Baba Nahm - Middle Eastern Street Food

Oh, how I would love to give it 5 stars. 4th attempt. Walking in - if you haven’t been here before, good luck picking the right door. Lobby space is pretty big and they definitely could reorganize the space better. I was greeted with a smile, and a hello. - yes, it’s a big deal. Why? Because I’m interacting with a person, not a robot. Lunch time around 3 was pretty empty. The waitress was friendly, quick to get us water, and engaged well. Leading to a good atmosphere. The food (why you’re reading) - 4.5 out of 5. Honestly, I’d give it a 3 out of 5 but at its price point, they get a big slide. The food tastes great, but all that flavor does mask a secret. The halloumi was WAYYYY overcooked and to compensate for the disguised (not disgusting) eraser, they doused it in jam and honey. If you’re going to order, make your own bowl. Don’t order what their standard items are because, it’s literally just a combination of their bowl options. The bowl was well presented, tasted great. The falafel were somehow mush at the center with a crispy coating, but I let the mush slide this once. They NEED to include pita with everything and not rely on customers to ask for it. It’s a staple of this cuisine and should not be an “add-on”. I’d prefer it if you raised the prices and just added it in, rather than make it an add on. Canned drinks (no fountain), homemade lemonade was no better than just ordering lemon water, and they need a proper bar tender to make their mocktails. Overall - visit it. Try it. Great for families and large groups.

I had a great meal there for lunch today! Lots of vegetarian food and the atmosphere was very nice. We got a lot of recommendations from our server too. I had the bowl with Muhammara, rice/lentils, avocado, cumin carrots, chopped Shirazi and the sumac onions. The Sumac onions were fantastic! We were too full for dessert, which I've heard is wonderful. So we'll go back next week for that. I'm so glad we found this place!

Middle eastern - Mediterranean type place. Expanded from lunch-only to lunch + dinner in the last few months. New location is beautiful and walkable to many things downtown Asheville. Everything is super fresh and you can customize what you want. Give it a try you will love it.

I Loved Baba Nahm when it was in it's old location, but never went because I could never find parking around the Grove Arcade. So I was VERY excited to see they were moving to a different location. I was so excited to grab my favorite lunch on my break today, the Hummus bowl. However I am disappointed that they changed their eco friendly to go bowls into plastic platters. The food was delicious as always, BUT there was barely ANY hummus in my hummus bowl. One of the things I really appreciated about Baba Nahm was how generous they were with giving you a ton of hummus in their bowls and it's my favorite part so you can imagine how disappointed I was when I got home to find there wasn't any hummus in my bowl. HOWEVER, I called and spoke to the manager and he was very apologetic and gave me a partial refund to make it right. The service more than made up for this one time mistake. Baba Nahm will continue to be one of my favorite lunch stops and I look forward to trying their dinner service when it becomes available.

My husband and I really enjoyed our visit. We had a nice table near the window which was nice because it was a beautiful day. I was impressed by the variety of Mediterranean flavors on my plate with the chicken kebabs. The host and server were both friendly and the restaurant was very pretty.

Met friends there yesterday for lunch in this new location. Our food choices, ranging from lamb to vegetarian entrees, were delicious and very reasonably priced. They were ample enough that we all took containers home. Our server Ray was welcoming and attentive at just the right times. The interior is spacious, and parking is easy in the city garage across the street where the first hour is free. I look forward to repeat visits.

The quality of the ingredients are very good. Juicy, tender and delicious chicken. Which is very to come by anywhere. The way the food is prepared, I would say, is more Indian / curry than Lebanese. But I love both. The Bureg is delicious.

Baba Nahm is a great choice for a quick and reasonably priced meal in downtown Asheville. Located on Page Avenue in the Grove Arcade, it's convenient as long as you can find a parking spot close by which we did. Simple menu keeps the choices simple also but assures quick service. We both ordered Chicken Shawarma. I chose to go with a platter while my wife went with a stuffed pita. Both were delicious! The platter had enough that I couldn't finish it for lunch. I tried my best though. When entering you order at the counter and find a seat. When your food is ready the hollar out your name so you can pick it up. There's not a lot of seating but you have a choice of indoors or outdoors. We both enjoyed our experience and plan to go back.

