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    Baba Pita - Mediterranean & Persian Cuisine

    3.7 (103 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

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    Recommended Reviews - Baba Pita - Mediterranean & Persian Cuisine

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    Chicken Shawarma Sandwich
    Grant S.

    Wow. Wow. Wow. Somehow we have lived really close to Baba Pita and overlooked this gem despite several folks recommending it. Never again. Now that we have tasted it's divine flavors, Baba Pita will be a staple on our takeout rotation! Ordering is super easy and super safe. You can order online or by phone. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Furthermore, the pickup options are very safe, social distanced, and routinized. The staff all wear masks and I felt very cared for as a customer! Thanks for taking Pandemic safety policies seriously! Now to the food...INCREDIBLE! We started with 4 falafel with tahini..OH MY GOSH IT WAS PERFECT! Crisp on the outside and delightfully soft and flavorful on the inside. I could've eaten 15 of them! Since it was my first time, I decided to order the Shawarma Combo. I'm so happy that I did! All three meats were so uniquely delicious and flavorful. If I had to pick, the beef was probably my favorite. The hummus and pita was also SO GOOD! And the side salad was crisp, refreshing, and delightful. Plus with a bed of aromatic rice, this combo is incredibly filling with FANTASTIC prices. You cannot go wrong with the Shawarma combo. I will probably get it the next time just because it is so filling, wonderfully priced, and a perfect sampling of so many delicious things! My spouse got the chicken shawarma wrap/sandwich. He thought it rich in flavor and the perfect portion size. He loved that it was fresh and didn't leave him feeling overly full...tasted healthy! The staff were also super helpful and friendly in setting up a gift certificate present for a friend who loves Baba Pita and recommended we try it! So that's a great idea for the holidays! Thanks for a wonderful, and safe, dining experience, Baba Pita! We look forward to our next visit! P.S. The food was so good that we devoted all of the falafel and started in on our meals before remembering to take pictures! Apologies for the partially eaten and limited photos!

    Night time intimate lighting.
    Damian P.

    Certainly I wanted to try the meat combo, as everyone has been raving about, but let's go for a different view and taste. The beef kabob plate it is. With probably one of the freshest beef kabobs I've had in a while and the dill rice, ummmm yes ma'am! The beef Kabob was not the typical kabob as kabobs go. It wasn't in a skewer or in a cylinder shaped morsel. Instead it was presented on top of the rice in a very typical fashion, but it didn't bother me due the taste. I absolutely thought it was extremely tasty and so tender. I poured a little bit of the sauce that accompanied it and BAMM! I will definitely now be addicted, can you say uhhh ohhh! I think that the place is beautiful (as it use to be Grand Daddy's sub sandwiches) but now, they have transformed the interior into a Mediterranean spot. I certainly can appreciate the fact that an establishment could seriously begin an adventure like this in what was once Little Italy. I love the fact that they have given us variety, as well as a taste that usually is brought in to select neighborhoods. I see a good future for the Baba Pita, and I truly hope that more will come out and see what I have seen and tasted. I don't think you will be disappointed but if you feel overwhelmed at the variety, by all means ask for a suggestion as I did. The young lady asked what I was in the mood for and of course I said beef, and we settled on the actual beef kabob dinner which was perfect, but one problem, too much food so leftovers it was. I give them a good rating and I am sure you will also.

    Spinach Pie Veggie Combination Basmati Dill Rice Yogurt Sauce Strawberry Lemonade Fattoush Salad
    C J.

    Everything was so delicious! I highly recommend ordering from them, especially the strawberry lemonade! Super affordable

    a birthday cake in a box
    Jordan M.

    This place has amazing tres leches cake. I know I'd be surprised to hear a middle eastern place has an amazing Mexican cake but it's true. They make use of a middle cream layer and the cake is perfectly soaked. Highly recommend. The food is also very high quality middle eastern fare. We will be ordering more often from them going forward, certainly for every birthday!

    Veggie falafel
    Alison Y.

    Got take out from here and usually the order is ready in 15-20 minutes. Whenever I've stopped by, there's usually only 1 person manning the cashier and waiting tables. Makes me think this place doesn't get very busy? I was surprised by how tasty some of the items were. The hummus here is fantastic as well as the size of the falafels - they're larger than most! While all the food was tasty, I found it didn't quite compare to other Greek food I've had. With Greektown a short distance away, I'd prefer to travel a bit farther. For those in the area looking for Greek, this seems to be the only option and will satiate your appetite.

