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Category: Middle Eastern [Edit]
Neighborhood: Washington Square WestMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 3:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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Good food + good conversation = a delightful night. I came here with a best friend last night and we stayed for 3 hours - in a good way. We shared a Maza platter which had more than enough food for both of us.
It came with a basket full of pita (which we asked for a refill halfway through, yum), hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouleh, and a giant platter with 5 falafels, 5 grape leaves, and vegetables. We both ordered the Rasberry Lemonade which was amazingly refreshing. With all this food, we buckled down and ate and chatted the night away.
To top it all off, we finished with pineapple hookah and tried our hardest to make rings. My friend was successful, I was not; guess that means I need to come back soon to practice!
Just a note, be sure to get a reservation -- this place is small and as the night went on, it was packed inside and out! There aren't many tables so I was glad that I put in a reservation ahead of time.
Hmm... I loved Leila the first time I went. So much so that I couldn't stop talking about it until I went the second time. And now I don't think I'll ever go there again.
The owner is super nice and welcoming in a way that 99% of eateries are not. That's awesome. But service is not. I had the shawarma platter both times, & something was just off with the vegetables and rice. I was so disappointed that I can't deal with Leila anymore. Too many other places to try.
People thought this was:
Just about everything I ate here was DELICIOUS. Falafel was awesome, lemony & perfectly cooked; hummus was olive oily and fresh; tabouli salad was fresh, tasty, herby. Only bad part was the pita which were semi-stale, it'd be great to have fresher tasting pitas, although my girlfriend liked that they were more like pita-chips. Also great - fresh squeezed lemonade, including the seeds.
Bad part - service sucked. We were there on a Tues. night and the service (clearly a family-run place) was more interested in chatting with friends, on phone and smoking a hookah than helping us. Lucky for them the food is awesome.
People thought this was:
I've been here once but I do plan to come again. I know, it seems like I'm running on a 3-star spree. But honestly, my first trip to Leila Cafe was just plain average. I do plan to return though because I'm seeing many more positive reviews and I did enjoy their food.
Unfortunately, I didn't have the appetite for all that food! It was so much and I was definitely not prepared for that. Kudos for great portions :) The falafel my friend had was cooked just fine and the hummus was delicious. We were served more than enough pita for the table and my chicken was juicy and tender.
I'm guessing I went to Leila Cafe when it just started out, which was about two months ago. Again, I'm sure a lot has changed since then. The waiters who tended to our needs seemed awkward to my friends but I thought they were fine.
I do plan to return though and am looking forward to it :)
People thought this was:
The sign in the window says this place has "Center City's Best Middle Eastern Cuisine" Normally you'd ignore such a self-gratifying statement as marketing fluff - like all the "Best cup of coffee in New York" signs. As it turns out - the sign just states the facts. This was probably the best Middle Eastern food I've had outside the Middle East.
I went with the schwarma platter - served over rice with yogert, tabouli and hummus. I've got high standards for schwarma - and generally order it in the states with the same frame of mind I order cheese steaks outside of Philly - try not to think of it as ACTUAL schwarma and just enjoy the (crappy) mean.
Unlike just about anyone else in this city Leila cooks schwarma on a rotisserie the way god himself intended. The taste and texture was spot on authentic and amazing - a flash back to Yemen or the West Bank. Melt in your mouth and make your insides swim delicious. I am truely impressed. Better yet - at around 9 bucks cheaper than most places, too.
The GF went with the Falafel - which is probably the only falafel in town I'd be willing to eat again. Fried crisp, good texture - and not that mealy greasy crap I keep getting around town. Again - cheap.
We made the mistake of ordering the big Maza appetizer platter. It was like 13 bucks and would feed a family of four. Honestly we thought they screwed up the order because so much food came out. Big winner here was the stuffed grape leaves - which may have been teh best I have had anywhere. Not even a little stringy - and they packed them in such a way as to throw out a lot of flavor without being overwhelming.
Service was great - friendly and welcoming.
