Albaraka Mediterranean Market and Grill

The food was surprisingly good. Products on the shelves were non-expired with zero dust on them (like so many other similar stores I have been to). The butcher section was absolutely the best. I’m buying all my meats from here. Customer service was excellent. A young cashier was so pleasant and courteous. The only negative is the strong smell of perfumes they sell in the corner. The smell is so strong it nearly burned my eyes and I hurried to eat my food inside. I have many friends who would not tolerate eating inside with the very strong smell of perfumes.

This is what we call food for the soul - SOUL FOOD! In Short: ● Reasonable Prices ● Good portion sizes (especially the chicken Shawarma). ● Calm and clean environment. ● Desserts: Phenomenal! (Unfortunately I only took 1 picture of the Dubai chocolate dessert that I absolutely "annihilated", but the lotus cup and the tiramisu along with the other desserts are also VERY good!) The place is so good I keep it for when I want to treat myself (which, recently, has been nearly every other day). Everytime I head out, I find myself coming here not just for the food but also for the environmental warmth. Definitely Recommended!

Stopped by Al Baraka Mediterranean Grill for a quick bite and was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the Lamb Kabob Plate with rice and fries. The lamb kabobs were juicy and flavorful, grilled just right. The fries were fresh-cut and perfectly crispy—definitely a highlight. The rice could’ve been a bit more flavorful, but honestly, no real complaints. What stood out was how fresh everything was—they were making dishes to order, and there were plenty of options to choose from. It’s a solid halal spot with good food and quick service. Will definitely swing by again!

Stephanie with Offline - Delisiois food. I was so happy with what I got. I got the plate. With chicken shawarma and babaganoush and roasted veggies and the salad. They gave a pita with it and it was all so good. I will be back for sure. The staff was friendly and welcoming. I bought some food from their market afterward to make their famous chicken shawarma at home and it was fantastic. This will be one of my favorite places to go to eat. Thank you offline for giving me the opportunity to try this new place.

I Order 5 chicken shawarmas with 5 fries, the cashier didn't mention that combo will be more cheap. I end up paying $15 extra, total of $75. The combo it is only $12 with fries only NO drink. It will cost me only $60. That's not fair. I spoke to The cashier and she didn't care. She said it will be more fries with my order. And that absolutely not true. It was small order of fires for $4!(picture attached) I am so disappointed. The sandwich was so skinny not much of chicken in it, and more of pickles. They try to make money by charging more money and give you less food. Small & not much chicken in a Sandwich & small fries $15 +tax, very pricey. You will stay hangry.

The food is not bad. I asked them to warm up a cheese dessert that is usually eating warm and instead of being helpful, the rude lady said “you can warm it up at your house if you want to eat it warm. Here you have to eat it cold”. Worse service ever. Made the food taste like indigestion.

I purchased a canned sauce from this store that had NO EXPIRATION DATE printed anywhere on the packaging. When I opened it, the sauce was spoiled and tasted bad. I returned to the store with my receipt and product, but the cashier Ahmed W. was extremely rude, unprofessional, and refused to give me a refund. Instead, I was asked to leave the store. This is unacceptable and a serious food safety issue. The store continues to sell the same product on their shelves despite my complaint. I will be reporting this to the NC Department of Agriculture. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS STORE! Consumers deserve honesty, safety, and respect — unfortunately, this store failed on all three.

