Could be the best lunch we have enjoyed in Traverse City in the past two months. Don't miss it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Bella A
Lovely Palestinian restaurant offering many vegan/veggie options. Great place to come have a bite, a coffee, and sit down for work. I came in with my service dog and they informed me I could only sit on the outside patio; or in a far away table inside if it's rainy. I found this rather strange, but I must say the food and coffee is delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Gregory McCollum
The falafel pita was stupendous! Amongst the best falafel I’ve ever had! A beautiful interior too with great staff! 👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hakan Gören
Babagannush here is nothing more than cumin paste—definitely not worth ordering. Nearly every dish is drowned in garlic sauce, which completely overwhelms the flavors and feels far from authentic. To make matters worse, while I was eating, I overheard the owner arguing with a customer who simply wanted to customize their order. Instead of accommodating, the owner told them to eat elsewhere. The whole atmosphere felt negative and unwelcoming. Overall, the food and the vibes were both disappointing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Korhan Kalabalik
I want to say just one thing. Their bread is amazing! Thank you guys.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cheryl Beyer
Just love this little lunch spot and the food anf service was fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ian Harrington
My wife and I were super excited to visit this place after seeing the photos online. We saw they had photos of Shakshouka and nice pastries that all looked super appetizing. When we went in, we discovered that they no longer are serving shakshouka and they stopped baking pastries overall. The only reason I’m giving this place 4 stars is because the food was freaking amazing. We got the breakfast pita, Palestinian rice bowl, and chicken shawarma, and all of them hit the spot. The coffee was great and the lemon mint drink was super refreshing. Staff was weird. One girl looked like she really didn’t want to be there. She kept cleaning off tables and sighing very loudly for everyone to hear. There also isn’t a lot of indoor seating, which meant we had to sit outside. Would have been fine if it wasn’t 85 degrees. I still recommend you check this place out, it’s an awesome breakfast spot.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Heather
Really incredible food and coffee. The labneh was so creamy and perfectly seasoned. The shaken espresso was just the right amount of sweet!
🍉🇵🇸🍉
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
saleem qureshi
Excellent food along with wonderful service with a smile. One of the best places to eat in TC.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jim Bobby
I’m not quite sure where to begin with my experience at this so-called “Palestinian” restaurant, so I’ll break it down into the key issues I encountered:
1. Lack of Cultural Authenticity Despite branding itself as a Palestinian restaurant, no one working there seemed to speak Arabic. The only Arabic phrase I heard was “As-salamu alaykum,” which I politely responded to, but the person who said it disappeared into the kitchen — as if that one phrase was the extent of their knowledge.
2. Surface-Level Cultural References The restaurant attempted to give off a Palestinian vibe by placing a “FREE GAZA” sign on the door and casually hanging a keffiyeh somewhere inside. It came across more like an aesthetic choice than a genuine cultural representation — as if the symbols were used for trendiness rather than meaning.
3. No Proper Menus There were no menus provided at the tables. Instead, random papers with menu items were taped around the counter and glass display area. It was disorganized and confusing. I asked the cashier about some food I had seen on their Google listing — which was supposedly from this restaurant — but none of those items were available or even recognized by the staff.
4. Odd Atmosphere and Layout Walking into the restaurant felt more like entering a medical office than a dining establishment. It’s located inside a shared commercial building, and you have to walk past other businesses to get there. While some might consider that “modern” or “hipster,” it didn’t create a warm or inviting dining experience.
5. Confusing Parking Situation Even parking was a challenge. The lot had unclear signage, with most spots labeled for employee use only. There were no directions for restaurant patrons, and my family ended up driving in circles trying to figure it out while I remained inside trying to make sense of the menu.
In the end, we left without ordering anything. Between the lack of a clear food identity — I genuinely couldn’t tell if they were serving breakfast, lunch, or dinner — and the overall disorganization, the experience felt more frustrating than anything.
Frankly, I believe this restaurant continues to operate mainly because of unknowing tourists or locals who haven’t experienced authentic Palestinian cuisine. If a real Palestinian or broader Arabic restaurant were to open in Traverse City, this place would struggle to compete. The city could genuinely benefit from an authentic Arabic dining experience — something that reflects the standard found in areas like Dearborn or Metro Detroit, where Arabic food is done right. Unfortunately, this restaurant just doesn’t measure up.
Could be the best lunch we have enjoyed in Traverse City in the past two months.
