(Images: Baba’s)
From pillowy pita puffs and housemade hummus to Palestinian pizzas and crowd-pleasing catering platters, Baba’s has become one of the neighborhood’s most colorful and reliable dining destinations.
Before we get into this month’s article, there’s one noteworthy item to mention. Mari’s is back open. Remember them? It’s now called Mari’s Watch Bar and is leaning into being a neighborhood sports bar. Everything else looks about the same: food, drinks, happy hour. Let’s hope things work out for them this go-around.
OK, on to this month. Baba’s! Located on the west side of Lyndale Avenue and 22nd Street, Baba’s is a super cute neighborhood “Hummus House.” The interior is bright and colorful, with lots of yellow, pink, and blue. It’s fun, playful, and might even remind you it’s time to get more ink for your printer.
The food, being Middle Eastern, is just as colorful: bright red tomatoes, vibrant green parsley, pink pickled onions, and yellow cauliflower. There’s a reason the Mediterranean/Middle Eastern diet is so popular. It’s really fresh, colorful, flavorful, real food.
The menu is Middle Eastern, Palestinian to be more specific. Obviously, hummus is their specialty, but it doesn’t stop there. Naturally, there is pita bread, their version also coming in adorable little puffs. The little puffs are perfect for dipping in their housemade toum (a creamy whipped garlic), shatta (similar to a chili paste), tahini (sesame paste), and zhoug (a spicy hot sauce). Along with that, there are pizzas called mana‘eesh, sandweeshas (a much preferable naming option to the recent trend of “sandos” or “handhelds”), and bowls. There are several salad options for your gluten-free friends — just make sure they give you their pita puffs.
They have a coffee bar as well, so there are some fun beverage options like pistachio or rosewater lattes. The Palestinian Nitro has a turmeric honey foam.
No cocktails at this spot, but they more than make up for it in their catering options. I use them frequently when I have events. Scroll down their “order online” option on the website and you’ll find the catering portion. There is a huge variety of well-curated assortments of their items for any type of occasion. Small gathering and you need some snacks? Choose one of the table spreads for 10: pita, veggies, dips, hummus, falafel and more. Doing a lunch? There are platters of sandwiches and salads with lots of options too. Prices work out to around $10 to $17 per person — pretty reasonable these days. The mana‘eesh pizzas are great to add to a veggie platter. There are lots of dessert options as well: assorted macarons and a few different cakes with a Middle Eastern twist.
“Whether it’s a quick lunch, a casual dinner with the kids or catering a party and looking for a healthy alternative to the usual meat, cheese and crackers, Baba’s is a solid choice.”
Fun fact: the Baba’s hummus is even available at Costco. That’s how you know they’ve made it big.
Whether it’s a quick lunch, a casual dinner with the kids or catering a party and looking for a healthy alternative to the usual meat, cheese and crackers, Baba’s is a solid choice. Added bonus: the staff is really friendly.
Jason Suss spent 15 years in tech before leaving the corporate world to pursue his passion for cocktails. For the past 12 years, he has worked on both sides of the bar at local restaurants. He now lives in Lowry Hill and owns @AProperPour.