If I were comparing this against other restaurants in general in the area - I would probably give it four stars. However - if you are looking for Middle Eastern - this is truly "as good as it gets" for about 2000 miles in any direction. Hence - five stars.
Note - they lose a half star for serving coke in a can... as is my standard because I'm a soda snob. However - they gain an extra half star for having hookahs and shi'sha... so we're even at five stars.
People thought this was:
Amu Ahmed!!!!! I absolutely LOVED the food, the atmosphere, and the music but what I loved most was the Middle Eastern hospitality you recieve as soon as you set foot in Leilas! Mohamed, the owner of the store reminds me of one of my uncles back in Egypt. Super jolly and ready to cater to any of your epicurean needs, both Mohamed and his daughter (Leila) know how to run the show! Also, Ahmed, one of the managers on staff, will sing ANY Arabic song to you, and can he SING!! I was seranaded by Abel Halim Hafiz and Feyrouz!!
If you're ever feeling nostalgia for middle eastern cuisine (or sitting in a place that resembles quaint food shops back in the mother land :), you should DEFINITELY try this place out!!
People thought this was:
Leila is my new end of the night stop. It really adds to the neighborhood. I live a block away from here and have been frequently attending on my way home after bar close.
The owners are so friendly, but I think they may need some more late night help. I love that they are open so late but, they seem to get a little frazzled. The other night we waited at least 20 minutes for hookah when there was only one or two other tables, but we did get complimentary coffee.
One of the owners also told us they will be getting some sort of heated awning for when it gets chillier, and doing some renovations downstairs. It is exciting to see that there is more to come, when I already love the place.
People thought this was:
Great little cafe / take-out spot. Some notes:
-I prefer their shawarma to their gyro sandwich.
-Their standard baklava is very good. (Not quite Divan good)
-The owner is super nice and goes the extra mile to make everyone's experience as pleasant as possible.
I really recommend grabbing a shawarma sandwich for dinner or lunch. Cheap, delicious, and big enough for a meal. It's one of those places you just want to succeed.
People thought this was:
My husband and I wandered by this restaurant on the way back to our hotel. I wanted to get some Chai, but when we sat down we decided to eat. The food was wonderful! I had the Falafel and my husband had the beef Kibbie. It was delicious! The hummus was flavorful and the pita was warm and fresh. Afterwards we had our tea and had a great conversation with the owners. I will definitly come again!
Before you embarrass yourself by opening a bottle of beer, take note: this place is not BYOB. I learned from Mohammad and Smiley (the owners) that Leila's is being a good little restaurant by not trying to upset their dirty neighbor (Dirty Franks) by giving patrons a BYO option. They're also not trying to compete with the Last Drop, so Leila's is only giving diners one type of Arabic coffee-something they can't find at the across the street coffee shop. So far, they're making some pretty smart moves.
I decided to try this place out last night after reading all the positive reviews. What my friend and I came to find was the most generous service this city's ever seen. It might be due to the fact that Smiley's only been here for 4 months and hasn't been hardened yet. Something about his genuinely friendly, humble, and well, smiley, disposition tells me he's set to remain resilient to our snarky tendencies.
They're not only bringing general cheeriness to the corner of 13th and Pine, they're also bringing back an old world honor code system. Allow me to explain.
A table next to ours finished up their meal and when handing the server a credit card, he informed them the cafe wasn't credit card ready yet, they were still waiting for the credit card machine to be set up. The lady at the table offered to head to an ATM when Smiley jumped in and told them to pay up next time. I think the diners were as shocked as my friend and I. Nevertheless, off they went without paying for the night's meal and promising to return soon. How awesome is that?
I'm an idiot and ordered the shawarma thinking it was going to be chicken. It was lamb. I hate lamb. I expressed my complete idiocy and asked them to give me a container so I could give the meal to my roommate. Smiley came outside, with a new chicken platter for me and put the lamb one on the house. Once again, are you kidding me? The meal was fantastic and came with a healthy serving of tabouli, hummus, rice and white meat chicken.
Later, Mohammad came outside with his personal hookah and insisted that my friend and I share it with him. We did. You'll feel like an absolute prince/princess when eating at Leila's. They're genuinely nice people who want their business to succeed, and in my opinion, they're headed in the right direction.