    Falafel Plate
    Regina I.

    I picked up some lunch from Baba Pita today. Living in the area I have always walked by and wondered how this place would compete with the Mediterranean food I've had... I LOVE Mediterranean food, most especially Falafel! Every time I walk by the place, it always seems to be empty, I've never really seen any kind of traffic go through. Having friends in the neighborhood we often share our thoughts on local establishments and for Baba Pita I have been told several times that I've got try the place. I take recommendations very serious and once something catches my interest I'm in! I ordered take out from the yelp app, everything was pretty straightforward and easy! I waited about 10 minutes to head over and upon arriving, the place was empty, the staff greeted me and I was moments away from chowing down! From the outside the place looks small! I was actually surprised at how many empty tables there were. Not gonna lie, it is pretty unsettling to walk into an empty restaurant during the lunch hour. I figured that I'd look past the empty tables and let the food speak for itself! I kept my order pretty simple. I ordered the Falafel Plate ($10), an additional Dozen Falafel ($6), and side order of Dill Rice ($2). Everything tasted good. The Falafel was crispy on the outside and soft in the inside, definitely packed full of flavor with or without the sauce! The Pita was nice and warm, soft enough to make a little Falafel sandwich that didn't fall apart in my hands. The hummus was good too but the serving size was pretty small! The dill rice was very flavorful but it was a little dry! One thing I should mention is that the take out sauce portions are pretty small! I love Mediterranean sauces, I made sure to order 4 extra sauces ($0.50 each), had I known the sauce containers were small I would have ordered more! I could have used it for the rice... Overall I would definitely order again from Baba Pita and recommend it to anyone near the area! It's not the best Mediterranean I've had but seeing how close they are from home it makes it better! Look past the empty tables and let the food speak for itself!

    Chicken shawarma platter
    Faraz M.

    I ordered the chicken shawarma plate for carry out. You get some chicken shawarma over a small bed of rice. Then a spoon of hummus and a little bit of salad. The actual chicken and rice tasted excellent. Great flavors. The hummus was not good at all. The bread they gave with it was just some stale, store bought bread. The most irritating part was the sauces though. For those familiar with middle eastern cuisine, the garlic sauce is KEY to enjoying your meal. Over here, they give you one tiny little cup. And when I say tiny, I mean the tiniest. Like one teaspoon worth. On top of that, it's Watered down and very liquidy. It's not supposed to be that consistency. And it costs 50 cents extra for extra sauce. That's the equivalent of McDonald's charging for ketchup packets. Also, the place is a lil pricey for the quantity. $7 for a shawarma is pushing it. Even tho I got carry out, the dining area is very nice. You could definitely bring a big group of friends and eat comfortably. Also, the service is good. We got our food fast and the cashier lady was nice and very patient (I took a couple minutes to decide my order)

    Chicken kebab
    Vivek B.

    Visited them for a lunch. The chicken kebab is really very fresh and tasty. The strawberry mint lemonade was made in house, and was pretty refreshing. Serving times are a bit on longer side, but acceptable conaidering ghat ghey make everythimg fresh. The falafels were crsipy and the chicken very tender. They served freshly made pita bread on the side. Will definitely visit again.

    .50 cents extra cups of tahini and garlic sauce..not as big as you think

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Great food! Fresh ingredients and well prepared. I will definitely go again and am planning to try their take-out too.

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    3 years ago

    Best beef shawarma with onions ever!

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    3 years ago

    AMAZING people and food is so wholesome and authentic

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    6 years ago

    Mediterranean food peaks at Baba Pita. This is coming from a person who eats a lot of Mediterranean.

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Best Mediterranean food in the area! Highly recommend the beef shawarma and chicken tabbouli!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Baba Pita - Mediterranean & Persian Cuisine

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    This restaurant space is beautifully done inside and you can also sit out on their balcony patio,…read morewhich is such a nice option as well. They have the decor down to the details. We got the smoky garlic hummus, whipped feta, brussel sprouts, and lemon meringue bar for dessert, and honestly everything was amazing. The harissa honey on the brussel sprouts was so good, and the lemon meringue bar with the citrus crema and graham cracker crust was the perfect sweet item to round out the meal. They bring complementary pita with your hummus and dips and the bread with za'atar itself was delicious. They recommend 2-3 share plates per person, but we ordered 3 plus dessert for two people and still had leftovers. So I'd say it definitely depends on how hungry you are! We went for lunch/brunch and were pretty much the first people there, so service was super fast. Our server was lovely and incredibly attentive with topping off water and clearing plates. Definitely would come back to try some of their larger plate options.