This place has the best chicken shawarma in the US. No comparison. I wish I can show you the plate, but I already ate it. But the next best thing is to show how many times I ordered this amazing shawarma this month, noting that I arrived to NC on August 16th 😂 The kunafa is also amazing. But that shawarma 🤤 unbelievably happy I found this place 😋

It's a market as well as a grill type restaurant. So you can go there to eat and they have a small sitting area that you can eat your food at when you order, or you can go to shop. It's majority grocery store though so don't make it seem like it's a restaurant when you envision this place. But at the same time, you have plenty of seats indoors and outdoors to sit. They have all types of other things to look at and buy like hookah accessories and tea sets. So it's worth shopping just to browse If nothing else as you wait for your food. I tried the chicken shawarma in the beef shawarma sandwiches. I thought that the sandwiches were good. The chicken really did me right, the beef was okay, it got a little bit chewy but it still had a pretty good flavor to it. I probably will stick with the chicken if I were going to go back though! Be careful of the lunch rush because you will be waiting in line if you don't! A lot of the lunch brush would consist of lunch goers as well as a lot of door dash people so just be aware that you may have to wait a bit because of that. There's outdoor seating when the weather permits. There isn't much of a view when you get outside to sit because it's just facing the street but if You wanted to go ahead and try to be outside and catch a breeze This was a good place and they gave it the opportunity to do that. They have a olive bar so if you want to try some different olives there you can, and there are a lot of them to pick from so it wouldn't hurt to try. Even at the part where they have the restaurant they still have meats that you could try. You can actually buy it from there because it is a store as well as a restaurant. The parking lot is a little bit of a type squeeze so just be aware, but at least it's free!

This restaurant has a private parking lot located on the side of the business. I came during lunch hours during the week but it wasn't too packed. The business is a restaurant and store when you can buy items like meat and nuts. I was able to place my order right away once I walked in. The cashier was nice: A short time later my number was called. There are a few tables in the business that you can sit at if you want to dine in. I got chicken shawarma, hummus, French fries, and yellow rice. The rice was really good and flavorful. The fries were served hot. The hummus wasn't bad. The pita bread was soft. Unfortunately the chicken was a little overcooked which made it a little dry. Chicken Shawarma Chicken over cooked. A little dry. Yellow rice great. Fries hot and ok. Hummus ok. Pita bread soft. Cashier nice. Good fast Disappointed that they didn't have fattoush salad today

This place was delicious and I wish I'd stopped by sooner (don't let the somewhat outdated exterior chase you off). The chicken schwarma bowl was delicious and came with a spicy yogurt sauce that added just the right amount of heat. I ordered a side of falafel which was good, along with hummus and pita (probably the best I've ever had as it wasn't full of garlic like you typically get). They have a grocery area and also what looked like a hot bar where you could get dishes by the pound. There's also a small seating area with tables for you to eat inside. That said, service was VERY slow. I waited 25 minutes to order and then get my food. There were only 3 people ahead of me when I arrived. Parking is also tight.

I love this market for the good variety of Mediterranean food and spices that they offer, not only in their grocery store, But also in their deli. Makes for a really easy and flavorful lunch. They have a wide variety of things to choose from, both sweet and savory. I bought a bunch of groceries, and then finished off with a nice meal of shawarma and rice, with a couple of sides.

It felt good trying authentic food and a different culture. Food was great, saw so many new things spices real chicken dishes cooked from their culture. The food was great, stand alone store and parking no an issue.

Found this gem on instagram and I'm glad I did! I had the beef shawarma sandwich and fries. My friend had the beef platter with rice and she said the rice was the best she ever had. We ended up buying extra garlic sauce and hummus to take home. I will definitely be back to try other items.

This is by far the best Lebanese/Mediterranean food I have had since moving to the triangle. I have tried restaurants in chapel hill, Durham, Hillsborough, Cary, Apex, and around Raleigh in search for great Labanes. Al'baraka has ended my search.

Came here during lunch for the first time to check it out. It's half restaurant and the other half is the market/grocery side. It's off Hillsborough street but they have there own parking lot. I got the lamb kabob and the cheese fatayer. The portion size was small and both items lacked flavor. Wish the lamb kabob had some sauce to go with it or something. I honestly thought the cheese fatayer with have some flavor like naan but it didn't. First time for everything but I wouldn't go back.

