The Most Delicious Middle Eastern in Saint Paul

Shish

★★★★☆ 3.9 (526) • $$

"We went in around 6:30 and it was busy for a Monday! The service staff were very friendly and interactive, and the food, as always, is fresh and amazing! We greatly appreciate the vegan options! The ambiance never disappoints here. Hands down the best Mediterranean food in the area!"

Ariana Kabob & Gyro Bistro

★★★★☆ 4.4 (327) • $$

"My son chose this spot for his birthday dinner. He had been before, but this was my first visit. It's a cute little restaurant in a strip mall. The dining room is kind of small so understandable why they had so many to go orders. They sell some gorgeous candle holders. A bit odd sitting next to a shelf full of inventory.Thankfully the food more than makes up for it! The portions were huge and delicious. We ordered from an online kiosk and then they called our name when it was ready. They seemed pretty quick & efficient. I'd definitely go back, but probably get it to go."

Wally's Falafel and Hummus

★★★★☆ 4 (321) • $

"First time at Wally's and I am a fan. Customer service was great, with helpful staff that recommend their favorites and etc. I ended up getting a Wally Feast and for sure this thing feed more like 8 people, compare to the 6 people they recommend it for. Nothing better to take down the meal than a nice rice pudding. Can't wait to go back to Minnesota to try their other plates and desserts."

Filfillah Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (254) • $$

"Filfillah, located in a stripmall in a desolate and car-swept area of Central Avenue, has pretty good Middle Eastern food and a couple unusual options you won't find elsewhere. As always, 3 stars is NOT a bad review in my book.I came for the foule mudammas ($10), a fava bean dish traditionally eaten with bread. By my count, only 8 places in Minnesota offer it (it's rare in general, and frequently only served for breakfast). The rendition at Filfillah is vegan by default and a fresh and light dish of fava, parsley, chickpeas, tahini and other spices, which you then scoop up with Turkish bread that comes with it. I liked it, though I feel Ethiopian places do a better job with it, adding more spices. Here it felt like it was missing something.The veggie samosa ($6) consists of 4 samosas. I thought the shell had absorbed too much oil, creating an unappealing flavor and the interior, with its lightly seasoned roasted potatoes, peas and carrots, fell flat. I'd never seen a Middle Eastern restaurant offer samosas before, and they didn't do a great job of it here.The falafel sandwich ($10) is vegan by default and can be made with either the house-baked Turkish bread or a Lebanese pita. The cashier strong-armed me into the Turkish bread, which is legitimately good, but also overwhelming when used for a sandwich. I suggest going with the pita. In any case, this sandwich was fine, but nothing special, with mealy tomatoes and underwhelming falafel pieces.The zaatar pie ($7) is vegan by default and not, in fact, a pie. It has no filling. Instead it's a flat bread covered in sumac, oregano and olive oil and then backed. It's delicious and large in size.Lastly, the house-made Turkish bread ($2) is awesome: soft, chewy, slightly crusty. Do try it with at least one dish.Come to Filfillah for good Middle Eastern food and two unusual options: foule mudammas and Turkish bread."

Zait & Za'atar: Mediterranean Dhaba

★★★★☆ 4.4 (211) • $

"Ordered food for pickup at Zait & Za'atar. Parking was really easy and the staff was super friendly. It also looks like they have a great dining room so next time I would like to dine in!We ordered:Chicken Shawarma PlateBaba Ganoush (Small)Msakhan Chicken PlateFor two, this was the perfect amount! We had some leftovers. We took the food home and it was still enjoyable! Definitely a versatile spot that is great for takeout and is probably even better dine-in! I've never had Msakhan Chicken before but saw it was one of their more popular dishes on Yelp, I'm really glad yelp has this feature because it got me to try something new and it was great! Would love to try this dish at other restaurants too."

Mim's Cafe

★★★★★ 4.5 (117) • $$

"I consider myself a foodie and oh my gosh this place was a 10/10. The food was incredible. We got a little bit of everything and it was just perfect. From the owners to the outside patio .. you HAVE to go!!!"