    I enjoyed a tasty brunch here with friends on a bustling Saturday morning. We ended up splitting…read moreplates, trying the crispy short rib hummus, a unique concept that combined the crispiness of the short rib with grilled onion and hummus, and whipped feta, which was light and airy with pistachio and olive oil. The crispy potatoes also hit the spot, especially due to the scallion cream it came with. Not to be outdone was the house pita bread, which was wonderfully spiced. I also appreciated the mocktail options offered as well! Service was excellent, ambiance was beautiful, and food was tasty. Overall would recommend this place to anyone looking for a gorgeous and yummy brunch location in the West Loop!

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    Ema - Salmon bab.

    Ema

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    I LOVED my meal here! Ēma (Ay-mah) brings some glamour and glitz to the Mediterranean dining scene,…read morewith an airy, elevated hotel-lobby feel that still doesn't demand a dress code. Dresscode: Smart Casual / Casual Noise Level: Medium (it gets buzzy after 5:30pm) Thursday night Happy Hour was lively, so it took about 10-15 minutes for someone to come around, but service was attentive once we got going. The food is where Ēma really shines. From the Happy Hour menu, the Charred Eggplant Hummus and Crispy Potatoes were generously portioned and great for sharing. On the main menu, the Indian-Mediterranean fusion Bhel Hummus was a party for my taste buds, while the Hot Honey Halloumi and Chicken Kefta rounded out the table nicely. The halloumi is more of a side than a main, but that sweet-and-salty hot honey combo was chef's kiss. For our finisher, the Chocolate Torte knocked us out. Decadent, delicious and chocolate with lots of depth. Overall, Ēma is an excellent spot to order a bunch of dishes for the table and get an elevated meal without feeling stuffy, and delicious without taking itself too seriously. DO's: - Make a reservation ahead, especially for happy hour 4-6pm - Treat apps like small plates, order 2-3 to sample - Entertain their wine list, they have a lot! - Bring vegetarians here, there are plenty of options DON'Ts: - Dismiss the desert menu. It's fantastic and shareable! - Forget to ask for extra pita with the hummus! - Miss out on the LettuceEats loyalty points (check-in with your server before paying your check)

    Came for a late lunch. Split a meal: *Whipped spicy feta -…read moreVery tasty. The pita was warm with lots of za'atar. Enough to share with 2-3 people *Braised short rib sandwich - In a pita stuffed with cabbage. The beef was extremely tender. Unfortunately there was several large pieces of cabbage core vs shredded. The fries were crispy and seasoned with za'atar. The au jus provided, tasted it had a bit of red wine vinegar. That was a winner! Would order both items again. The decor is beautiful. Sat at the bar and the bartender wasn't in the best mood. Minus one star for the combination of the large pieces of cabbage core and sat at the bar for about 15 minutes - no one was there to serve us.

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    Al Bawadi Grill - Family Platter (serves 5-6 people)

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    The whole concept and aesthetic of this restaurant completely wowed me!! It feels so well thought…read moreout. The service was amazing too, super professional, friendly, always on top of everything without being overwhelming. And the hummus was especially good, and creamy, which I loved!! The food overall was great. Such a cool experience from start to finish.

    I really liked this place. They have parking in front of the restaurant and back. I highly…read morerecommend a reservation on Friday-Sunday even if you are just one person. I called them because I wasn't sure if the online version would be too slow. We were a group of three that came in Saturday night at 7 pm. It was moderately busy. The staff were all welcoming with smiles on their faces and attentiveness. Prices were fair for the amount of food you receive. Food portions are colossal so I would recommend one appetizer and one entree if you are a couple. They give you a complimentary dish. We ordered arayes with meat, meat toshka, mixed grill with baba ghanouj, fillet of basa fried, and mint lemonade. They also offer you fresh Arabic coffee before you leave. This is about a 4.5-5. -arayes with meat 4 - this was not bad. It's like a tamer version of the meat toshka. -meat toshka 5 - I prefer this over the arayes because they add the Syrian cheese. This one was bursting with flavor the moment you took a bite out of it. The minced beef and lamb just melt in the mouth. -mixed grill 5 - this came with 3 big skewers (shish kabab, kufta kabab, and chicken tawook. It also has tomatoes and onions to help cut down the meat when digesting. There are two heaping portions of biryani and saffron rice and baba ghanouj. The baba ghanouj was creamy and flavorful. It goes well with the pita bread. The meats were cooked medium well unless you want something. I think next time I'll ask for the shish kababs to be cooked medium rare or medium for a more juicy taste. The chicken tawook and kufta were both succulent. -fillet of basa fried 5 - the two pieces of basa fillet were astronomical. It also comes with two different kinds of rice. The fish was flaky, moist, and seasoned. Make sure you add the lemon and eat it with the sauce. -mint lemonade 5 - this was very refreshing after eating a heavy meal.