We always passed by this store and thought we should check it out (and 5 years passed) .. For some reason we thought it would be a regular kind of grocery store with a counter for food (like so many others) and no seating but when we finally went , we were pleasantly surprised by the interiors - clean, neat, organised, and with seating. We already had gone through the menu at home, and knew what we wanted when we got there, we ordered a beef shawarma, a chicken shawarma platter which comes w/ option of rice and 2 sides we chose yellow rice, hummus & baba ganoush. We also got the lamb kebob, and baklava. The service was good but pretty slow, once ordered they call out our number. The food definitely was yum, and a lot! We were 3 of us and we took the whole platter to go as we couldn't eat a bite more. And I almost forgot, the best thing that we ordered was the cheese fatayer (a flat bread) omg sooo good! I would definitely go back for that and the shawarma again.

Nice selection of food and desserts. Also, I like that it had a store side. No problem with the parking either. The problem I had was the customer service. It was extremely poor and I won't be returning... which is a shame because I really did want to buy the pre-mixed Shawarma seasoning. On a positive note, the pound of chicken shawarma I got was tasty.

Although they didn't have the product I was looking for (it was very specific) , they staff was very friendly and welcoming. The whole store was neat, clean and orderly......this was my first time here and I will be back!

I recently dined at this Middle Eastern restaurant and I am blown away by the experience. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance was warm and welcoming. The decor was beautiful and created an authentic Middle Eastern feel that made me feel like I was transported to a different place. The service was exceptional from start to finish. The staff was knowledgeable about the menu and provided great recommendations. They were attentive to our needs and made sure we were comfortable throughout the meal. Now, let's talk about the food. Oh my goodness, it was amazing! Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and expertly prepared. The spices and herbs used in each dish were perfectly balanced, and the presentation was stunning. We ordered Chicken shawarma bowls, and beef shawarma sandwiches along with lamb kabobs and hummus, everything we tasted was delicious. Overall, I highly recommend this Middle Eastern restaurant. The atmosphere, service, and food are all top-notch. If you're looking for an authentic and memorable dining experience, this is the place to be. Five stars!"

Authentic food and ambiance! Friendly service and things to look at and buy while your dish is being prepared.

Food is amazing!!! Everything on the menu is so amazing. You must try the juices, sweets, and pre seasoned meats as well. Prices are great too. Friendly staff. It's really cool how there is a grocery store in here and that they sell hookah supplies. Only complaint is the parking lot, very small. Also, they should add more tables inside to eat.

I would love to say that Al Baraka Market and Grill is the best Halal food restaurant in Raleigh. I love their food it is so delicious and so tasty, and the staff members are so friendly and supportive I also love the environment I will definitely come back with my friends.

My son is a student at NC State and kept telling us about this amazing falafel and shawarma sandwich place. I decided to check it out. It is so much more than a lunch spot. There is a wonderful market. We go about once a week to grab a sandwich and several fatayer (the delicious flatbreads). Now, we've got the whole family hooked.

First things first I was pretty bummed that when I asked for hot sauce on my shawarma Texas Pete was applied. Wish there was some harissa or any sort of other hot sauce to spice up the wrap. Hot sauce sadness aside the shawarma wrap was fantastic. Beef was carved off the skewer, tabouli, tahini cheese were added onto the laffa (think it was laffa, definitely was thicker than a pita) and it was expertly grilled. Large and packed with meat and other goodies it was a blessing to me as I had to take my father to Rex and hadn't eaten lunch. Was super hungry so got some falafel too -- expertly fried and really tasty though the tahini was really watery which was kind of a bummer too. Service was quick and the market looked good too (it's even got a halal butcher) so I definitely imagine there will be return trips.