Marhaba Mediterranean Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (118) • $$

"For ~$16 for buffet lunch, it's a good deal and fun experience. The food itself was hit or miss. The hummus, gyro meat, and salad bar were the best part. There were an assortment of chicken and fish dishes that were fine but not particularly tasty. The mashed potatoes were flavorless (should have avoided in the first place, lol). The dessert bar had a lot of variety and was fun to try. Overall go for the experience of buffet but food is nothing to write home about."

New York Gyro

★★★★☆ 3.7 (122) • $

"A good amount of food that was tasty and the sauce on the side was great! Very authentic place. Looking forward to try their other dishes!"

Shawarmin Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (52)

"This place was really good, made to order, and a pleasant little boy from there Rashid joined me and kept me company while I was away from my family for work. Food is extremely delicious, esp the garlic aioli."

Mr. Shawarma Grill

★★★★★ 4.7 (29)

"This was a Pretty tasty meal. We placed our order and sat down. The person who took our order was friendly and helpful. It did take a bit longer than I would have expected for "fast food" but everything was very tasty. The falafel was crunchy on the outside and tender in the middle. The hummus was very good and the Baba Ganoush had a nice smoky flavor. It was quiet, clean and bright. We would come back just for the falafel."

Aladdin Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (30)

"New ownership again! But the food was still very good. Got a chicken wrap spicy for my son. He stated it could have been spicer. I had a beef gyro. It was tasty . Everything is cooked to order. So nice and hot!! It wasn't that busy. Still outstanding. I wish them much success!"

Hamdi Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (29) • $

"Wanted to try something different and stumbled upon this place. WOW! Menu was small and simple. We came with a group of 4 people and they basically created a dish for us which included everything that they have. Combination/sampler plate Fish - pretty good Steak - a little dry but good Goat - amazing!!!!!!! Chicken - good Rice - rice was really tasty Homemade hot sauce was amazing!!!!!!! Fantastic food! I could not tell you what was in it but it was the right amount of spiciness, spicy and flavor. Wish I could have boxed it up and taken it home! Places like this is the definition of a hole in the wall that taste fantastic. The staff was so nice and it was obvious we had no clue what to order. A couple of the Uber drivers suggested this place. I must say one of the best meal I've ever had!"

Daily Cairo Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (22) • $

"I went from hooked to addict after my second visit to this hole in the wall 10 years ago.It was the Sambusa that keeps me coming back.I saw staff come and go while the non-existent decor slip south. I live and went as the staff went form owner/operator 5 star courtesy to rude-care-less-we-don't-have-time-for-your-additional-instructions, to good and acceptable again."

Maxwell's Cafe & Grill

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (44) • $

"Just got a new menu and got hella options. I enjoyed. Quick, convenient, and filled me up, what more could you want?"

New York Gyro

★★★★☆ 3.7 (18)

"This place is pretty much like a Chipotle but for Middle Eastern food. They have all the good stuff - gyro, soulvaki, lamb, kebab, falafel, and even samosas. You can make a combo with rice and fresh veggies. (Or get fries because, sometimes, you just need some fries.) If you are ordering the most popular items, service is pretty quick since they are just putting your plate together. If you order stuff like lamb, it will take longer. The portions are large and the price is totally reasonable. You can definitely get two meals out of one order. If you have a sweet tooth, don't forget to order baklava.The restaurant itself is huge but most people seem to take their orders to go. It was always busy when I went in there, so I think people have figured out this is a good spot!"

Al Baraka Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (7)

"Stopped at this blink and you'll miss it spot on central ave. Food was well priced at $15 a plate for their main options which included meat over rice and some stir fried peppers and onions with pita bread and salad. Appealing amount of spice, but not overwhelming to non adventurous types. Very courteous staff, small space, but they made the most of it. They also have a selection of American grill items if you can't pronounce kufta kebob."