Food is amazing !!! Falafel is the best... many options and all are amazing. Generous portions and incredibly savory. Cost point is good for what you get. The staff are really friendly. It's one of our favorites in Asheville!!!

We were starved while staycating in DT Asheville on the nicest day of the year when we decided to eat at this super-healthy restaurant. We were invited by the tree-lined street tables and general chill vibe. It was the kind of busy less than bustling where you pinch and ask yourself if it's for real. So disclaimer - my review here could be colored through rose-colored, hungry glasses. Anyway let's get to it. With our expectations and the fact it was inviting - we went in to order - & realized we had become people who can't see to read a lot of items in a series on a wall menu anymore. And we also realized that we must have, for whatever reason- misunderstood how to order. I should have photographed the menu, but it was slightly confusing. It would be less so to a regular- which we plan on being now that we know how good it is. I had the meatballs with a hummus bowl. There were 3 beef & lamb meatballs spiced so perfectly I found myself involuntarily ummming. The hummus had the right flavor with the minced olives, shredded pickled beets, and other salad ingredients ( lettuce tom red onion and cucumber.) It all had a great flavor profile mixed up. I dipped my meatballs in the hummus and felt like I'd died and gone to heaven. The one thing I would change is to order the hummus on the side because I don't care for my lettuce already stirred around & covered in it. I can honestly say it was the most enjoyable meal I've had in months. Aside from this, the selection of beverages available were beyond the pale for a QSR type of restaurant. They have, for lack of a better term - taste. (Haha - see what I did there?) They had a curated seasonal beer assortment, selections of wine in small bottles, and of course the dry cider I ordered spared no detail at being as healthy as an alcoholic beverage could be. (See photos. Also I thought it was great they carried non-alcoholic regional fruit soda. So whether you go for the outing/scenery, just a beverage to sip and people-watch for the afternoon, or just for a functional lunch/early dinner, I'd definitely not snooze on this one. It will make you feel light but still fed. And it is a nice break from SA diet with options to break out of a beverage rut too.

Lovely food, quick service . 10/10 do recommend will go again if near . Bbbbbbbbbnnnnnn

Soooo not sure who the chef is but this is a very American Middle Eastern food restaurant. I was excited to get some Arab food here. It was alas disappointed. Would not try again. One and done!

This was pretty good, and the folks running the show were really friendly. I wouldn't say it was "can't-miss!" but I'd say if you're needing something quick and healthy in downtown Asheville, it's a good spot to try. For whatever reason, I found it a little complicated to put everything together when ordering. I ended up sort of defering to the staff to help me put together something good, and ended up with a shawarma bowl that was OK. It basically amounted to a large bowl of several classic mediterranean ingredients all together, and everything was fresh. The shawarma and sauces weren't super flavorful, but again it was pretty good. One thing that stood out is the fantastic location downtown, especially on a sun-drenched autumn afternoon. Check 'em out for a quick lunch, and I appreciated chatting with the folks here during my brief stay!

Ordered the Chicken Shawarma Fattoush Salad: the chicken shawarma, chopped romaine, creamy tahini dressing, tomato, cucumber, sumac onions, pickled slaw, cumin carrot, feta, tabouli, pita chips, dolma, crispy chickpeas, and fresh za'atar created a very tasty mix. Service was quick, and the ambiance had a takeout vibe with seating available outside.

So happy I got lunch here during my short trip to beautiful Asheville. I have had plenty of Shawarma, but none had as much packed into a wrap as this one...perfectly cooked chicken, hummus, salad, I don't even know what else, but it was packed full and delicious! The Waynesville lavender lemon soda was one of the best sodas I have ever had. My friends each got falafel bowls and were very pleased. Quick service and reasonable prices, you won't be disappointed!