Nice friendly people. The bathroom was clean but without paper towels. I shared this to the guy at the front but he didn't care. The board that shows the menu is in one area but was told to order further down. A little odd for someone's first time. The hummus was good. Slightly granny. The babe G had lots of eggplant, but no flavor. The flat bread was fresh. You can't get a little rice and a little salad. It's one or the other got the rice which was half the plate. To much to eat. Might need to half the size and offer salad to give some greens.. $3.99 for a small side salad. Would be 15 bucks for rice side salads and hummus and baba G. To much without any protein. Been eating Middle East food Since 1990, In the Middle East

This place deserves your attention. The food is supurb. The portions are large. The ingredients are fresh and prepared on site. The market is clean and has items you can't find anywhere else. Now my favorite mediterranean in Wake County.

They have the best hummus, so creamy. I also love the shawarma's. In the market area they have good variety of hard to find spices and other Middle Eastern items.

Best place for shawarma in Raleigh. They have renovated recently, possibly under new management, and the quality has gone up by a lot. Upon entering, you will see the rotating grill necessary for the grilled flavorful chicken shawarma pieces. You place your order at the counter and then wait for it while looking at the shawarma chefs work their magic. They could mark a designated pick up spot instead of people roaming all around the counters while waiting for their orders. They have 4 small tables in the corner of the establishment and 2 tables outside for dine-in. The chicken shawarma is a steal at $6.99 and for two dollars more, you get fries, garlic sauce and coleslaw. The chicken pieces are tender and with each bite, you would be able to count the various flavors used for the marination and seasoning. The shawarma roll is stuffed with pickles and the inside is coated with garlic sauce which elevates the already juicy shawarma. A must-have for any shawarma lover in the triangle.

Been here 3x in the past month. Good food, nice small grocery to shop as you wait for food and clean atmosphere!

Wow- went last night with an offline coupon - would never have gone even though I drove by quite a bit. Thank you Offline bc I will be back - excellent food - the beef kabob was beyond delicious. The chicken shawarma was excellent. Will definitely go back

If you're looking for delicious, fresh and quick Arab food this is the place to be. As soon as you walk in you're greeted by the massive shawarma spit sizzling with a mountain of meat, which is always a good sign. Their vast menu had food for everybody (vegetarians/vegans/etc). Attached next to an Arab grocery store you'll find a welcoming staff, variety of menu options and lip smacking food. I went with the classic Chicken Shawarma plate which came with fries, salad and tons of sauce (all for 7.99). Be sure to check out this one-stop shop. You won't be disappointed.

I have been looking for a good chicken shawarma in Raleigh since I moved here from San Francisco 4 years ago. The search is over!! This unassuming restaurant/grocery is amazing. The food is great and the variety is all you needs. I will be back!!!

My brother took me here as he is a big fan of this restaurant and now I know why The staff is very helpful and I think are all part of the family that owns this restaurant The food was absolutely delicious but the pita bread made right there in front of you in the oven was incredible and we actually ordered more just because we couldn't stop eating it

I ordered delivery via doordash. I ordered the Chicken Shawarma w/ fries and coleslaw. I also ordered beef kabab. Both were really good - the chicken shawarma combo is very filling.

Their falafel sandwich is vegan and delicious! The tzatziki is also so good! Great menu options and love their market as well

This has by far the nicest ownership, staff, and service of any Middle Eastern market and deli in Raleigh. I always can get fresh meat in as little as 5 minutes from the very fast Halal butchery department. I go here for quickly grabbing all my Mediterranean needs, and I enjoy the deli foods as well. I wish the owner Blessings for continued success and growth! Raleigh is a much better place with the presence of this incredible market & cafe.

Best shawarma in the triangle, hands down! Albaraka has quickly become my go-to for Middle Eastern food in Raleigh.

We discovered this great little market today! It's directly across from Meredith College, and there's plenty of parking. The small grocery area has lots of Mediterranean staples--jarred olives, frozen phyllo, beans, rice, falafel mixes, etc. They even have a fresh meats counter. I enjoyed the dried spice section. They have a huge variety of hand-packed spices for no more than $1.99 each. The prices on the fresh olives were good, too. My favorite, though, was the saffron. They keep it behind the counter and charge $6.79 for a gram. This seems high, but most places I've been to charge $18/gram. Since a gram of saffron lasts me about a year, I'll take it! There is a small order-at-the-counter restaurant on the other side of the building. We didn't eat there today, but we plan to go back--very soon!

