Highest-rated Middle Eastern restaurants in Philadelphia by diners

The aromatic spice combinations of Middle Eastern cuisine can make your mouth water and your stomach growl. It stems from ancient civilizations influenced by the Mediterranean along its western border, the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Syria, and the mountains of Afghanistan in the eastern part of the region.

That said, it's easily confused with its geographic neighbor, Mediterranean cuisine. Although the two have some foods in common, like pita bread or stuffed grape leaves, Mediterranean food tends to use herbs. At the same time, Middle Eastern fare is flavored with bolder spices like sumac, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and cardamom.

As consumers lean toward healthier fare, Middle Eastern restaurants are poised to have a moment. The cuisine's plant-heavy options include hummus, falafel, and fattoush salad. Lentils have been another Middle Eastern staple since at least 8,000 B.C. To satisfy a sweet tooth, options like baklava and halva fit the bill.

Middle Eastern dining emphasizes a shared experience, with many dishes designed to be eaten communally so that everyone at the table can build relationships through food. Mezze platters of bite-sized options and family-style stews are perfect for a night out with family or friends.

Although Middle Eastern restaurants aren't as prevalent as other ethnic cuisines, there are over 144,000 places in the United States where you can sample this region's delights.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated breakfast restaurants in Philadelphia based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of July 2025. Restaurants with at least 20 reviews tagged as "Middle Eastern" on Yelp and within a 10-kilometer radius of Philadelphia were included. Some restaurants featured may serve other food items besides breakfast food. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 10 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Keep reading to see if your favorite restaurant made the cut, and to discover new spots you haven't been to yet.

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Naf Naf Grill

1 / 29

#29. Naf Naf Grill

- Rating: 3.5/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1919 Market St. Ste 101 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Salad, Falafel
- Read more on Yelp

Aldar Bistro

2 / 29

#28. Aldar Bistro

- Rating: 3.6/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 281 Montgomery Ave. Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Falafel, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

Kamals Middle Eastern Specialties

3 / 29

#27. Kamals Middle Eastern Specialties

- Rating: 3.8/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 51 North 12th St. Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

Renata's Kitchen

4 / 29

#26. Renata's Kitchen

- Rating: 3.8/5 (275 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3940 Baltimore Ave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Al Sham Restaurant

5 / 29

#25. Al Sham Restaurant

- Rating: 3.8/5 (58 reviews)
- Address: 337 Spring Garden St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Halal, Middle Eastern, Kebab
- Read more on Yelp

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Al-Sham Restaurant

6 / 29

#24. Al-Sham Restaurant

- Rating: 3.9/5 (250 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6738 Bustleton Ave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: New American, Halal, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Alamodak Restaurant and Hookah Lounge

7 / 29

#23. Alamodak Restaurant and Hookah Lounge

- Rating: 4.0/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 161 Cecil B Moore Ave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Hookah Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Manakeesh Cafe Bakery & Grill

8 / 29

#22. Manakeesh Cafe Bakery & Grill

- Rating: 4.0/5 (745 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4420 Walnut St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Lebanese, Breakfast & Brunch, Kebab
- Read more on Yelp

Al-Sham

9 / 29

#21. Al-Sham

- Rating: 4.0/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 201 City Line Ave. Merion Station, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Halal, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Al Zaytouna

10 / 29

#20. Al Zaytouna

- Rating: 4.0/5 (267 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 906 Christian St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Sahara Grill

11 / 29

#19. Sahara Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (397 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1334 Walnut St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

Kanella

12 / 29

#18. Kanella

- Rating: 4.1/5 (342 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1001 Spruce St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Makkah Market

13 / 29

#17. Makkah Market

- Rating: 4.1/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4249 Walnut St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Grocery, Middle Eastern, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

Falafel Time

14 / 29

#16. Falafel Time

- Rating: 4.1/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2214 South St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

New York Gyro Place

15 / 29

#15. New York Gyro Place

- Rating: 4.1/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4407 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Halal, Pakistani, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

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Alyan's Restaurant

16 / 29

#14. Alyan's Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (399 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 603 South 4th St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Persian Grill

17 / 29

#13. Persian Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (284 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 637 Germantown Pike Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Persian/Iranian, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

NAYA

18 / 29

#12. NAYA

- Rating: 4.3/5 (82 reviews)
- Address: 1601 Market St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Pita Pocket Eatery

19 / 29

#11. Pita Pocket Eatery

- Rating: 4.3/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 582 Cottman Ave. Cheltenham, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Vegetarian, Middle Eastern, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

Laser Wolf

20 / 29

#10. Laser Wolf

- Rating: 4.5/5 (533 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1301 North Howard St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Suraya

21 / 29

#9. Suraya

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1671 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1528 Frankford Ave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Lebanese, Specialty Food, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

Dizengoff

22 / 29

#8. Dizengoff

- Rating: 4.5/5 (883 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1625 Sansom St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp

Apricot Stone

23 / 29

#7. Apricot Stone

- Rating: 4.5/5 (389 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 428 West Girard Ave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Armenian
- Read more on Yelp

Zahav

24 / 29

#6. Zahav

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3582 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 237 St. James Place Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

Goldie

25 / 29

#5. Goldie

- Rating: 4.5/5 (633 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1911 Sansom St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Falafel, Vegan, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Malooga

26 / 29

#4. Malooga

- Rating: 4.5/5 (234 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 134 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Arabic, Middle Eastern, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

Hadramout

27 / 29

#3. Hadramout

- Rating: 4.6/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 136 South 45th St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Halal, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Bishos

28 / 29

#2. Bishos

- Rating: 4.6/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7950 Oxford Ave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Halal, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

New York Gyro Truck

29 / 29

#1. New York Gyro Truck

- Rating: 4.7/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 41ST And Walnut Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 102 metros.