22 editor picks across United States.
22 levantine restaurants worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Al Ameer on West Warren Avenue in Dearborn serves Lebanese cooking in metro Detroit since 1989. James Beard America's Classic 2016, the first Michigan winner.
OrderWhole-leg lamb shawarma, hummus with pine nuts and warm pita straight from the oven.
TipWalk-in friendly; the parking lot is large for the area. Hours 11:00-22:00 most nights.
Al Ameer on West Warren Avenue in Dearborn serves Lebanese cooking in metro Detroit since 1989. James Beard America's Classic 2016, the first Michigan winner.
OrderWhole-leg lamb shawarma, hummus with pine nuts and warm pita straight from the oven.
TipWalk-in friendly; the parking lot is large for the area. Hours 11:00-22:00 most nights.
Chef Noam Bilitzer's MeeshMeesh in Louisville took a 2025 James Beard finalist nod with Levantine plates from his NuLu kitchen on East Market Street.
OrderThe Shefha shareable tasting menu with a group of four, plus the wood-grilled lamb.
TipResy opens 60 days ahead at 11:00 for dinner Tuesday to Sunday. The patio takes walk-ins in warm months.
Chef Noam Bilitzer's MeeshMeesh in Louisville took a 2025 James Beard finalist nod for Levantine plates served from a NuLu kitchen on East Market Street.
Yassin's Falafel House at Marble City Food Hall, Yassin Terou's Syrian counter named Reader's Digest Nicest Place in America in 2018, runs falafel.
OrderA falafel sandwich with hummus, plus a side of the daily Mediterranean salads.
TipThe downtown counter operates from Marble City Food Hall while the original Walnut Street space rebuilds; the West Knox and Alcoa branches stay open.
Yassin's Falafel House at Marble City Food Hall, Yassin Terou's Syrian falafel and shawarma counter named Reader's Digest Nicest Place in America in 2018.
OrderA falafel sandwich with hummus and the daily Mediterranean salad sides.
TipThe downtown location runs from Marble City Food Hall while the original Walnut Street space rebuilds; West Knox and Alcoa branches stay open.
Yassin's Falafel House on North Peters Road in West Knoxville, the original Yassin Terou Syrian counter, runs the falafel and shawarma menu that earned.
OrderA falafel sandwich with the chicken shawarma plate and a side of hummus.
TipThe N Peters Road location runs reliably weeknights; weekend lunches fill the small dining room.
Youssef Akhtarini's Aleppo Sweets on Ives opened in 2019, three years after his family resettled from Syria. Eight baklava plus a mezze menu.
OrderPistachio baklava, an order of muhammara and a lamb kabob plate.
TipClosed Monday and Tuesday; the takeaway counter does the same baklava as the dining room.
Albi in Washington DC is Michael Rafidi's Michelin-star Navy Yard Levantine wood-fire dining room on 4th Street SE, a one-Michelin-star kitchen with a James.
OrderThe hummus and the wood-fire shish barak (lamb dumpling); the editorial standout of the menu.
TipThe tasting menu Yellow Door dinner is the chef's signature ticket; book the upstairs Yellow Door room directly.
Suraya in Philadelphia is the Fishtown Lebanese market, garden and restaurant on Frankford Avenue from Greg Root, Nicholas Kennedy and chef Roland Kassis.
OrderWhole roasted fish for the table, lamb shawarma platter, the labneh with shrak bread.
TipBrunch on the back garden patio in summer is the room's best seat. Saturday 10am books out the fastest.
Rawia Bishara's Palestinian kitchen in Bay Ridge has served the borough Levantine food in New York City since 1998. Lamb fatteh, fried cauliflower.
OrderLamb fatteh with toasted pine nuts.
TipSunday family-style menu at $58 a head is the deepest value. Bring the appetite of two people.
Ammoora in Federal Hill is Baltimore's Syrian fine-dining room at the Ritz-Carlton Residences, plating kibbeh and lamb beneath mother-of-pearl decor.
OrderThe kibbeh and the saffron-rice lamb shanks with pomegranate.
TipThe Damascene furniture and inlay are part of the experience; ask for a banquette.
Sahara on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn serves Lebanese cooking in metro Detroit since 1968. Priced at $$. At 22815 Michigan Ave. Booking recommended.
OrderMixed grill platter for the table and a finely chopped tabouleh.
TipClosed Sundays. Catering is a substantial side of the business; weekend dinner books out fastest.
Sahara on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn serves Lebanese cooking in metro Detroit since 1968. Priced at $$. At 22815 Michigan Ave. Booking recommended.
OrderMixed grill platter for the table and a finely chopped tabouleh.
TipClosed Sundays. Catering is a substantial side of the business; weekend dinner books out fastest.
Albi in Washington DC is Michael Rafidi's Michelin-star Navy Yard Levantine wood-fire dining room on 4th Street SE, a James Beard winner running a separate.
La Pita on Newman Street in Dearborn serves Lebanese and Mediterranean cooking in metro Detroit. Family-run, halal certified, banquet hall on site.
OrderShawarma plate with rice, garlic sauce and warm pita bread.
TipOpen until 22:00 most nights, noon to 22:00 on Sunday. Banquet hall books big.
Casablanca on East Brady Street has run Lebanese cooking since 1997, with mezze, shawarma and the city's deepest hummus list on Brady Street.
OrderThe mezze platter with hummus, baba ghanouj and falafel and a lamb shawarma plate.
TipHookah lounge upstairs runs late weekends; the main floor closes at 22:00.
Suraya in Philadelphia is the Fishtown Lebanese market, garden and restaurant on Frankford Avenue, the modern Levantine showroom Michael Solomonov's team.
OrderWhole roasted fish for the table, lamb shawarma platter, the labneh with shrak bread.
TipBrunch on the back garden patio in summer is the room's best seat. Saturday 10am books out fastest.
Downtown Raleigh's most established Lebanese restaurant. Falafel, shawarma, mixed grill, and mezze anchor the menu; Sunday brunch adds a wider spread.
OrderFalafel, Mixed grill, Mezze platter
Downtown Raleigh's most established Lebanese restaurant. Falafel, shawarma, mixed grill, and mezze across a long all-day window; Sunday brunch adds more.
OrderFalafel, Mixed grill kabobs, Mezze
Aladdin's Eatery on North High Street in Columbus's Clintonville is the city's Lebanese Mediterranean counter with mezze and a vegetarian menu.
OrderThe hummus and baba ghanoush mezze with warm pita, plus a chicken shawarma rollup.
TipWalk-ins steady; vegan and gluten-free options are clearly tagged on the menu.
Aladdin's Eatery on North High Street in Clintonville is the city's Lebanese Mediterranean counter, with a long mezze list and a deep vegetarian menu.
OrderHummus and baba ghanoush mezze with warm pita.
TipVegan and gluten-free options clearly tagged.
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