I came for lunch with my wife, and I ordered the Lamb Gyro while my wife got the Falafel Wrap. My lamb gyro was pretty good - it came with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce. I ordered it with a side of fries, but it also came with some potato chips. The meat was well-flavored, but a little chewy in texture. Otherwise, I liked the gyro. My wife's falafel wrap was a bit on the salty side, and she thought the wrap went a little overboard with the pickles and pickled onions. She ordered a side of grilled veggies with her wrap, which was fine. It also came with some chips. Overall, we had an enjoyable meal. It was fast casual - we ordered at the counter and sat ourselves - so the service was pretty standard. The new place is clean, and I liked that the grocery store was just next door.

We loved the people, the food, and the market. They are super kind and had out food done in a flash.

I ordered beef kabob with lentil rice, hummus dinner. The rice and lentil were flavorless, the beef was very strange, was chewy and I almost thought it was heart meat. The hunnus was average. The wait was incredible for a to-go order.

This is a hidden gem for Mediterranean food! When I say "hidden" I don't mean the location, I've driven by this place countless times but for some reason I haven't paid much attention to it. I recently went with some of my coworkers for lunch and I wish I had tried it sooner. 3/5 Chicken Shawarma - This was good, but it didn't hit the spot for me. I'm not sure why I was expecting it to be more on pita-like bread, but it was more in a wrap with a tortilla. I've only had chicken shawarma a few times, so maybe this is how it typically is but it just wasn't as satisfying for me. Again it was good but I would try something else from the menu next time. 5/5 Fries - I'm rating the fries separately because I love fries. They were really good here! Perfectly crispy (but not too crispy). They also added this seasoning on top that added to the favor. 5/5 Grape Leaves - These were really yummy! Super flavorful. I will definitely go back to try these again. 4/5 Dessert - I'm not sure what it was called but I tried this dessert that was like shortbread on the outside and had some type of date filling on the inside. I liked it! 4/5 Ambiance - It's very casual. It's decently big inside. The parking lot makes it convenient. 5/5 Service - Everyone was great!

I ordered the chicken Shawarma, it was beyond amazing the meat was juicy not dry the spices was just perfect and not to mention that white sauce that comes with it . For dessert again I ordered my favorite cheese sweet it's even better than the last time I ordered. Will definitely come back

Hmm where do I begin....The hummus was grainy, not the best. See picture for texture. I asked for pita with my hummus and they gave a huge tortilla burrito wrap. Who eats hummus with a tortilla? See pictures. I also had the beef shawarma which was delicious. We also had 2 kafta platters which were just okay. They are not very transparent about prices, they led me to believe my food automatically came with sides meanwhile they were extra charges. For example, I asked if my sandwich came with sides and he said yes, he didn't mention that it can come with a side if you pay extra. I don't mind paying but Just be transparent.

I really hate to leave a 2 star instead of a 5 star. I walked in there and waited a long time till they took my order and even longer to get the food ready. I would understand if they were busy but I was the only person there. The food is amazing tho!!! I just hope the owner or manager sees this comment and have a talk with his employees on better customer service.

They have the best chicken shawarma sandwich ever. It's so tasteful. We order for a party. The falafel was yummy as well. I can't wait to order again.

Forget breaking out the Weber! The whole grilled chicken is better and far easier than any we'd make at home. Delicious! Meaty & Moist! It's so fresh, they don't grill it till you order it. You'll need to call in advance to place your order. Just 30 -60 minutes, not long and well worth it.

