"A Palestinian American café launched during the pandemic when a family moved their downtown grocery stall into a brick-and-mortar; it was named one of Bon Appétit's 10 Best New Restaurants of 2022. The 62‑year‑old founder insists on authentic, no‑shortcuts Palestinian cooking—building on the falafel wraps and tahini‑lemon hummus he made at the grocery—and runs a tightly family‑run operation: one son marinates shawarma chicken and developed a jackfruit shawarma to attract vegan diners, another son handles tables and deli organization, the wife and a daughter fill the pastry case with baklava and hilbah, and the youngest manages social media. The jackfruit shawarma was created to mimic the texture and distinctive flavors of traditional Palestinian shawarma while welcoming meat‑free customers." - ByEmily Wilson