People thought this was:
Leila Cafe, you are a VERY welcome addition to my neighborhood because your food is fantastic and moderately priced. We also needed a good Mediterranean restaurant around here.
For those who haven't been here, I recommend getting one of the platters. They are huge and come with salad, hummus, aromatic rice, etc...a little bit of everything! I'm partial to the schwarma. Any meat that comes off a spit is tops in my book.
As far as seating goes, I love how you can dine outside because 13th/pine is a pretty scenic and happenin' place to people watch. I also love how you can use a hookah outside or indoors. I haven't tried the hookah yet but I plan on it!
People thought this was:
Recently, a friend and I decided to take a short hiatus from binge drinking. With Leila Cafe's strict "Don't BYOB" policy, it seemed like the perfect spot to nurture our newfound sobriety.
First off I'll reiterate what seems to be a common theme with this place. The people are very friendly. If Cheers replaced beer with hookah and served shawarma, it'd be this place. You're basically on a first name basis with everyone after 5 minutes.
We started off the meal with a hummus plate. The hummus was really flavorful and some of the best I've had in the city. It had a little bit too much salt, but oddly the hummus that came with our platters did not.
My friend and I both had shawarma. I've had gyro and shawarma platters all over Philly but this was by far he best. The meat was really tender. Many times I find that the shaved lamb can be especially tough, which is why I usually lean toward souvlaki platters at other restaurants, but this was perfect. It came with a side of hummus, the traditional tomato/cucumber chutney and of course rice. Everything had a distinctive flavor which made it a pleasure to mix stuff together.
We finished off the meal with a hookah of golden apple flavored tobacco. The location really lends itself to relax and people watch while you enjoy the hookah. You can focus on the hipsters at the Last Drop or the occasional freakshow that stumbles out of Dirty Frank's. We spent about an hour just hanging out and smoking, but they never tried to push us out.
I live in the Washington Square West and this is a very welcomed addition to the neighborhood.
Recently opened, this is a great corner spot on Pine & 13th.
We were early afternoon customers and were greeted with a warm and friendly service. We were the first customers of the day and one of the owners treated us to free pineapple, banana, blackberry smoothies.
We tried Leila Maza, a sampler of appetizers. The Baba Ghanoush & Hummus were lemony and spiked with smoky paprika...definitely not a mild spread and very refreshing on a warm summer afternoon.
The second wave of mezze appeared...falafel-like kibbeh, grape leaves, tabouleh all served over a bed of yogurt-dressed greens, onions & tomato. There was also fattoush, a chopped salad with toasted pita chips scattered throughout.
The kibbeh was very similar to a falafel, but with a little more spice...the grape leaves were lemony as well. All in all, the sampler was a good way to taste your way around the menu.
The had a variety of sandwiches (Gyro, Shish, & many vegetarian options) and desserts as well...save those for next visit.
Outside seating & Hookahs.
People thought this was:
Rolled into Leila on Saturday night following an evening of games, beerz, and indecision in Rittenhouse trying to figure out our next destination. Having remembered co-owner Mohamad's warm invitation on their opening weekend, we decided to head on over.
For starters, be warned - it was packed. Having received some press and lots of hype at the fairly busy intersection, every table indoors and outdoors was filled. Luckily, we found one.
The service and Mohammad were clearly overwhelmed but apologetic and sincere. Eventually after a few different servers we got our orders in. The hookah was wonderful to sit and smoke along Pine Street. Though I did not order my own food, I tried some of my friends' beef shawarma platter - filled to the brim with the tender strips of beef, aromatic basmati rice, salad, pita, and hummus. Simply amazing and definitely some of the best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food I've tasted in a while.
The Arabic coffee? AMAZING. Strong, but sweet, and perfect for sipping. The owners filled my little cup up twice. And yes, as others have mentioned, Smiley greeted our table with dozens of ways to say thank you in different languages. He also mentioned that breakfast would be served, and that he would be creating six different varieties of banana bread. YES PLEASE!
