Zaaki

Mediterranean restaurant · Allston

Zaaki

Mediterranean restaurant · Allston

2

1147 Commonwealth Ave, Allston, MA 02134

Photos

Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null
Zaaki by null

Highlights

Relaxed counter-serve restaurant serving Egyptian koshari in spicy, mild, veggie & meat varieties.  

Featured in Eater
Placeholder

1147 Commonwealth Ave, Allston, MA 02134 Get directions

$$ · Menu

Information

Static Map

1147 Commonwealth Ave, Allston, MA 02134 Get directions

+1 857 361 9660
ZaakiFoodTruck

$$ · Menu

Features

delivery
takeout
dine in
Tap to pay
reservations
payment credit card
outdoor seating

Last updated

Jul 10, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@eater

"Mediterranean food truck Zaaki — started by Samar Abdalelah, who moved from Saudi Arabia to Boston in 2013 and debuted the truck five years later — has expanded to a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 1147 Commonwealth Ave. The restaurant features several versions of the Egyptian national dish koshari, a carb-heavy combination of rice, lentils, and macaroni." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Fall 2020 Restaurant Openings in and Around Boston - Eater Boston
View Postcard for Zaaki
@eater

"Zaaki recently hit the road, serving koshari (a rice dish with macaroni and lentils), salads, and more in various locations around the metro area. Zaaki currently has three lunch locations (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and five dinner locations on weekdays. The menu for Zaaki features various koshari options, including a butter chicken dish, pesto fish, and a spicy version. There are also fattoush salads and basboosa (a kind of coconut cake) for dessert." - Dana Hatic

Now There’s Even More Egyptian Food in the Boston Area - Eater Boston
View Postcard for Zaaki

Andrew Rosato

Google
Delicious! All the food was super fresh and made to order. The falafel and the crisped onions were especially tasty. Great spot for a sit down meal, I would be prepared to wait a bit for takeout tho as it seems like it's just the owner cooking and he makes everything to order. Looking forward to my next visit!

Victoria P

Google
Sooo tasty and they are so friendly!!! The food was made fresh and flavored/cooked perfectly. The portion size is also perfect, if on the generous side. The baklava is not pictured but also a must-try. They are re-opening after having closed temporarily during Covid so definitely stop by!

Rose Tehrani

Google
The food was super tasty and satisfying, and the staff was helpful and personable. The texture of the falafel was perfect (crunchy but not dry)! My friend and I had a lovely time here and we look forward to going back.

MM A

Google
Nice, friendly service but underwhelmed with the food portions and flavor... flavor wasn't bad but not unique, as expected since it is as described, Arab food. Would return to try other items.

Sheau Ng

Google
Fantastic middle eastern food, very friendly host and staff, small menu but what they have, they made it really really good, full-flavor, and exactly the reason you came in this small, but sunny and homey restaurant. Young owner/chef Ibrahim couldn’t be more welcoming and warm hearted. I had the beef kofta with rice; my wife had a falafel wrap. Both were exceedingly tasty and the portion generous. We bought some baklava to take home for dessert. I definitely would come back.

Susie Nimitpattana

Google
Run, don’t walk to check out this place. Absolutely delicious koshari plates. Generous portions and everything was fresh. Really friendly service too. I wish this place existed sooner, we will definitely be back!

Omar Alolayan

Google
Shawarma here is really good. The staff are very friendly and hospitable. The french fries with zaatar is a must try dish.

Eli Moskowitz

Google
Friendly service and food is great. Will return. Generous portions and reasonable price for quality. Great option to have in the neighborhood.

Risa K.

Yelp
Went to Zaaki for the first time and loved it!! The food, service, and portions were all amazing. It is a little far from the main streets of Allston but it is worth the extra 5 minute walk. For COVID, they have online ordering and walk-in orders. There are 2 tables outside as well! I ordered the Koshari Bulgur as the base for my bowl, baba ganoush and fattouch salad as my sides, spicy tomato sauce, and added falafels. There's a huge amount of bulgar! And it went so well with the tangy tomato sauce that has a slight kick. I highly suggest the spicy sauce as it is not too spicy and has lots of flavor. The baba ganoush is chunky rather than a smooth consistency. However, it was super smoky and tasty!! The fattouch salad wasn't anything special. What I really want to suggest is the falafels. These falafels are SO good. The texture is perfect: Crispy on the outside and moist in the inside. Also, you get 6 for less than 3 dollars, which is such a good deal compared to other falafel places. Everything was so well cooked and was very flavorful. It really is a bang for your buck! I think I'd come here over Garlic and Lemons!

