Forn Al Hara

"Lebanese flatbreads known as manaeesh are the specialty at Forn Al Hara, a savory bakery with daily operating hours that span from breakfast to dinner. This counter service eatery fires up manaeesh requests to order in a wood-burning oven, so call ahead or expect a wait. If you can’t make up your mind, ask owner Mo (short for Mohammad) Alam to guide you through the menu of mostly meatless options with combinations of za’atar, labneh, spinach, and cheese. Order mini-sized portions to experience more flavors, beginning with the zesty za’atar. Nosh on the pickles and olives included with the flatbreads in between bites. Bonus: A pastry display at the register silently suggests a sweet escape when munching through the manaeesh. — Anne Marie Panoringan" - Joshua Lurie, Anne Marie Panoringan

"Anaheim’s Little Arabia neighborhood has one of the largest collections of Middle Eastern restaurants on the West Coast, and you could easily spend an entire weekend here trying all the spots. But if you only have time for one, make it Forn Al Hara. This Lebanese bakery specializes in manaeesh, a Levantine flatbread topped with anything from zaatar and cheese to labneh and honey. You can argue with your friends and family about which is the best, but frankly, it’s irrelvant. You put on an old sneaker on top the these fluffy, tender flatbreads and we'd happily order a dozen. Make sure to snag a slice of knafeh (sweet pastry made with shredded filo) for the drive home." - brant cox

"Breakfast has become a lost art form. And it’s easy to see why - most people’s weekday schedules barely give them enough time to slam a granola bar and a cup of instant coffee in the car, let alone indulge in a full meal. On weekends, the most important meal of the day has been replaced by the mimosa-soaked hellshow some people call “brunch.” These days, the idea of going out of your way to eat breakfast seems almost unfathomable, but perhaps all you’ve needed is a better reason to do so. We’ve got one for you - Forn Al Hara. Located in Anaheim’s Little Arabia neighborhood, Forn Al Hara is a family-run Lebanese bakery and a long-standing pillar of one of the largest Middle Eastern communities in America. It’s also home to a Levantine breakfast so consistently perfect we will forever go out of our way to experience it. And it’s time you did, too. Now, it should be stated that Forn Al Hara is actually open every day from 8am-10pm (11pm on the weekends), so you can come here anytime you want and have a great meal. But it’s in the mornings when this casual, order-at-the-counter spot is at its best. Walking in at 8:45am, smelling the manaeesh (Mediterranean flatbreads) wafting from the ovens, staring at the rows of baklava and knafeh glimmering like sugared trophies in the baked goods case, and watching the whole neighborhood trickle in with their coffee and newspapers is the type of communal magic you forget still exists in the world. But then the food starts to hit the table and you realize this extraordinary journey has just begun. At first glance, Forn Al Hara’s menu can feel a bit overwhelming, but the breakdown is fairly simple: There’s the manaeesh (both regular and mini-sized), a wrap and pizza section you can ignore, and a dessert/sweets section you can’t. Depending on how many people you’re with, your order should include as many manaeesh as you can fit on your table (and maybe a few you can’t), a half-dozen fatayer (tiny spinach pies), and a couple of knafeh, noodle-like cheese pastries topped with pistachios that are an excellent excuse to eat dessert before 9am. But let’s take a second and talk more about the manaeesh, because they’re the real reason you’re here. Forn Al Hara has well over 30 different kinds, ranging from chicken chipotle to cheese and eggs, and they’re all good. That’s because when the flatbread itself is as buttery, fluffy, and simultaneously crispy as it is here, the toppings are almost arbitrary. We love the sujuk (cured beef sausage) with cheese, the lahem bel ajeen (ground beef with veggies and tomatoes), and the sweet and spicy muhamara (hot pepper spread made with pomegranate molasses). If you’re feeling healthy-ish and want to get your vegetables in early, go for the zatar with veggie flat. It’s a tangy mix of herbs and spices topped with a mountain of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and black olives. But perhaps the item you’ll be thinking and texting about most afterwards is the Cheese Boat. This aptly named dish comes with bubbling white cheese trapped inside a crispy bread canoe, and is as simple as it is soul-curing. We understand the hesitancy to extend any type of effort for a decent breakfast these days, but when you have the opportunity to experience a truly excellent version - like one at Forn Al Hara - you take it every time. Don’t call it a comeback." - Brant Cox

"Movie Pairing: Knives Out at Zion Lutheran School in Anaheim A trip to Orange County usually means a stop at Forn Al Hara - so there’s no reason to deviate from that plan when you’re going down for a screening of Knives Out. Forn Al Hara is a Lebanese restaurant and bakery that is one of our favorite restaurants in OC, period. Its menu is as star-studded as the movie you’re about to see - from the tremendous cheese boat and the sweet and spicy muhamara, to the next-level sujuk and cheese manaeesh. Friday, July 31, 8:30pm. Tickets available here." - brett keating

"This is Brookhurst’s must stop shop in Anaheim’s Little Arabia district. The manaeesh flat breads are the start of the show (along with wraps), and easy enough to carry away into the stadium, at least with a little preparation first." - Farley Elliott