Sooo good! Falafel is sometimes a hit or miss for me but this was definitely a hit! You can tell everything is super fresh. Service is friendly and fast.

We met up for drinks and had plans to eat at a popular eatery in town, however, their wait was too long so we strolled around town to see what else interested all four of us - including two vegans -when we happened upon Baba Nahm just before they closed. The staff could not have been more welcoming and eager to explain their menu to us where you choose one style then a few ingredients. The food was fresh and preparation flavorful. There is a small indoor sitting area but the sidewalk tables were a draw for us. We'll definitely return.

I got dolmades, and while I didn't really like them, but presentation on point and most people really liked them. I'm just not a huge fan of vinegar based foods.

Love this place the service is friendly, the food comes out fast and everything is delicious: in downtown AVL that's a winning combo. My main dish changes but I always get the Israeli fries as a side. A tahini brownie is another great add on and travels pretty well I'd you get full.

Absolutely delicious very friendly very fast and a great location. Perfect place to people watch on a beautiful day. If they did not charge for hot sauce, I would give them five stars.

Wonderful little spot for a Mediterranean/Lebanese dish. Nice seating on the sidewalk. Lots of other places were packed full, but Baba had seats available, some cold beers and ciders in the cooler, and delicious food provided in less than 10 minutes. If you have other things to do/see in town, Couldn't ask for more.

This lentil soup is just righteously seasoned. Order two! If there weren't dinner reservations we would've returned immediately! The little cookies were so good also.

Chicken Schwarma in a Laffah Wrap was AMAZING! So flavorful and fresh. Egyptian Falafel on a Lebanese Platter with was fresh and filling. Israeli Fries perfectly cooked and seasoned. We were super happy to discover this place and will definitely be one of our go to stops when we go to Asheville

Such a perfect combination of quality and price. Really good food and a great place to grab lunch

Great middle eastern eatery in downtown Asheville- Close to all the hustle and bustle in the area! Delicious food, lot of options and plenty of drink options too with some local NC beers also. The food was cooked perfectly with well rounded options in the bowl - lot of fresh veggies and options to choose! Definitely recommend the fries with Tahini and Harissa sauce!

I thought this place looked cute from the outside after passing it several times. I knew I wanted to try it at some point. Wow - I'm glad I finally made it...on my last day in Asheville! Absolutely fantastic food. We only got the falafel wrap but boy it was definitely the best falafel wrap I've ever had. I mostly appreciated how it was a great balance of sauces and fresh veggies to combat the dryness of the falafel that we all know can happen. Just delicious, healthy, perfect.

Didn't cut it. Ordered the chicken shawarma, and the chicken was very cold. Took it up to the counter and was told the vegetables are supposed to be cold. Told them I'm aware, but the chicken was also cold. Girl at counter wasn't happy and didnt care. Had to ask for a refund w no apology. Had high hopes but wouldn't be back

A mix of food from several middle eastern countries, small restaurant with some seating outside. The food is not great and not bad. Found a couple of hair in the food, but it happens :)

Omg soooo good. While walking to the indoor market we came across this gem. The owner is super friendly and chill. Great food. Definitely try it!!! You won't be disappointed.

Visited April 2018..Probably the 1st customers on a Saturday morning..Greeted right away..I had the daily special,son had the falafel pita and soup..Flavors vey good, portions a tad smaller but at this price point in downtown Asheville well worth it..Bonus for the free flavoured water! Definitely recommended

Service was fast, food incredible & fairly priced. The seasoned fries and the two dipping sauces they offer were mouth watering. They have a delicious warm gluten free (option) pita for your hummus. The hummus is served in a take home container and is the size of a portion you'd buy at the store. So good!

Good fresh food. Helpful staff, fair prices. Lots of vegetarian and gluten free options.

Delicious food, good price and very helpful employees. My husband and I had never been before and one of the employees took the time to explain exactly how to order. Very nice! Take time to stop into this place when in Asheville.