Della S.

Yelp
This place deserves 5 stars and more! Each individual menu item I tried had its own flavor profile. Everything was perfectly cooked. I got the koshari rice with baba ganoush, yogurt cucumber salad, spicy tomato sauce, and added beef kabab. The base (rice, sides, and sauces) was $7.99 and adding the beef was +$2.49. The rice was seasoned so nicely that I could eat it alone, and the grains and lentils were cooked but not mushy. Highly recommend the spicy tomato sauce. I liked that they kept the baba ganoush chunky and it was super smoky. The cucumber yogurt salad included carrots among some other ingredients I couldn't pinpoint. I loved the seasoning that they put in the beef, which was unlike anything I've had at other restaurants which serve beef kabab. I also asked for extra tahini sauce and garlic sauce on the side. The garlic flavor was pretty light so the garlic sauce mostly tasted like ranch dressing. The sesame flavor in the tahini sauce was also pretty light. I got to try their hummus ($2.99) and falafel ($2.49). The hummus is on the chunkier side and also pretty mild in flavor (not garlicky or sour-- you can really taste the chickpeas). They give a nice portion of falafel for the price. So glad I found this place! Looking forward to trying other stuff from their menu.

Patrick C.

Yelp
Food is great service is very bad the waitress was rude and everything I asked her for she had a problem with

Dan M.

Yelp
Good food and good service - must support local business! I enjoyed the plates and the portions!

Trang P.

Yelp
Genuinely one of my favorite restaurants in Boston. Definitely recommend, and they have the best service : ) So glad they are back in store!!!!!

Bruce K.

Yelp
I caught up with the Zaaki food truck when they were parked at the Boston City Hall. Good options of tasty food, I chose the chicken curry on rice. It was prepped and ready for me a minute later. Lots of flavor and spice here. Not necessarily "hot" but flavorful. With the rice, a solid meal for lunch. And with the "yogurt salad" as one of my side options, I was prepared in case it did turn out to be "hot spicy" which it was a little. I enjoyed my lunch today and I'll be looking out for them again.

Dinesh G.

Yelp
The employees are friendly and following the covid rules and social distancing. They wore the mask all the times and have the 6 feet stickers on the floor to help the customers. Their Safforn rice with chicken is good :) great food and flavor.

carol b.

Yelp
SUCH A TREASURE! Zaaki makes authentic Mediterranean food that is fresh, absolutely delicious and very inexpensive. In addition to outstanding shawarma, falafel, kufta, beef kabob, koshari, fattoush, hummus, baba ganoush and zaatar pies, the selection of salads, pizzas and flatbreads are delightful. Zaaki also makes THE BEST cheese steak sub that I have ever eaten! Zaaki is run by a couple who lovingly prepare every dish. The care and respect for the food and the customer shines through in every bite. Remember to order dessert!

Guli K.

Yelp
Really delicious food. Bowl comes with a base of either rice or bulgur koshari and 2 vegetable options. I went with the falafel and fatoush salad. They then have the option of either the regular or fiery tomato sauce; go with the fiery. All of this comes to about 9 bucks. Add either chicken shawarma or butter chicken for and additional $2.50. They also offer shawarma's and salads. Food was delicious and freshly prepared, slightly on the pricey side for a food truck.

Sami T.

Yelp
Incredible food - crazy flavorful and heaping portions. Highly recommend this place! Options for takeout or seating at two small indoor tables. Don't sleep on the basbousa (coconut, honey, semolina flour) and baklava, excellent for those with a sweet tooth. I will definitely be going back!

Jessica L.

