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Categories: Grocery, Ethnic Food, Bakeries [Edit]
Neighborhood: Albany ParkKedzie (Brown)
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Al Khayyam has some of the best prices for raw ingredients (especially the spice selection--holy shit) that I've seen in this city.
It's like the DIY version of Middle East Bakery--no refrigerated cases of ready made stuffed grape leaves, hummus, salads, etc., but everything you'll need to make your own versions. And surprisingly, the hummus-in-a-can didn't kill me.
Wonderfully exotic Arabic grocery store, butcher and bakery.....
I love the vast assortment of baklava in various shapes, sizes and varieties. Interesting aisles of Middle Eastern food, cookware and specialty items. I love places like this.
One of a kind and unusual.
Baklava for $6.99 a pound!
I love a deal and this is a great deal but that isn't even the best part. This is the freshest baklava I've ever tasted. I wasn't aware of the many different varieties having only had what I assume is the standard filo and honey version. Al Khayyam has at least a half dozen different types. I've had cashew, walnut and pistachio. I like the rolled style cashew personally but always select a delicious menagerie.
A pound of their baklava fills what appears to be about a 5" by 8" aluminum carry out/ leftover container... and that's a lot of baklava. But since it's so fresh it keeps well for over a week. They also will generously cover your pound of goodness with a crushed pistachio. DAMN IT"S GOOD!
While there I grabbed a can of hummus for $0.88 and a block of feta for $3.49. Both were great. Now I expected the feta to be good but canned hummus? It was really good. Also there was a young guy who I imagine is the owner/ owner's son and he was super accommodating and outgoing which has not always been my experiences at neighborhood, ethnic specific joints. He was helpful and friendly.
Sanabel Bakery is still my spot for fresh pita and delicious, savory, middle eastern baked goods. But for spices (great deals!) and the rest Al Khayyam is my spot.
Oh ya. The picture is misleading. This is a grocery and not a sit down place.
When I first walked in I was greeted by one of (what I think was) the managers. As soon as I mentioned I was looking for maamoul molds he became much more friendly, took me to the back of the store, diligently searched through a bunch of boxes and presented me with them (they were just $3) with a big smile.
Whenever I'm next door at the restaurant, I pop in here for bits and pieces: Vimto blackcurrant soda (though I wish they stocked the still cordial variety), olives, fig preserves (way cheaper in here than Whole Foods!), orange blossom and rose water, pistachios, spices, and pita bread.
I love wandering the aisles littered with drums of olive oil, five gallon jars of pickled labneh, pickled turnips (though I make my own), halwa, and other Lebanese delicacies.
You'll also find a great selection of baklawa, maamoul, and other delicious baked goods (for reasonable prices) in their bakery case, as well as fresh baked pitas.
Everything is reasonably priced, and you can walk out of here with several grocery bags of goodies for less than twenty dollars.
Stopped by this place on the way home from So Gong Dong Tofu House because I was craving something sweet and there happened to be a parking spot right out front.
Al Khayam has a decent selection of middle eastern canned goods, groceries, and cheeses, and a halal meat counter. They also have an awesome assortment of bulk spices, both whole and ground. I bought about 4 ounces of whole fenugreek seeds for just over $2. I will definitely be back for some of the spice blends and for more whole, inexpensive spices.
After perusing the selection of cheeses, meats and assorted grocery items my dining companion and I remembered our original intention: baklava. Al Khayam offers a bunch of different little baklava bites, so we decided on a few and took them to go. We stuck to the small bite baklavas, so we could try a few, but they have larger pieces cut as well. My favorite one that we tried was a square cut baklava filled with walnuts. It was crispy on top with just the right amount of syrup on the bottom. It was somewhat spicy, with just a hint of rosewater. Lovely.
I'll definitely be back.
This is one of the shortest reviews I think I've ever written but it's getting straight to the point: PITA!
For $2+tax you can get 2 HUMONGOUS circular pita breads that were hand-made that same morning. Don't even think to get pita from the same restaurant you pick up your tabbouleh, baba ghannouj, or hummus, just do yourself a favor and make a quick stop at Al Khayyam's grocer.
If you don't believe, take a peek at Al Khayyam's business profile pictures or just make a visit.
The baklawah was very, very tasty. My uncle found some molasses that he couldn't find anywhere else. Their filo dough was half the cost of Jewel.
Overall a great store, it just took a while to get service at he bakery.