A Mediterranean takeout bowl place. They offer falafel, which is excellent. The bowl options aren't as customizable as I'd like. The one I landed on, with some wheat and a very colorful salad, smelled and tasted fantastic, even day later. I would have preferred the option to build a bowl and pick what I did like and avoid all the cucumbers and olives and stuff that I don't, but flavorwise, the foundations are strong, and it's central in downtown Asheville and a good price.

During our vacation to Asheville, we stopped at Baba Nahm as a healthier lunch option after a hike. Due to safety guidelines, we ordered online and opted to take out the food. I ordered the chicken shawarma and also tried the israeli fries. Although the plates here are inexpensive, I noticed that the portion sizes were also smaller; a few of us finished our dishes and were still hungry. Next time, I would consider ordering another side or paying more at a restaurant that gives more. As for the taste, I highly recommend trying all of their sauces to see what you like best. Even though the fries came with a variety of dipping sauces, I put some of the sauces in the chicken shawarma to deepen the flavor. As for the fries, they really are not special -- there was nothing extraordinary about the taste or flavor. As for the service, I didn't go inside the restaurant to pick up our items. However, our food was prepared quickly, and there were no issues.

I was very impressed when my friends I made a stop at Baba Nahm to sample some of their Middle-Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine while we were up in Asheville for the weekend for our buddy's bachelor party. The fast-casual eatery offers some yummy lamb and beef shawarma that was savory and satisfying, especially when you consider their side of cucumber tzatziki sauce. Their falafel was also on point and very tasty, while their hummus bowl was quite yummy. Located in downtown Asheville, Baba Nahm separates themselves from the other restaurant joints in the area due to their culinary direction (Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine), the easily accessible menu where you can determine what you want quickly, and expedient service. The interior's bright colors also bring an inviting element to the stop, with its flourishes of blues and yellows to enjoy your shawarma either at one of the tables or the high-top counters that are towards the back.

Really looking forward to visiting this place often. Excellent use of spices throughout as everything we tried has really flavorful. My wife commented that the falafel might be the best we've had, it's really crisp/crunchy on the exterior but not dry on the inside. Plus friendly and attentive service to boot. Also noticed they have bar seating along the back with plenty of power outlets on the wall, great for a little working lunch break. Note that they are replacing the lamb dishes with beef on the menu, but still plan to offer lamb on occasion in daily specials.

Wowzers. This food ROCKED. I had the shawarma of the day, which was chicken, in a laffah wrap. It was a party in my mouth FOR REAL. The ingredients were all so fresh, you could just tell that it was great quality. I also had the fries ... so good as well. I had two sauces with the fries, the tomato jam and the tahini. Both really good I even tried mixing them together. Definitely recommend!

For a quick lunch, this is okay. We had shawarma bowls which were not bad - along with some unseasoned/undressed salads. The shawarma was pretty bland. Things seemed fresh but meh.

Yum, yum, yum until three quarters way through I pulled a hair out very much stuck in the food. Why?! Not to be dramatic but such lovely flavors and good review ruined by something so avoidable.

The line should be out the door at all times, but lucky for me it isn't. I often go here twice a day for falafel meals because it's so affordable. Make no mistake, though, everything's high-quality and delicious, even has good taste and texture the next day. The servers are always a joy (or at least as much as any healthy human can be). The hours and location are also convenient. Why aren't you there already?

YAAASSSSS! Always on the lookout for a good Mediterranean place. The falafel is not over seasoned, so delicious! We ordered the hummus bowl and fries. Plenty of food for two. Great prices, great food and VEGAN! We'll be back.