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    Avec - Chicago - Chorizo-Stuffed Medjool Dates

    Avec - Chicago

    4.3(2.7k reviews)
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    Yum yum yum! I came here for lunch left thoroughly impressed and full. $26 prefix menu includes…read morechoice of soup, choice of salad or sandwich, choice of baklava or fudge. Now for $26, this is such an incredible steal. We actually got to choose between the soup or we got the chorizo stuffed dates which oh my GOSH. These really sent the tone for the rest of the lunch. They are served in a bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce that I honestly could have drank. Highly recommend! My husband went with the lentil soup and love it as well! I got the chicken shawarma which was also absolutely delicious. The flavors were so good and portions are legit. Ended the meal with a baklava which also hit the spot! Forgot to mention we also got two starters: the heirloom tomatoes and hummus. I cannot think of a single bad thing to say about our experience. The service, ambiance, and most importantly, THE FOOD, were all top notch. I'm sold on the dinner menu now and will absolutely be back!

    Originally thought the restaurant was French because of the name. It isn't French. Good food. We…read morestarted with some drinks. I got a Negroni it was made well. Friend ordered some small plates that relieved our hunger until entrees. We got calimari and salmon and I'm forgetting an appetizer. For our mains we got pizza and pork shoulder. The mushrooms on the pizza were savory and tasty. The pork was tender and life giving. Even with 3 people had food left over. For dessert we shared the honey peach cake. It reminded me a lot of a tres leches.

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    Avaspi - Babaganoush

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    5.1 miLakeview

    Firat, Avaspi manager, helped us plan a surprise birthday party for a friend, which included 10…read moreguests July 8, 2026. The table was beautifully set with red cloth napkins and small lanterns adding to the ambiance of the place. He welcomed adding our own decorations- paper placemats and a balloon bouquet. The area was set apart from the main dining area which made the experience more intimate. The food was served family style on platters, attractively presented and absolutely delicious! The individual printed menus at each setting described the wine choices, the first course Meze, the Main course choices , and 2 Desserts. Each course was tastier than the next! We chose: 1st course 2 platters of Mixed Meze, homemade bread, 2 Mushroom Tava, and 2 Calamari. 2nd course: 3 platters of "Mixed Plate for two" had Chicken kebab, Beef delight, Lamb Delight, Lamb Chops, Haydara, Ezme, Fries, and Rice. 2 Orange Salmon platters and Green Olive Salad. 3rd course: Baklava and Coconut Cake. The portions were more than enough for the 10 guests In order to try almost every food choice. Our server, Maine, timed each course very well. He also cleared European-style waiting until everyone was done eating. A pleasurable change as we weren't rushed! The water glasses and wine glasses were consistently filled. Though we had dined at Avaspi for both Happy Hour and Dinner, all 8 guests expressed how enjoyable the cuisine, wine selection, service and ambiance was throughout the evending. We all plan to return!

    If you only know of the Kurdish people or culture through the news, it's time to remedy that-- head…read moreover to Avaspi for drinks and snacks at the generous Happy Hour or for a full dinner. The beautiful bar is set back in the glowingly dining room that has a painting of the Kurdish area in Turkey from where the owner comes from. Remixes of contemporary tunes gives a kind of clubby feeling inside, and the large sidewalk patio (on the side street) to enjoy the season is a completely different vibe. It's not just another variant on Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/ Persian cuisine, though you'll find familiar salads, spreads and cuts of meat. The presentations and flavors are different. The friendly (and easy on the eyes) staff will guide you through the menu. Very nice wine list as well as creative takes on standard cocktails (some mocktails too) complement the meal. Come in a group so you can sample many things; I assure you it'll all be good. Loved the calamari and the meze plate on this last visit. Grilled haloumi and shrimp were great previously. Easy to get to so get going!

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    Baba Pita - Mediterranean & Persian Cuisine - mediterranean - Updated August 2026

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