Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen
Mediterranean restaurant · Hyde Park
1206 E 53rd St, Chicago, IL 60615
Highlights
Crispy falafel, harissa wings, tacos, Mediterranean dishes
Crispy falafel, harissa wings, tacos, Mediterranean dishes
"You can get the Mediterranean food at Cedars for either takeout, curbside pickup, or delivery." - adrian kane
"UChicago students and Hyde Park residents have been coming to this Palestinian-owned neighborhood spot for their falafel for over three decades. And for good reason, the fried chickpea spheres have an excellent crunchy crust, a fluffy center, and get plenty of herby zip from tahini that clearly has a dill obsession. But it’s also worth checking out foods that fuse Mexican and Mediterranean elements, like tacos layered with tender chicken shawarma or lamb barbacoa, both of which get a generous drizzle of their zesty chili salsa and peppery harissa tahini. They also occasionally drop specials like harissa glazed fried chicken tacos and host comedy shows, so check out their Instagram for menu and event updates." - john ringor, adrian kane, veda kilaru
"Cedar Mediterranean Kitchen has taken a lesson from the Palestinian ownership’s other restaurant, Hot Chi Chicken & Cones, a restaurant with a spicy fried chicken sandwich “Popeyes Ain’t !@$%” that is one of the best in the city. The wings take that signature spicy orange sauce made with harissa and doused with a little sweetness. These will satisfy fans of traditional Buffalo wings, but the extra sauce brings a Middle Eastern edge, blending various influences into a delicious morsel." - Ashok Selvam
"Cedar’s has been a neighborhood staple since the early '90s, and this Mediterranean restaurant is great for takeout or a casual weeknight dinner. The space is small and cozy, and the menu has shawarma wraps, lamb kebabs, harissa-glazed wings, and hummus topped with pine nuts. If you’re looking for something light and flavorful on a Tuesday night, here you go. " - adrian kane
"UChicago students and Hyde Park residents have been coming to this Palestinian-owned neighborhood spot for their falafel for over three decades. And for good reason, the fried chickpea spheres have an excellent crunchy crust, a fluffy center, and get plenty of zip from tahini that clearly has a dill obsession. But it’s also worth checking out foods that fuse Mexican and Mediterranean elements, like tacos layered with tender chicken shawarma or lamb barbacoa, both of which get a generous drizzle of zesty chili salsa and harissa tahini. Cedar's also occasionally drops specials like harissa glazed fried chicken tacos and hosts comedy shows, so check out their Instagram for menu and event updates." - John Ringor
