Au Za'atar - East Village
Lebanese restaurant · East Village ·
Tableside shawarma towers, mezze platters, and Lebanese wine
Tableside shawarma towers, mezze platters, and Lebanese wine
"Au Za’atar is justly famous on social media for their tableside shawarma towers, and it’s pretty damn satisfying to slice the chicken or lamb off the vertical spit yourself, again and again. Au Za’atar’s other Lebanese classics are also excellent, especially the creamy labneh topped with olives and a slick of olive oil, and the mixed grill platter with sumac-dusted fries. Go with a couple of people, get a bottle of Lebanese wine, and call ahead to order that shawarma tower, which comes with fries, grilled tomatoes and onions, herb salad, plenty of pita, and enough food for leftovers." - bryan kim, neha talreja, hannah albertine, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah
"You may have seen Au Za’atar on TikTok thanks to their tableside shawarma towers. Even if you generally shy away from anything with a Foodie hashtag attached to it, don’t let that deter you from coming here. It’s pretty damn satisfying to slice that meat off over and over again. The chicken and lamb come already cooked, and you’ll need to call and order them in advance. Get at least a couple for a big group. Each spit comes with plenty of fries, grilled tomatoes and onions, herb salad, and pita for the group." - neha talreja, hannah albertine
"Au Za’atar is famous on Tik Tok for their tableside shawarma towers. Even if generally shy away from anything with a Foodie hashtag attached to it, don’t let that deter you from coming here. Au Za’atar’s Lebanese classics are excellent, especially the creamy labne topped with olives and a slick of olive oil, and the grilled mix platter with sumac-dusted fries. If you’re eating with a couple of people, opt for a bottle of Lebanese wine and the shawarma tower on a vertical spit (which comes with fries, grilled tomatoes and onions, herb salad, plenty of pita, and enough food for leftovers). You’ll have a great time if you’re looking for a fun, meat-filled group dinner." - Hannah Albertine
"I never felt rushed dining outdoors at Au Za’atar: two heaters made the setup toasty while an array of mezze (don’t skip the labneh) and a tableside shawarma — a contraption that arrives with meat spinning atop a mountain of fries and an immediate hit of spices and radiant heat — brought back the excitement of dining out during the pandemic." - Eater Staff
"Tarik Fallous, owner of Lebanese restaurant Au Za’atar in the East Village, plans to start donating a portion of the shop’s takeout and delivery sales to a fund supporting George Floyd’s family this week. Au Za’atar sustained a broken front window late last night. “All this can be replaced,” Fallous says. “However, nothing can undo or fix what happened in Minneapolis.”" - Serena Dai