After an arduous afternoon bike ride through the city (my ass will not forgive me), my roommate and I decided to skip going to Lincoln Square for a bite to eat, and decided on making some falafel at home.
We went into Al Khayyam in pursuit of pita ($1! So cheap!). We made our way through the doors and zipped straight to the bakery section. There was an older man, working at the stove, heating up the pita. He greeted us with a polite "Hello!", and a huge smile.
My roommate stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes were glossed over and she looked as if she had just discovered the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.
"I want that!" she pointed at the pita in the oven. He gladly obliged, pulling it out and stuffing that and a few other pieces of just heated pita into our bag.
We walked to the registers, my roommate touching the bag of pita to my face and couldn't help but snack on it while in line.
Less than $4. I love this place. I loooove Albany Park!
Looking for lamb tongue? $4.99/lb.
Veal breast? $1.99/lb.
Fresh Pita bread? they make it on site.
Spices: $2/jar twice the size of the stingy $7 bottles you buy at Jewel or Dominicks.
Want to see an annoyed Middle Eastern woman complain to the butcher that he should de-bone her meat before weighing it?
Want to gaze at the beautiful glaze of homemade pastries in one of the longest bakery cabinets ever?
It's all here.
While my trip to Al Khyam was marred by an unfortunate accident involving breaking an entire jumbo sized glass jar of pickled vegetables on my kitchen floor upon arriving home, I still think this is an amazing find! On a quest for genuine and affordable orange blossom water, I stumbled onto the yelp reviews for this small grocery--nay, treasure trove of spices, nuts, olives, tea, baked goods, etc.
I dare you to see how many delights you can acquire for $20. I myself wound up with containers of Baba Ghanoush & Hummus, the aforementioned giant jar of my favorite pickled veggies, a jar of kalamata olives, 10 loaves of pita (for a dollar!), large bottles of both rose water and blossom water, a pound of transcendent baklava, and a container of cardamom pods...all for $21.
As I sit here, stuffing myself with baba ghanoush, olives and fresh warm pita I do miss my pickled veggies...but not enough to not thoroughly enjoy my lunch. A lunch I've earned after cleaning glass and brine off of my kitchen floor with a sponge for the last 45 minutes.
Go here, buy things. There is an entire aisle of tea, special oils for hair (almond oil will kill split ends, add shine and make your hair smell AMAZING), cooking utensils, a meat counter and a loooong bakery counter. What are you waiting for?
Excellent Arab grocery store - they have all the goodies! Go on Sunday, when they make their excellent pita bread - better than bread I've had in the Middle East - but go early, because they sometimes run out! Get large bottles of spices here, at a fraction of the price of the corporate groceries.
Their restaurant next door is excellent also, very fresh and delicious. This place really knows how to cook meat - it is so juicy and savory. Charming, if a bit shabby, but excellent food and good service. Incredibe prices too - a real value!
Simply outstanding! A full bakery, halal butcher shop, grocery store, and spice house. Today's grocery list: pickled gherkins ($3.99), pickled mangoes ($1.99), pickled turnips ($1.59), tahina ($3.99 for 16oz), amazing spinach pies ($1.75 each), the freshest pita I've ever had ($1 for a stack of 12!), and a huge container of allspice ($2.99). There's a sizable frozen/refrigerated selection and tons of dried goods. I didn't try any of the desserts but they are gorgeous and plentiful.
The best pita in the city is right here. Here's a tip: They make the white pita in the morning and the whole wheat in the early afternoon. Show up at the right time of day, and it's still warm. The pita bread is also certified kosher. The bakery staff speaks mostly Spanish (though the owners are Lebanese), so a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish helps.
There are all sorts of other Middle Eastern goodies in this store. Looking for halvah? They've got like 20 different kinds. Ditto with yogurt. Browse the aisles, pick something exotic, and take it home and sample it.
Wonderful grocery store to find anything you can't find at a chain. They bake their pita bread fresh everyday, Make their own pickles, olives, and pickled turnips. Al Khayyam has a huuugggee variety of spices, which can be bought from the oz. to the lb.
I highly recommend this place for spices, pita bread, olives, middle eastern cheeses, and rice.
Being a huge fan of spinach pies, I was excited to have found an authentic place to try. The spinach pies were absolutely delicious, so fresh! The best i've had thus far...and you cant beat the price...$1.75!!