Sure, they've got some service kinks to work out with a rapidly growing clientele, and that might turn a few pickier people off. But their hearts are definitely in the right place.
As Monica mentioned, no alcohol here. but after an hour of hookah, you'll feel just fine without. :)
People thought this was:
The hookahs in the windows as they prepared to open are what drew me in. I've been looking for place to relax, smoke some shisha and drink a mint tea--shades of the many great cafes in Zamalek and Alexandria, ARE--without having to tolerate an absurd lounge atmosphere.
You'd think, then, that I would review that portion of their business. No such luck, since I stopped by for lunch. I did do some recon on the subject, however: $16 hookahs, or $12 with the purchase of tea. Not the worst price point I've seen stateside.
So, lunch. I ordered the falafel platter: six small falafel patties drizzled with very light & refreshing tahini, one stuffed grape leaf, a small salad with yogurt dressing, tabbouleh, creamy garlic hummus and pita. I would rate it very good, with some minor reservations. The falafel was kind of unpleasantly dense and heavy, although there was nothing wring with the flavor itself. The pita was hard and flat. Tabbouleh. (That last one isn't really a complaint. I just don't enjoy tabbouleh in general but for some reason, Middle Easterners insist on serving it to me and making me spell it in reviews.) Overall, as I've said, very good and the whole thing cost me just over nine dollars.
I've also been promised Turkish coffee. I plan to return later this afternoon or week for that, along with the baklava I scoped out as I paid for my meal. In anticipation of that I've given Leila Cafe the benefit of the doubt and tilted my review towards four stars rather than three.
UPDATE (THREE HOURS LATER): Returned for the coffee and baklava. Coffee is 'Arabic coffee' rather than 'Turkish coffee,' though I was unable to note the apparent differences. (Nor can I tell the difference between those two and the 'Israeli coffee' I purchased in a kosher market last year.) Quite good. The baklava was superb; flaky phyllo, drowning in sweet honey and a tender pistachio center. I underline my initial assessment of four stars.
People thought this was:
First let me say this is just my first review... and I think a lot of my qualms come from the fact that this place is new and just seems... well... disorganized.
I went on a Sunday and it was packed. It took a while for someone to take our order. Then there were two servers that kept coming to our table and asking if we had ordered, so it seemed like no one was keeping track. Apparently our first order didn't register because a guy came back and said there was a mix-up in the kitchen, and took our order again.
When we eventually got our food and it was pretty good. The babaganoush didn't look like babaganoush, but tasted good whatever it was. The pita was delish. I got a chicken gyro, and was very disappointed to find it had basically no tzaziki in it... but it did have a pickle inside which I thought was interesting and tasty. The guy said that they were out of "yogurt". I hope by yogurt he meant tzaziki? That brings up another point... the menu here is VERY vague.
Throughout our meal, the waiters kept bringing things out and asking everyone who ordered it. Everyone would say no, so they'd bring it back to the kitchen. And judging from other reviews, it seems they're giving a lot away for free. So I hope all this wasted food and free stuff doesn't put these people out of business faster than you can say "falafel".
I love that this place is so close to my apartment. Pine Street needed another good hangout (and hookah is a plus!). I had high hopes which weren't really fulfilled. But I will be back because I have faith that they'll iron out the new-restaurant hiccups, and I want to try the hookah and see if there's yogurt the next time I go.
Also have to note that the guy was very apologetic for our wait and the mix-ups, so he gave me a free baklava for dessert. The baklava was AMAZING.
People thought this was:
I found the food good, but not spectacular--it's an average take-outish joint, in my opinion. Several items seemed a little less than fresh (the hummus, for example, seems to have used canned chickpeas, though I didn't taste anything overly acidic, as other reviewers have indicated). The falafal was very, very dense--to the point it was too tough to eat pleasantly. Overall, there was a lack of vibrant flavor, though the food was certainly average-plus.
Service was also a bit hit or miss at first (it took 15 minutes to procure a menu) but once food started coming out, which it did very quickly, everyone couldn't be more gracious.
