Awesome!! The busy staff was very friendly, knowledgeable, attentive and accommodating. The dine in area is very spacious, but is limited to about 15 seats. There is outside seating. The menu is authentic. There is premade takeaway for essentials such tahini, stuffed grape leaves, etc. My house garden salad was packed with crispy fresh vegetables, including radishes, carrots, cucumber, tomato, and lettuce. Are you doing great perfect. Lambe kebab was the best Lambe I've had since I was in Turkey. The french fries look like the type I didn't care but end up being perfect lightly salted crispy on the outside swapped and warm on the inside. The falafel was excellent, and it's good as what I said was the best I've ever had in my last review read more

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The food is absolutely amazing and the service is great too! It also has a great ambiance.

Ani's has been one of the most consistently best options around for delivery and take out for me, but fresh is even better if you don't mind a casual atmosphere or possibly a tray of freshly baked cookies wandering by, just to maybe have a couple magically return, to be gifted the table with a smile. Their food is delicious and staff are lovely. If I ever need to cater an event they will be one of my first calls! read more

ANI Catering & Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Belmont, Massachusetts

Wow! I can't believe this place is walking distance from my place. It was my first time trying Shawarma and it was amazing. I got the wrap and it was all very fresh with tender, well-seasoned chicken and lots of vegetables, with some unusual additions like pickled turnips and a delicious, tangy garlic sauce. I was fortunate enough to meet the owner and he shared the aspects of his culture from the music to the spices. If all of this wasn't enough, the French fries were unbelievable! read more

Best middle eastern hidden gem around. Had to have a chicken shish-kebob wrap with all the fixings during my short Boston (Belmont) visit. Ate in for the first time and its a charming little space. Check it out! read more

They make great chicken kebabs wraps and the Shawarma is fresh and flavorful. The garlic spread gives it a nice kick. It's got a modestly spaced interior beautifully decorated with art of Armenia, and do a good takeout business. Parking is along the street. The staff are friendly, and the owner is often there greeting guests. read more

Ordered their beef dinner for take out. Got it with middle eastern rice, garlic sauce (in tub), comes with mixed grilled peppers/tomatoes and a mixed salad. I added (extra) 2 falafel balls (amazingly crispy, you can taste all the spices). Added some middle eastern pickles (in tub below). Comes with Syrian bread. Awesome and guaranteed to feel full! read more

ANI Catering & Cafe - Beef Kabob Dinner Falafel Rice Pilaf Pita Bread Garlic Spread - Middle Eastern Near Me - Belmont, Massachusetts

Dining method: Take-out Item(s) ordered: Hummus, pickles and pickled turnips Speed: Took about 10 minutes for them to pack things up. Value: A little more expensive than other places in the area. Plus, I sensed that he was up-selling us for the catering-sized items, so I wouldn't shy away from this place, but just have a firm idea of what you would like. Vibes: Order up at the counter, bare bones spot. The man who took our order was quite serious. The place was less lively and more stark. The experience: When you walk into Ani's, a waft of delicious-smelling air hits your nose. After realizing we would have 15-20 guests, we panic-bought three pounds of hummus. Ani's was able to quickly accommodate our request for catering-sized hummus, which runs about $10/pound. The hummus was very popular among our guests! Their other food smells delicious, so I might be returning to try some falafel! read more

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If I could I would give a Michelin star to this place. I have been buying their food for the last 7 years and I was never disappointed. The hummus is exceptional! Fantastic Armenian people who are preparing their food from scratch every day. They catered several events for us and it was very worth it. They also bake turkey for Thanksgiving. Highly recommend! read more

I picked up a surprise bag from ANI's through TooGoodToGo one night when I didn't want to cook dinner. They did not let me down! I wish I could give a review on the app but I can't, so to Yelp I came. I had shawarma, rice, pita and tahini/hummus. The portion was very large and all of the food was very tasty! I look forward to visiting and trying out different menu items outside of their perfectly prepared surprise bags. :) read more

How can something so simple taste so good. I did my first review of ANI 10 years ago so I thought it was time for an update. I ordered the chicken shawarma wrap for lunch. Man is this thing packed with flavor. As you bite through the lightly toasted pita bread a wave of freshness and flavors hit you. The veggies are fresh the chicken is delicious and the sauce is amazing. Makes me wonder why I don't eat here more often. The service was friendly for the short amount of time I was there and there is ample on street parking. Place is clean and offers seating inside. I would say I want try more things on the menu, but it would be hard to not get this wrap again. They also offer some prepackaged prepared dips, hummus and other stuff. read more