Yelp
Zaaki is so good! Can't wait to come back! - Buffalo chicken flatbread - this was unexpectedly PHENOMENAL. - Fattoush salad - do not recommend. Basically shredded lettuce and the breadcrumbs were just toasted bread with no flavor or seasoning. I don't think this even came with dressing (maybe splash of lemon)? - Beef roll-up was good, though unexpectedly a bit sweet - Koshari bulgar with butter chicken was really good - highly recommend. Pricing was reasonable and large portions (i.e., you don't need to order much).

Nina S.

Yelp
Really incredible, flavorful food! Generous portions, great price, kind folks. Would recommend to anyone in the mood for something new. Both meat and vegetarian options were hugely satisfying - everything I tried was amazing so order away! Online ordering was a little tricky at first, but gave them a call and had zero issues. Already planning my next trip here!

Ankil S.

Yelp
I love this restaurant. I have special appreciation for restaurants which don't use styrofoam for packing and care for keeping our planet green. This restaurant uses good quality compostable/ reusable boxes and that says a lot about attitude of doing away with cheap things. I usually have falafel plate and zatar flat bread from this place. Food is really good. Owner is absolutely courteous man. The only negative thing is the time you have to wait to get your food. I would cut one star for this. I absolutely love this place.

Manaswni D.

Yelp
After passing by this newly opened restaurant countless times, we were lured in by the 25% off and 5$ lunch/dinner deals. The staff were very friendly, kind and attentive towards our orders and requests. We ordered the delicious Butter Chicken Koshari which came with freshly made fattoush salad and homemade baba ghanoush along with a large chicken shawarma and a side of well-salted, crispy fries. If you enjoy a filling, affordable and flavorful meal then Zaaki is the place to go! I strongly suggest getting a side of the garlic sauce and the fluffy, coconut laden Basbousa for desert.

Greg D.

Yelp
Pretty good Chicken Shawarma. Not the best I've ever had but good with fresh ingredients.

Mike S.

Yelp
Delicious. Best falafel I've ever had. Excellent shawarma and amazing baclava! You can't go wrong with Zaaki, it's incredible!

Kevin R.

Yelp
The large falafel wrap is both delicious and filling. The vegetable pizza is also delicious and not heavy. The basbousa is great for those who like coconut and not too sweet (but I also have a sweet tooth). The people who work here are really nice and the prices for the food are very reasonable (especially if you are a vegetarian)!

Thalia I.

Yelp
Discovered this place by mistake on my way home, and it was such an nice surprise. Only tried the beef kofta, but it was pretty good. And the owner was friendly and approachable despite the fact that we showed up minutes before closing. It has the magic and warmth of small businesses. It's authentic. I will definitely go back and I recommend it.

Cher K.

Yelp
This place just moved to my neighborhood and I gave it a try. My thought at the first bite of my Butter Chicken Koshari was Wow. Very good, very affordable and nice sized portions. I got a very big piece of Baklava for only $2.50 but I am too full to eat it right now. It will be gone by the end of today though. Very nice guy made my food as well.

Brooke C.

Yelp
Zaaki visited my workplace and it was so great. The staff was helpful with recommendations and even let me come back for more of anything that I wanted to just try first. We often complain of various pop up restaurants not serving us enough to fill us up but this was not the case. My coworkers didn't finish theirs and I did and was full all day. Very flavorful and filling! I enjoyed every bite.

Sergey Z.

Yelp
Visited Zaaki with my family. Everyone loved it so much. Food is prepared from scratch from fresh ingredients and not from something that's half-ready and sitting in the fridge for a long time. Food quality and taste were amazing. Portion sizes were really generous and prices are not high at all. Owners, who also served us, were very friendly and tried to make us enjoy every moment of the time we spent in their restaurant. We highly recommend this restaurant!!!

J D.

Yelp
Food 5/5. I usually get a rice plate and the margarita flat bread. There always seems to be something missing from my order, for all the three times I've ordered. If I never go back it'll be for that reason, other than that good food.

Lilly D.

Yelp
Had the Koshari, it was great. It is an Egyptian authentic vegan street food that you can rarely find in the area. The nice thing is that it's packed with protein from the lentils.

Dominic M.

Yelp
The food is delicious and affordable. I've tried the falafel wrap, the shawarma wrap, and the cheesesteak, all of which surpassed my expectations. The desserts and fries round out their offerings. I've never been hungry after eating Zaaki! They are following social distancing protocols and enforcing mask-wearing. I felt safe throughout the ordering and pick-up process.