The price point is outstanding, and I think once kinks are worked out (I wonder if the food isn't suffering from complaints about how long things took?) it will be a great addition to the neighborhood. I want this place to succeed, but am not 100% sold on returning.
It's my first time: both on Yelp, and at Leila's, so go easy on me...
When the storefront at the corner of 13th and Pine went vacant (Wasabi House moved to Camac & Pine), I was curious to see what would come of it. When the sign advertising middle eastern cuisine (and hookah bar!) was placed in the window, I made a mental note to support the new neighbors in my hood. However, it took a few months until the mood struck. I'm SO glad it finally did.
When the bf and I entered the place, it was a bit ambiguous whether we were supposed to seat ourselves or wait for someone to assist. A few seconds into our confusion, we were greeted warmly by a man who seemed to be cook and waiter (and possibly owner?). He encouraged us to sit wherever we'd like, "we're very casual here." He was instantly likable, and his charm set the tone for a great evening out.
Simply put, the food was amazing. We ordered too much of it, but it was just... so... good: a maza platter (a sampler of sorts) with tabouleh, hummus, baba ganoush, fatoush, pita, grape leaves (oh so spectacular grape leaves), feta and olives, tomatoes... and who knows, I probably left something out. The food just kept coming--and THAT was just the appetizer! I had a falafel platter on top of that (which I didn't realize also came with the tabouleh and hummus I was craving); the bf had what he described as a "perfectly cooked shwarma platter"--and he's picky, having lived in the middle east for a time. I had a milk, banana & honey smoothie. Admittedly, this sweet drink might seem like a strange addition to the garlic & herb mix that was my dinner, but it was a nice balance nonetheless. The value is exceptional--I think part of the reason why we ordered so much food is because we expected less of it, based on the prices (dear Leila Cafe: please don't change this--it's yet another reason to love you).
Why four stars? Because Leila Cafe has the mixed honor / curse as my first Yelp, so I want to hold back a bit. I definitely expect this neighborhood cafe to be a regular in my rotation. And I know that I can always add the star that it probably already deserves.
People thought this was:
Some of the best Mediterranean food I've had in a long while, plus they have hookah :D. Great hours and great prices. I'm going to be a repeat customer here for long time, I think.
People thought this was:
Leila seems, at first glance, to be a restaurant with hookahs. Much to my disappointment, however, it is really a hookah bar that just happens to serve food.
Every part of my shawarma platter was a miss. Overly thin strips of lamb were sandpapery and dry. Hummus was made bland by insufficient garlic or tahini. All this on a bed of undercooked and sometimes crunchy rice.
There's good news for pirates: the lemon and vinegar is so overdone, you'll never fear scurvy. Of course, you'll have to suffer through this underwhelming food. That's a bit much, even if you were stuck at sea.
People thought this was:
Can I give 3.5 stars? I have been here 2 times. First time, the food was super salty! And service was slow due to only one waiter, but the smoothie I had was amazing! amazing! The pita bread was the traditional dry, thin pita, but I have come to like it, aside from it's functionality as a fork, knife.The stuffed grape leaves are pretty decent and the greek salad is soo filling. The kibbe was better the second time around and nothing was as salty as last time.
the Cons- the water always tastes weird here and the place is so frickin hot inside! Also, the bathrooms- I won't go there- basement bathrooms usually scare me and this one did just that. Another thing I am not certain on is if this place is a BYO cuz it would be a good one.
People thought this was:
I checked out Leila w/ some friends and we ordered a bunch of different foods and I couldn't tell you how anything tasted b/c everything was loaded with SALT. It took 2 days for my tastebuds to return to normal! And when you order staples like hummus or tabouleh, how can you ask for that to be less salty when it's already premade?
The pita they also served, in my opinion, was the worst kind - the type that is paper thin and gets stale after sitting on your plate too long. Another reviewer described it as "tough and chewy". It was basically a total disappointment when it was served to us. When eating out at restaurants, Taste is primary (for most people) and service is secondary. Even if the owner and staff bend over backwards for you, doesn't mean the food will taste any better to me.
