Lulu
Middle Eastern restaurant · Albany ·
Californian-Palestinian eatery with creative mezze, shakshouka & knafeh pancake
Californian-Palestinian eatery with creative mezze, shakshouka & knafeh pancake
"This excellent Palestinian brunch and lunch spot just moved to a bigger, brighter space in Albany—and at the festival, you can swing by for loaded toum garlic fries and falafel rice bowls. They're also serving chicken kebabs, which are a great handheld snack as you speed walk to your next set." - julia chen 1
"Chef Mona Leena moved her crowd-favorite daytime restaurant to a bigger Albany space over a year ago, she instantly created a beautiful neighborhood classic. The new Lulu is bright and colorful with floral wallpaper, fig murals, and a very photogenic lounge area where hungry guests wait for their table to open up. The menu is invigorating and full of joy, Leena’s famous mezze sampler, salads, and heartier mains all starring. Since relocating, the restaurant is also open for dinner." - Flora Tsapovsky
"Lulu has found a new, bigger home on Albany’s Solano Avenue in a space that looks like a cute tea lounge with poppy and fig wallpapers and calming green tones. The Cal-Palestinian brunch spot’s signature feast ($35 per person) is a cure-all for morning meal decision fatigue: an assortment of hummus, muhammara, and labneh are piled next to roasted halloumi and crudité on a small turntable. The dish is so good, and a step above your standard eggs benedict and avocado toast brunch. Adding to this no-brainer meal are impressive, sweet-centric coffee drinks made with things like pistachio cold foam, and colorful plates like the rich knafeh pancake and baklava french toast topped with honey and cream. They’re all conversation starters, and why we’re excited to return for dinner. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"Since Lulu's move to a new Albany location, I've been impressed by chef Mona Leena Michael's knafeh pancake, a rediscovered favorite I was influenced into ordering via a recent bachelor's button piece by writer Flora Tsapovsky. The orange blossom syrup is sweet without being cloying, shredded filo provides the perfect crunch while the cheese inside mellows and pulls the ingredients together, and it's offset by creamy pistachios and vibrant purple flowers on top—it's both a sight to behold and a delight to eat. I couldn't finish it at the restaurant, so I took the rest home and happily carved wedges throughout the day, and even as the filo softened the pancake remained enjoyable." - Dianne de Guzman
"Chef Mona Leena Michael’s Albany jewel Lulu serves a thoughtful grown-up menu of toum Caesar salad, hearty mansaf pot pies, and knafeh pancakes, balancing both classic Californian and Palestinian culinary influences. Honestly, little ones might be drawn more to the baklava French toast or chicken kebab than the kid’s menu to begin with — otherwise, there are both crispy tenders and a petite mezze of scrambled eggs, pancakes, crudité, and pita to keep them fed. A plan to have a children’s area with a babysitter on staff is in the works — so busy parents can eat — so stay tuned." - Justine Jones