The original plan was White Duck Taco, Downtown, lunch, Sunday. But throwing a wrench into those tidy plans was the fact that White Duck Taco isn't open Sundays. Boo. But I fired up the reliable Yelp app and chanced upon Baba Nahm. The reviews were stellar, so off we walked. Baba Nahm appears to have opened fairly recently in the Grove Arcade. On that note, the bathrooms for this place are the public ones in the Grove Arcade. The interior of the restaurant is brightly decorated in nearly neon colors. A man who I assumed was the owner or manager greeted us by the register and gave us the rundown. Baba Nahm emphasizes the grab and go/in a hurry theme. They've got a cold case stocked with things like grape leaves and dips and bottled drinks, and there are plenty of stools at counters with lots of outlets underneath. You can sit outside too. I tried the #7 lamb shawarma pita ($7.95) and shared the #8 Israeli potato fries ($3), as well as the grape leaves. The fries were tossed with zatar and came with dipping sauces lemon tahini and harissa. Our only criticism was that we probably got the bottom of the fry basket so there were a bunch of small pieces. The grape leaves were yummy and so were the pitas which were colorful and packed with lots of ingredients. The pickled veggies were the favorite aspect, we agreed. The #7 had all sorts of fun components: hummus, tahini, zhug, Israeli salad, Arab pickles, lettuce, and parsley salad. A quick Google consult tells me that zhug is an Middle Eastern hot sauce, but I didn't think it was too spicy or anything. Really glad we chanced upon Baba Nahm! I even bought their rad sticker of a cartoon pita man to mark the experience. Hope to return when back in Asheville.

The chicken shawarma wrap did not disappoint! The meatball Lebanese platter was full of flavor and also very good. As others have said it is a must. If you are thinking about grabbing a bite here... just do it!

"Do just a few things, and do them in an exceptional way!" This probably isn't the mission statement at Baba Nahm, but it could be. If you have ever experienced Middle Eastern hospitality, or if you haven't, this is a good example of it. Enthusiastic, friendly, warm, and inviting with an emphasis on flavor and tradition. Don't let the small-menu/small-cafe mislead, this place is BIG on great meals. One of my theories about Asheville cuisine is that if a place can last more that 2 years, it almost has to be good. AVL is so spoiled with great food that they don't have to settle for mediocre or worse. Especially in THIS high rent neighborhood. It's one of those places where everything is super good and, even though some of us are "menu snobs" and like to order the perfect dish, I think it almost doesn't matter here. You're going to love whatever they make because it's all delicious. They could use a few padded chairs and comfort accoutrements. I mean I just heard that if a person has a bony butt, they might not like the hard chairs. I don't make this stuff up, I just report the news. Drinks can be pricey. We love this place.

Phenomenal. Just. Phenomenal. I'm only knocking off one star because I wish they had more options. I mean, the menu is small. I guess it's a good thing they keep it simple. But I feel like they could offer tabbouleh or hummus on the side instead of having to order the bigger to-go containers. But we are getting nitpicky. The roasted chicken is so juicy and flavorful. Think jerk chicken. And it rivals big barbecue chicken. The portions are huge. Come with a friend (or two) and share a single bowl. You will still have leftovers. The fries!! I'm almost embarrassed that they've recognized our culture's sick obsession with greasy cut up potatoes. But then... just taste them. They are so good! No shame at all now. The drinks in the case are one of a kind. Tea, hard cider, beer, etc. Schweeeet. The look in here is so sleek and colorful. Forget that. Just close your eyes and listen to the music. Get some toe-tapping going on, man. I love this stuff.

If you look for unique middle eastern food and their affordability, look at this place. We were going to the basilica and decided to park in front of the Groove Arcade Shopping Center. E actually park at the front of this restaurant. After our visit to the nearby attractions, my wife said why not try them out and it is not hurt with the good pricing. We have the chicken shawarma. The display of the food is awesome. The taste is not bad. Very nice spice up veggies at pita. The chicken is just ok. But the overall of the food is great. Good experience. The store people are nice. Smile to great the customers.

