Middle Eastern food is gaining popularity in St. Louis thanks to immigrants who brought the dishes of their home country to the Midwest. Lucky for locals, there are more and more places to try this spicy, flavorful cuisine. Whether you’re enjoying sambosas in St. Louis Hills or tabbouli in Ellisville, you’ll find plenty of fresh, delicious options around town. Here are our picks for some of the best Middle Eastern dishes on a dime in St. Louis:
1.) Tabbouli at Phoenicia Mediterranean Deli
Phoenicia Mediterranean Deli has made a name for itself since opening in West County last spring and the tabbouli is one of the restaurant’s standout items. The salad includes chopped parsley, scallions, and diced tomatoes tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, and a house blend of spices. A regular-sized tabbouli is $5.99 before tax and tip and a large-sized tabbouli is $9.99.
2.) Sambosas at Barg Continental Restaurant
The sambosas at Barg Continental Restaurant could be a meal themselves. The deep-fried pastries are billed as an appetizer but are quite filling, with crispy shells and a potato and spice-stuffed interior. Run, don’t walk, to the new St. Louis Hills restaurant to try some. Five sambosas sell for $4.99 before tax and tip.
3.) Hummus at Olio
Hummus is a Middle Eastern staple and Olio offers a traditional rendition of the classic dish. The Botanical Heights restaurant’s King of Kings hummus comes with tahini, smoked paprika, and parsley and is served with a freshly-baked pita. A plate of the hummus with extra pita could serve as a light lunch for one. The dish comes to $8 before tax and tip.
4.) Baba Ganoush at Ranoush
Ranoush has long been a mainstay for Middle Eastern food in the Loop and the "baba" is a must-try appetizer. The dish includes grilled eggplant whipped with tahini, garlic, and lemon juice and comes with soft pita. Enjoy a plate or two in Ranoush’s dimly-lit, tapestry-lined interiors. Baba ganoush comes to $6.50 before tax and tip.
5.) Falafel Plate at Pita Plus
For some of the best falafel in town, look no further than Pita Plus. The tiny Creve Coeur restaurant serves its fried chickpea fritters with an Israeli salad, hummus, and housemade pita bread. Eat in or grab a plate to go. The dish is priced at $8.75 before tax and tip.