Don't miss it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Lovely Palestinian restaurant offering many vegan/veggie options. Great place to come have a bite, a coffee, and sit down for work. I came in with my service dog and they informed me I could only sit on the outside patio; or in a far away table inside if it's rainy. I found this rather strange, but I must say the food and coffee is delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
The falafel pita was stupendous! Amongst the best falafel I’ve ever had! A beautiful interior too with great staff! 👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Babagannush here is nothing more than cumin paste—definitely not worth ordering. Nearly every dish is drowned in garlic sauce, which completely overwhelms the flavors and feels far from authentic. To make matters worse, while I was eating, I overheard the owner arguing with a customer who simply wanted to customize their order. Instead of accommodating, the owner told them to eat elsewhere. The whole atmosphere felt negative and unwelcoming. Overall, the food and the vibes were both disappointing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
I want to say just one thing. Their bread is amazing! Thank you guys.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Just love this little lunch spot and the food anf service was fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I were super excited to visit this place after seeing the photos online. We saw they had photos of Shakshouka and nice pastries that all looked super appetizing. When we went in, we discovered that they no longer are serving shakshouka and they stopped baking pastries overall. The only reason I’m giving this place 4 stars is because the food was freaking amazing. We got the breakfast pita, Palestinian rice bowl, and chicken shawarma, and all of them hit the spot. The coffee was great and the lemon mint drink was super refreshing. Staff was weird. One girl looked like she really didn’t want to be there. She kept cleaning off tables and sighing very loudly for everyone to hear. There also isn’t a lot of indoor seating, which meant we had to sit outside. Would have been fine if it wasn’t 85 degrees. I still recommend you check this place out, it’s an awesome breakfast spot.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Really incredible food and coffee. The labneh was so creamy and perfectly seasoned. The shaken espresso was just the right amount of sweet!
🍉🇵🇸🍉
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food along with wonderful service with a smile. One of the best places to eat in TC.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’m not quite sure where to begin with my experience at this so-called “Palestinian” restaurant, so I’ll break it down into the key issues I encountered:
1. Lack of Cultural Authenticity
Despite branding itself as a Palestinian restaurant, no one working there seemed to speak Arabic. The only Arabic phrase I heard was “As-salamu alaykum,” which I politely responded to, but the person who said it disappeared into the kitchen — as if that one phrase was the extent of their knowledge.
2. Surface-Level Cultural References
The restaurant attempted to give off a Palestinian vibe by placing a “FREE GAZA” sign on the door and casually hanging a keffiyeh somewhere inside. It came across more like an aesthetic choice than a genuine cultural representation — as if the symbols were used for trendiness rather than meaning.
3. No Proper Menus
There were no menus provided at the tables. Instead, random papers with menu items were taped around the counter and glass display area. It was disorganized and confusing. I asked the cashier about some food I had seen on their Google listing — which was supposedly from this restaurant — but none of those items were available or even recognized by the staff.
4. Odd Atmosphere and Layout
Walking into the restaurant felt more like entering a medical office than a dining establishment. It’s located inside a shared commercial building, and you have to walk past other businesses to get there. While some might consider that “modern” or “hipster,” it didn’t create a warm or inviting dining experience.
5. Confusing Parking Situation
Even parking was a challenge. The lot had unclear signage, with most spots labeled for employee use only. There were no directions for restaurant patrons, and my family ended up driving in circles trying to figure it out while I remained inside trying to make sense of the menu.
In the end, we left without ordering anything. Between the lack of a clear food identity — I genuinely couldn’t tell if they were serving breakfast, lunch, or dinner — and the overall disorganization, the experience felt more frustrating than anything.
Frankly, I believe this restaurant continues to operate mainly because of unknowing tourists or locals who haven’t experienced authentic Palestinian cuisine. If a real Palestinian or broader Arabic restaurant were to open in Traverse City, this place would struggle to compete. The city could genuinely benefit from an authentic Arabic dining experience — something that reflects the standard found in areas like Dearborn or Metro Detroit, where Arabic food is done right. Unfortunately, this restaurant just doesn’t measure up.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Enjoyed the Palestinian Rice Bowl. It's so nice to find good vegetarian food when traveling!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best meals I have ever had. So delicious.
I liked the iced chai latte and REALLY loved the coconut curry rice. The rice had a perfect crunch and the flavor was immaculate.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Coconut Curry Fried Rice
Amazing restaurant and coffee! Has great gluten free options and great vibe :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The place to go if you want a side of misguided ideology with your meal.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Delicious, fresh, food, and wonderful coffee.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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