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Ani's is great for easy takeout, tasty food, and huge portions. This locally owned casual restaurant is a five minute walk from Cushing Square and has a small dining room. It seems most of their business is takeout, though. I usually get the chicken shawarma plate with hummus, salad, and gluten free rice. (Their regular rice comes with orzo pasta.) The meat is tender and caramelized, making it extra delicious. A plate easily lasts me two meals and possibly more. Their fries are also quite crispy. A side order can be shared among several people. The Tall Man has gotten a number of their wraps, which are also larger than most other Mediterranean or Armenian places we've been to. The falafel is probably his favorite. (Note their falafel is made with bulgar wheat, so not gluten free -- sad face from me, but lucky for everyone else!). I've tried some of their prepackaged items like dolmas/grape leaves and hummus, but I prefer the options at other places in the area like Sophia's or Sofra. Still, so glad to have Ani's around. read more

My family has been eating Ani's for several years! Whenever I ask my sons where they would like dinner from-the unanimous response is Ani's. Fresh, delicious, consistent, and made with love. We love the chicken kebab dinner and falafel wrap. Ani's has never disappointed us. Be sure to check out the beautiful mural Ani's commissioned a local artist to paint in their dining area. My family is grateful for Ani's! read more

Delicious, fresh and flavorful in nice clean setting with beautiful murals all around!

I was extremely disappointed with my 1st takeout after having seen all the rave reviews. My husband took the meal back and the owner was extremely kind, professional, and agreed about the quality that left the kitchen. It was course corrected and the chicken kebab dish was absolutely moist and delish... we will definitely go back! read more

Lamb kebab wrap is really good - so well-flavored were the meat pieces. The pickling on the cucumber was spot on as well. The falafels I wish were crunchier; they tended to flatten out (in impact, texture, flavor); the mix on the wrap was good too. Pita covering could be a little less chewy - wasn't super impressed on that front. Don't forget to take some accoutrements home - the cucumber yogurt and the muhammara are both excellent, especially the cucumber yogurt! read more

This place is absolutely THE best! We ordered the chicken wrap, beef wrap, ghavourma plate, stuffed grape leaves, and muhammara and everything was SO delicious! We're from LA & already can't wait to be back! Service was also amazing! read more

Just really good Armenian food. Chicken kabob wrap with the garlic spread and all the pickled veggies is my go to, but can't go wrong, just solid food! read more

Food is amazing. Flavorful and fresh. Great for catering parties. Must try for good Armenian/middle eastern food.

I'm a big fan of this place. I usually get the chicken kabob platter with hummus and rice. The chicken is always flavorful and rice tasty. The falafel here are usually hit or miss but doesn't really take them down a star. The French fries are AWESOME. If you get take out they put them in a paper bag so they don't get soggy. They are truly some of the best fries I've had. Parking can be a little tricky but never an issue. The desserts look tasty but I've never indulged. read more

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Amazing service and quality food. I love the chicken shawarma and lamb kebab wrap with fries. The French fries are my go to favorite.

ANI will always have a special place in my heart because... THEY CATERED MY MICROWEDDING THIS SUMMER!! My husband frequently gets lunch here during work and he had me sample this spot with some takeout before we decided to move forward with catering. This is amazing middle eastern food and it means a lot coming from me, given that I'm middle eastern. We catered for 6 people (pandemic wedding) and they went above and beyond with everything Highly recommend their: -Kabobs -Tabbouleh -Baba ghanoush -Falafel -Rice pilaf After being thoroughly impressed with their catering talent, I'm now a loyal take out customer. Also, they serve some really amazing pickled root vegetable (I think it's turnip) that will go perfectly with anything you order. Thanks ANI!!! read more

Excellent food I really like the kabobs !! Great service Nice place. Very friendly staff read more

Good food at fair prices. My wife and I added these guys to our takeout rotation during Covid and continue to get great food from them still. Everything is made on site and is fresh and tasty. Occasionally there are communication problems if we need to alter something on the menu, but all in all they are very accommodating. Local business, local family, good food equals win!! read more

ANI Catering & Cafe is located on a business block in the midst of a residential neighborhood of Belmont. They do primarily take-out business, but there's a nice dining space to the side along with facilities (aka bathroom) available for those who would prefer to eat it while it's hot. Wi-fi is available with a password, but my order came quick enough that I hardly had the chance to use it. The fellow manning the front must have been the owner - his picture is in the take-out menu. He was soft-spoken, patient and friendly enough. The fried food here - such as fries and onion rings - are not made in house, while everything else was. Their veggies looked fresh. I opted for the chicken shawarma dinner $10.99 over the chicken kebab dinner $10.99 because I was told it was the more flavorful of the two. Ironically, however, I found it too flavorful to my taste. The lamb dinner $13.99 arrived as six good sized chunks, though they were a tad tough. Dinners are served with rice or fries or onion rings, humus, tahini sauce or garlic, house salad, pita bread. I went with rice for one and onion rings for the 2nd. The rice was a goodly portion, flavorful and tender. The onion rings large but counted 4 or 5. A thick crisp coating with not enough onion inside. But still, the crunch was rather satisfying. The humus was fine, but the salad quite basic yet overdressed. 3.5 stars read more