Lots of people, very few masks! Did I miss anyone working there, that had a mask on? There were a handful of customers with masks, including a mother and her kids. People joking with customers, coming from around the line without a mask. If you're doing that, and literally bumping close with "your friendly" customers, I'm assuming that you're NOT taking any covid-19 precautions, including while food handling. Not only did you lose my business today, you did as well in the future. Covid-19 is real, just because you don't think so jeopardizes the public!

Excellent Middle Eastern food at reasonable prices. The employees are very friendly. There is also a Middle Eastern grocery store that is attached to the restaurant. Definitely worth a visit to stock up on olive oil, labneh, great pistachios from Turkey, and other groceries. I highly recommend the restaurant and the store.

Overall: This is my current current favorite Mediterranean place in the triangle. It has great prices, tastes great, and has lots of options. Vegetarian: So I've had the Falafel Gyro, the grilled vegetable wrap, and cheese fatayer(like a white pizza). My favorite has been the falafel wrap because their falafel is seasoned perfectly. Best that I've had in awhile. Vegan: They have a menu that is very vegan-friendly. My favorite food there, the falafel wrap, is vegan. They also have a plethora of other options. Highly recommend to my vegan friends. Service: Always friendly and they cook the food fresh, so it might take longer than their competitors like Jasmin and Neomonde. You order at the counter and they bring it your table.

I never took the chance to visit this place before they moved. Now, they have shiny new location that is very inviting. I've eaten here twice now. Once was take out last week. We ordered the 5 person chicken platter and man, was it a lot of delicious food (even though it took 20 min to get home) and for only $30. You can beat it! You should definitely take advantage of it on a night you don't feel like cooking. Today, I was playing tennis across the street at Meredith and wanted a nice healthy dinner before my next match. I stopped to dine in this time. I got the grilled chicken platter with basmati rice and grilled veggies. So fresh and so good for $10. The guy at the register was very friendly and welcoming. There's a market attached if you're interested and the dessert case looked fantastic, too!

I've been a frequent of Al Baraka Market, and noticed their restaurant at the new location. I've visited the restaurant a few times and really enjoyed the food! The food was fresh and tasty, but as others have mentioned it takes on average 15 minutes before it is served at the table. This place falls short with their Customer Service. On my previous visit the lady that owns the establishment was taking my order, which totaled about $30 for 4 of us. Before our food came out, I asked if they had any hot sauce, and the lady gave me a frustrated look and said, "You should remind me when placing your order as there is a $0.50 charge for that." I stated that I'd be happy to pay and didn't know, but she shrugged and walked away. Later I went to get a 2nd refill on my ice filled fountain drink when she again made a mean face and said, "Are you serious? I will have to charge you for that." Little did she know I was also about to ask for a dozen baklava, which would have been additional business for them. But with that remark, my family and I decided to pass. I am all for small businesses and paying for good food, but this owner could really use an attitude adjustment and lessons in customer service. As a frequent customer, I really wanted to give this place 5-stars, but can't justify it when the owner wants to nickel and dime their customers.

This is the best Shawerma I have had on the East coast. As soon as it hits my mouth, nostalgia takes me back to my high school lunch time in Jordan.

Amazing lamb platter and lamb sandwich! Have to try their spicy garlic sauce...so good. Service is subpar but the food makes up for it.

My husband and I paid a visit to this nice restaurant/Grocery and I was pleased with their service , food and the variety of items in stock. But most of all I was very happy to see all employees wearing mask and taking precautions even while cooking the food, this made me happy and I really enjoyed my food very tasty.

A great middle eastern food and market combo! Friendly and helpful staff, delicious food, decent pricing. The shopping market even features things like kofta you can take home and cook yourself. So many Halal options on both sides. Had the chicken shawarma platter, grape leaves, and a Fatoush salad. Everything was prepared with fresh ingredients and when ordered. If you haven't gone, go!

They take time to prepare your food so call head and don't wait. The food is good. Definitely worth to try it.