Alongside the delicious spinach pies were also delectable bakery treats...oh, and lets not forget pita haven! The pita bread is obviously baked there so its super fresh and delicious..they even have mini pita's!
My mom was in awe of all the spices and other groceries they had there...oh and its nice and clean! :)
"I'm with Erika G one this one a thousand and one percent. Al Khayyam is the very best - this bakery/middle-eastern grocery store rules! I was in there this (Sunday 2/12) morning and watched an employee bake bread in this giant fire-powered oven in the store. Great Selection and prices so low that shoplifters don't even bother coming here..."
I would say of all the places that I have reviewed for http://Yelp.com that is among my very favorite, I truly love coming here and just browsing and all the very interesting array of middle eastern food (and some non-food) products here....
You can hit so many good places on a visit to Al-Khayam. Others have posted the wonders of the grocery store; I would add that they sell many inspirations to cooks and bakers including jars of vine leaves, packages of date paste, and jars and cans of interesting jams and fruit pastes. As someone mentioned, across the street is Andy's, big and nicely remodeled, which has wide selection of Eastern European products and good prices on produce (yesterday, a whole crate of mangos for $4.99). A couple of Hispanic groceries sell Goya coffee and guava nectar. Around the corner on Lawrence toward Kimball, the big-big Village Discount thrift shop where you can always find a $40 shirt or pants for $2 or $3. Brown Line Kimball or Kedzie goes right to the heart of all this. And you can have lunch at Al-Khayam or Noon-el-Kebab.
Great Lebanese (Mediterranean) food for sure. Extensive, authentic bakery/ethnic grocer next door. Make it a mission to try entire menu offerings. Forgot to mention that Al Khayameih (correct spelling-bakery next door is Al Khayam) has hearty vegetarian selections.
Food: Fresh tasting food, very large portions. Consistently good. Quality lean tender cuts of beef. Super flavorings & spices. Great food always.
Ambiance: Medium sized restaurant, clean, and tables comfortably arranged. Lebanese, locals & the young eat here regularly. A gem, and they know it.
Service: Professional attentive wait staff.
Wish: Newer wait staff is hit or miss. No worries with long-time staff.
Consistent good Lebanese bakery offering fresh bread & baklava. That's really all they have to offer, unless of course you plan on cooking some middle-eastern fare, in which case they've got most of the ingredients you'll likely need.
Prices are fair. But what really interesting is their selection of hookah tobaccos (which is hidden at the one end of the store). They have an entire aisle devoted to the ritual, and have everything you'll need to get started, including hookahs, tongs, charcoals & tobaccos. The guy there is really friendly & will answer any of your questions if you wanna get into preparing and enjoying hookahs (a nice after dinner thing for when company comes over or at the end of a long day.)
If you're there, head driectly across the street to Andy's Fruit Ranch, as it has excellent selection of, well, everything it seems.
I needed a sweet fix after eating next door at Al-Khaymeih, so what better place to go to than a Middle Eastern bakery! It was like a party in here...there was Mexican music blasting and some of the workers were dancing as they were mopping up. I ordered from their big selection of baklava...it goes for $6.99 a pound. The baklava was good! Not as syrup-y as what I would have wanted, but it was still delicious!
Excellent baklava, pita, spices. I used to walk past this place every day on my way to the train and it always smelled so good. I was not disappointed upon my first visit and there have been several more visits since. Quite delicious.
We stopped in here after eating dinner at Semiramis down the street to pick up some baklava to take home. The store itself is a typical ethnic grocery store filled with everything that you would need to make an authentic Middle Eastern meal at home! My friend from Turkey would love it here! =] We were only here to get sweets so we went into the bakery area and asked about the million different shapes of baklava. He said that one side was pistachio and the other side was walnut. We decided to try one of each to try it out cause that's how I roll! When we got home I tried the pistachio and all I could think of when I bit into it was about the smell of the store because that's what hit my nose first, even before I bit down. (BTW...the store smelled like a lemony cleaning product which is good because it means it's clean but it's not good when it gets attached to food!) So I almost didn't bite into it because it smelled so strongly of the store! But, of course, I did anyways and the taste didn't get much better for me. The texture was nice but I could not get past the flavor! So I will definitely not be going back for the baklava which deserves a 2 star rating in my opinion. But I would probably go back to the 3 star store to get some Middle Eastern items you really can't find many places!
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