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I was looking for some great, comforting Armenian food while having a socially distant visit with a friend, as he was quarantining nearby. I was above and beyond impressed with this spot! Firstly, the food is truly authentic Armenian cuisine. I felt like I was eating my grandparents' home cooked meal. Also, they offered quick and COVID-19 SAFE service by offering curbside pick-up and having sanitizing products for use, as well. Also, I was SUPER thirsty when I got there, so I wanted to grab a drink, and they gave one to me on the house! This was my first experience here, and I will DEFINITELY be returning! Thank you for the delicious food and hospitality! read more

Non pretentious, straight to the point, greek in its soul food. I ll be back. efcharistó!

This place is perfect! They do the real deal when they put the meat on the spit. Great flavor and can make most things gluten and dairy free! Beef kebab is my favorite. The people are great and the owner is real nice. Must try this place you won't regret it. read more

ANI Catering & Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Belmont, Massachusetts

Excellent Sharma and middle eastern food Generous portions. One meal can feed 2 seniors read more

The middle Eastern food here is the best! Fresh & delicious....... I've gotten by entire Thanksgiving dinner here too!

Ordered takeout tonight, a beef dinner plate and an extra lamb skewer. Easy online ordering and payment, picked up on time. The plate of beef, rice, hummus and salad was more than enough and delicious. The extra skewer of lamb was moist and tender. Great meal read more

One of my favorite places in the area. Their chicken shawarma is amazing- love the little crispy bits of the chicken most of all. Their kebabs are great and they do a nice little falafel too, but for me the shawarma is the main event. Their sides are really great too, particularly the toum- that's a whipped garlic spread. Put it on everything. Fries, vegetables, rice- it's amazing. Cafe Ani is a great little neighborhood place, check it out if you can! read more

Got takeout from the takeout side. Got great portions for the price (was very pleased with that as I had it for lunch the next day as well). It was fresh and tasty! Definitely worth it. read more

ANI Catering & Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Belmont, Massachusetts

This is our go-to place for a delicious, healthy but fast dinner. The wraps cannot be beat - the meat is perfectly done, the sauces are flavorful, and the wrap is warmed/crisped on the grill to perfection. Don't forget to add French fries in the wrap, which adds a whole extra dimension of deliciousness. Friendly service and great prices make this a must-try spot for fantastic Armenian and Middle Eastern food. read more

I always try to be as objective and understanding as possible, but this one has been a very bad experience. Falafel wrap and a side of fries: the falafels were a long chunk of dough, not cooked through. I don't fully understand why it was done that way, but the result was an awful, soggy and partially raw giant wrap. The tahini sauce was tasteless. I liked the fries though. read more

This place is a hidden gem. It's a small space with a few table but the food never disappoints. The lamb kabob dinner is my absolute favorite. They give you a very generous portion and the lamb is cooked to perfection. I don't usually order lamb for take out because I don't generally trust places to cook it well. However, I've ordered it multiple times at ANI's and they never miss a step. The staff is very sweet here too. They are super welcoming and warm to their customers. read more

ANI Catering & Cafe - Lamb kabob dinner - Middle Eastern Near Me - Belmont, Massachusetts

I used to love this place and ordered from there frequently, but most recently I placed a chicken kebab order for $40, which is more than usual, but I get the economy and rising prices. With that being said, on the flip side for a consumer, they automatically included a 20% tip totaling $8 at checkout. Is it the end of the world? No. But with rising prices for everyone, this is just not right. Tipping them for what? Me picking up my order? The money they deserve is what I was originally supposed to pay for their food. Not to mention, the chicken pieces were way smaller than usual and the quality of chicken wasn't great - lots of gross pieces. I gave 2 stars because I do really like the family that owns it, they are very kind. read more

The food here is authentic and tastes really good. Nice mom and pop shop, please support during these tough times.

We always enjoy when we order from Ani; great portion sizes, great flavors, and meat is never overcooked. We have ordered from here a few times and have not been disappointed. The hummus is pretty good, knowing that authentic hummus is hard to come by. The owner is really friendly and always present. read more

Great food, great owners, check out this hidden gem! Trust that Ari will do whatever he can to make your experience second to none!