyprus. Thank you.

We got take out from De Babel yesterday evening. And, as usual everything was perfect. They have the best pita bread I have ever had. The Chicken Schwarma sandwich was to die for.