We ordered a chicken shawarma pita, beef shawarma pita, and Israeli fries. TASTY! And reasonably priced for what you get. My beef shawarma was thoughtfully cut into bite-sized pieces, and was masterfully tender and flavorful. With ingredients like "Arab pickles", "zoug and zatar", the #7 has an exotic-far away land appeal as well. I couldn't tell you which ingredients created which tastes, but the dish as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts---DELICIOUS. The fries were good fries, but 2 dipping sauces---one of which I'm guessing was straight tahini---not too thrilling. Friendly staff. Based on our experience, parking near the Grove Arcade is a challenge. Maybe better to circle the block whilst a shotgun rider runs in to grab your order. Either way, we'll be back.

I wanted the Lamb Shawarma but they were out of lamb and had beef instead. While I started out a little disappointed since the lamb wasn't available, I was blown away by the Beef Sharwarma. I couldn't hold it in my hand it was so big, I had to eat out of the pita like it was a bowl. It was so flavorful and vegetables tasted so fresh. The beef was cooked perfectly. The seating is causal, you have a grab your own seat. The seating is not plentiful, but maybe enough. The fries are good too; lots of spice, herbs, and salt. Only a small selection of bottled beverages but they did have a few local beers. Highly recommended - so flavorful.

Gluten free alert! These people are pros. Now, the flavor I didn't love, but that's just me. I was looking for more Indian type, this isn't that or a doner kabob. This is wonderful with the most amazing gluten free pita ever. They even have a dairy free sauce we could have. The meat was still good. So I can't deck them a . Hey deserve a 5. The people here are also super nice. The hot sauce is amazing also. Always priced right. I do make a walking visit here. It's a very close walk as it's in downtown in one of the best parts of town. Come here folks. Gluten free is perfect here!

Loved the pickled slaw on the falafel laffah wrap. Had that and tasty fries. Quick and inexpensive

My new favorite spot. Service was quick and friendly. Nice amount of both indoor and outdoor seating at the Grove Arcade. I had the salad bowl and added falafel. Best falafel I've ever had. I Plan to follow another persons recommendation and come here often for takeout - having my husband circle the block while I run in.

Looking for a place to nosh after stalling the Grove Acrade. We went in for the falafel and the shawarma but they were having a special two week middle eastern pop-up breakfast/brunch. So we ended up with the breakfast pita with eggs, bacon, Israeli vegetables in a pita which was delicious. They have free lemon water to drink or assorted beverages to buy. Both indoor & outdoor seating is available. nice place for a quick bite of delicious food.

A solid 5 stars! It's awesome having such a fresh, flavorful, and fairly priced fast casual restaurant downtown. I was not sure what to expect and was blown away by the delicious components in my Sabich pita. From fried eggplant and a perfect creamy, freshly boiled egg to deeply caramelized onions and Middle Eastern pickles, the whole sandwich was incredible. That "amba" sauce is made from green mango and adds just the subtlest sweet-tangy flavor to all the savory bits. All of the sauces were homemade and great - bright, smooth tahini-lemon, excellent spicy harissa, and cilantro-heavy zhoug. And the fresh-cut fries are some of the best around: crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, generously seasoned with sumac, za'atar, and salt. Hubs loved his lamb pita and that happy silence engulfed the table as we ate. Yum! Quite possibly one of the best meals I've had in Asheville. Amazing! And I left full and feeling like I got my money's worth.

Great Mediterranean experience...the favors are phoneominal with the combination of sweet, savory and fermintation done right!!!...The employees are so helpful and the menu is set up for a " no fail " combination of goodness for all food conissures. I will definitely return and will recommend to all my friends

Delicious, great variety and prompt service too! We stayed across the street at the Cambria Hotel. I popped in for all of 5 minutes, and walked out with the most flavorful, to-go good food in town. The Baba Ganoush was excellent!

Azing food choices and everything is fresh , can't recommend enough. Falafels are really crispy and pitas are fresh. Tahini is flavorful. Israel fries were delicious.

The owner was really nice and friendly . Most of the foods are gluten free, so you can almost eat anything from here if you are Lactose intolerant!