Beighley B.

Yelp
Food was excellent and fast! Service was friendly, and I can't wait to try the rest of the menu!

Alina J.

Yelp
I love Mediterranean food and this is the most mediocre Mediterranean food I've ever had. I ordered a chicken shawarma wrap from their food truck at the Aeronaut in Allston tonight and all that was in it was chicken shawarma, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a bland yogurt sauce. It tasted like a Americanized, burger version of a shawarma wrap. When I asked for hot sauce, they gave me a container of tomato sauce that wasn't even spicy. I literally just ordered from Halal Guys whose food had never let me down because the wrap I had from Zaaki was so unsatisfying.

Rashi M.

Yelp
Toying between 3 and 4 stars. I tried the Fiery koshari bowl, which had great taste. Less than because the toppings were a little lacking- I got no crispy onion strings and like 4 chickpeas. Not sure if the Shattah was in it. Would be nice to have some more, esp so it's not just carbs. Was also expecting bulgar, or a mix of rice and bulgar, since the menu states "Rice/bulgar." Is this just a matter of what is available that day? The chef's whim? Still, the taste and plentiful vegetarian options may have me come back to try a different kind.

Maher A.

Yelp
It's great food and great people. The taste of the food is very authentic. You feel as if you're in Egypt. They have a lot of varieties of food. What I like about is that it's healthy and very filling. They have great prices. I would definitely recommend to try their food. If you are in the area just find them and stop by to taste the amazing food.

Ziggy S.

Yelp
This place is amazing. Authentic and delicious. Staff is very friendly and make great recommendations. Thank you!

Osama B.

Yelp
Amazing! Ordered the original koshari and it was excellent. Came with a side of hummus and yogurt. Very tasty and flavorful. Definitely coming back for more koshari

Liz W.

Yelp
So happy to have found this place! Food was delicious and there were options for a wide range of diets (carnivore, dieter, picky eater...) Great value and great flavor, will be returning soon and often. I got the koshari bulgur with chicken shawarma and garlic & spicy tomato sauces, highly recommend.

Nora S.

Yelp
Found this truck while walking around Harvard and decided to try their Koshari. Apparently the Butter Chicken Koshari is their most popular order and it is what the guys who work here recommended. I wasn't sure if I should get it as I only tried the original Koshari before and could not imagine how Butter Chicken would be. I decided to try it anyways and I'm so glad I did. It's absolutely delicious and flavorful. The yogurt salad is also great. Would totally come again.

Neda A.

Yelp
Very Excellent, clean, unique and tasty food, I have tried the butter chicken and fiery koshari both were yummy, very much recommended!

Ari K.

Yelp
Incredible food that boasts a wide range of flavors. He stuff is friendly and a pleasure every day. Will be back soon.

Loft C.

Yelp
Zaaki has consistently provided excellent food and customer service to us. Especially during Covid19 this is so highly appreciated! We will gladly recommend anyone to try their food; it is delicious, and the owners are outstanding people! Give them a try for some top notch Egyptian food!

Alex L.

Yelp
Always incredibly friendly, love stopping by with my roommates. Affordable bowls, wraps, and flatbreads. The shawarma chicken wrap is phenomenal. Definitely will be visiting very frequently.

Fatimah Q.

Yelp
I loved our meals and the dessert! They are the nicest people. Felt like home. I totally recommend.

Aaron G.

Yelp
Friendly service and delicious filling meal. I especially like the fiery sauce. Reasonably priced for the amount of food. Owner remembered some of our groups names the second time we had it.

Ahmed O.

Yelp
For lack of koshari options in the greater Boston area, one cannot be too picky. But the koshari here is actually really good! The staff is friendly and the waits are reasonably short. I go there regularly and get the koshari with no proteins, or the shawarma wrap and end up happy every time.

Mahmoud S.

Yelp
From the home made flavor, and the authentic middle eastern essence to the large quantities and convenient locations, this Koshari place has it all. I really don't think twice when I think of Koshari, I go to Zaaki! Superb dish on the go! Very cheap! And very healthy too. My all time favorite! Look Zaaki up and go get yourself a treat plate!