I do think the restaurant is a fantastic addition to the neighborhood, and like any new spot, I have noticed they have drawn a steady business. But how much of that business will be repeated customers? I understand that with new restaurants, they are still working out the kinks, but when they receive criticism, they should take it as an opportunity to make the food and experience even better. Making minor improvements will ensure a continued success.
Otherwise, if they keep things the way they are, I think it won't last long and that would be a real shame. Considering the great location, friendly staff and excellent service, the place does have a tremendous amount of potential.
People thought this was:
Recently I've been on middle eastern kick, been to Sahara grill and was a fan, BUT living right on 13th street Leila is literally right around the corner so naturally I'm going to try it. Leila is more reasonably priced then Sahara, and just as good. The pita sandwiches are grilled and delicious, and their drinks are equally fresh (I recommend the strawberry lemonade). The owner was very generous and friendly. My boyfriend was equally smitten as he returned twice in one day to try the hookah at night, we had "double apple mint" and it was smooth and lovely. This is definitely a place I recommend!
People thought this was:
I want to love this place with a capital L. The owners were so incredibly friendly and it's a nice addition to the neighborhood.
I agree with the reviewer who talked about the over-use of lemon juice. You know how when you eat something so sour your eyes spontaneously shut and your face contorts? That happened with almost every bite of my falafel platter. The bright salty pickle was the mildest thing on my plate. I love lemon juice but I wanted to tell them to ease off a bit and maybe put some lemon wedges on the plate instead. It was really overpowering.
That being said, I will try this place again for 4 reasons:
1. My dining companion loved his gyro
2. The tea and baklava were bangin
3. Hookahs
4. I want this place to succeed
People thought this was:
I stopped in here on a warm Saturday afternoon. Very friendly service, and it's great to be able to watch life pass by on Pine St. as you eat. Had a refreshing smoothie, and a falafel sandwich. You can't really go wrong with a falafel sandwich, but this one was borderline sour and in a tough, chewy wrap. My companion had better luck with a falafel platter, and we'll definitely give Leila's another try. They are smart to stay open so late!
Amazingly friendly folks here, great sidewalk seating, salty tabouli, decent schwarma, open late. I'd come back a million times for the staff and owners.
I was really excited to see a Middle Eastern restaurant open up just a block down the street. Then I saw a good customer turn-out and great reviews on here.
So, I ordered a take out order. Eagerly, I went to pick up my order after the 25 minutes I was told it would take. When I got there, the entire staff, at least 5 or 6 people working behind the counter, was beyond sweaty. It was hotter inside than out. Then I found out that my order was no where near ready, in fact, the guy who appeared to be running the kitchen completely forgot about it. On top of that, they informed me THEN that they were out of the meat pie appetizer I had ordered. The lady behind the counter, embarressed by the apparent fiasco, comped me a baklava.
Despite the wait and frustration, I was eager to try this great food that everyone was talking about. I have never had middle eastern food that I could not finish, but the Chicken Platter with Taziki was so incredibly dry and acidic, there was NO WAY, I could eat it. The Hummus was alright, but also VERY acidic. Even the filling in the spinich pie was overly acidic. It was if they had used an entire bottle of vinegar and a dozen lemons for this one dish. I was SO disappointed, because I REALLY wanted to enjoy it. it was the single worse Middle Eastern meal I have ever had.
PERHAPS, I will wait a few weeks and try something else, simply because so many people have raved about it on here, but my experience was horrible. I hope they can turn it around, because we need a good middle eastern restaurant nearby.
I've been looking for a tasty Shawarma stateside since my semester abroad in London in 2003.
Six fruitless (and tasteless) years later, Leila Cafe opened just next door in center city.
Their shawarma is fantastic, but what's better is the service.
I had passed the place on an earlier occasion and it was hopping, so I was pleasantly surprised to find the atmosphere much more relaxing when my girlfriend and I arrived on a recent Tuesday evening.
The food was excellent, the ingredients fresh, and the owners were more than happy to share a relaxing hookah with their guests!
Five stars for a five star joint.
