I was curious about The Ma'lawah Bar, who offers Yemenite-Israeli baked goods. I went for the The Schnitzel (ma'lawah filled with chicken, cabbage, schug, tahini, and amba sauce) and The Filly Cheesesteak (ma'lawah filled with steak, cheese, caramelized onions, purple cabbage, amba, and peppers). The bread was pretty good, while being generously filled. You can also add various side salads, such as beets, olives, pickles, etc. I went for extra beets and pickles. Note that everything here is vegan, so you're getting vegan protein and vegan dairy; you don't really miss the meat, though! Online ordering is super easy and seamless, and pickup was super smooth. +vegan! +online ordering available read more

I was in the area and this little restaurant caught my eye! I had never tried ma'lawah before so was very intrigued. It was delicious! Tastes very similar to an Asian green onion pancake - they are both flaky and chewy! The sandwiches are huge and the people there are very friendly. They walk you through the menu and explain everything. Would love to come back and try other things! read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Worth the hype and some more. We got their sabich and filly wrap both of which were huuugeee and filled up to the brim. My personal favourite was the filly wrap with vegan steak. The bread was crisp & toasted perfectly well to go with all their delicious fillings. The eggplant on the sabich felt a bit bland & chewy but my husband enjoyed it. The place has adequate seating although I have to mention they close early, so we took our food to go. You may want to head there earlier if you wanna sit down & eat. The price point definitely makes me rethink being a regular customer but for once a while, I'd say it's worth the $$. read more

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We came in on a Sunday afternoon . They have a very creative and interesting menu full of Yemeni kitchen options We got the full size jachnun meal which comes in with 2 large jachnun, tomato sauce , schug and eggs- they were excellent . You can feel the homemade flavour and everything blending together well We also got a jachnun filled with zaatar roasted eggplant and cheese , which comes toasted that was super yummy with everything in. If you like Yemeni and Israeli food this is definitely a place to try! We will come back for sure read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Jachnun - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Found this spot on a whim because we were staying at Zen hotel nearby (check out my review) It seemed to be the only spot that wasn't closed for a few hours between lunch and dinner and it was walking distance. The restaurant is said to be Israeli but its more middle eastern and get this they are vegan - I wasn't sure at first, we arrived past 2ish and no one was around but the server that was on lunch was so kind to help us out and answer all our questions. We got - The Sharma and Falafel hummus plate. My goodness I was in love, everything was absolutely delicious. I wish they were closer to home because this would be my weekly spot to visit!! Everything was fresh and absolutely delicious! Ambiance nice - feels comfortable but reminded me of subway. LOL read more

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FYI It's a vegan place with eggs and beyond meat products. Here on a Sunday at 1230p. The person helping me was so patient after I confessed this was my first visit here. She gave me a sample of their date and tahini shake which is dairy free as well as everything else on the menu. The shawarma wrap was pretty delicious especially for fake beef. The flavors were fragrant and harmonious. I'm definitely going back for the egg dishes and the date shake! Less 1 star just because it is very pricey at 27$ per fake-meat wrap, although i know very well how much more expensive fake meat is versus real meat. read more

I had high hopes after reading all the reviews to be honest. The $25 beyond chicken wrap is large but overpriced in my opinion. Look they have some good flavors mixed in their wraps but nothing out of this world. The place is nit very welcoming decor wise or people wise. For the set up they have I wouldn't anticipate their pricing. Feels like it could me pick up and fast(ish) food vibe but not with the prices. Might be PA pricing but not worth the drive or the raving, at least on what I saw and tried. read more

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Great flavorful, filling and healthy food! And the owner is always so nice and welcoming

From the second you walk in, you feel the love and heart of owner, Doreet. Her food is cooked with love and passion, and tastes just like it's supposed to. No watered down American tastebuds. This is the real deal! PS The sabich is amazing and the schug is HOT! read more

Having never seen Yemeni cuisine before, I thought this was a really interesting addition to the Palo Alto area. Usually these types of rare cuisines are a one-and-done type of experience that you try once out of curiosity. However I can see folks becoming regulars at Ma'lawah given the tasty food, generous portion sizes, and friendly staff. We got the sabich to try and it took us a while to finish- there were a lot of ingredients in the wrap that meshed well together. I could eat the bread alone as a snack - it was delightfully flaky and was reminiscent of an Indian style bread. The owner offered us some free tahini soft serve to try which was delicious- we'll definitely be getting this next time. If you're a fan of peanut butter or sesame flavors, you'll definitely like this! read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

The perfect 5 star rating got me. It isn't obvious that this place is entirely vegetarian. I think they need to make this more clear. I ordered the sabiche wrap which I thought was very tasty and a hefty size - I had some leftover. I really liked the paratha. The eggplant and hard boiled egg went well together surprisingly. However for $20 and being all vegetarian I think this is a tad overpriced. No customization and no sauce bar or condiments. On top of which the vibe eating here is terrible. It feels like you're eating in a gas station. It's quiet with no music playing. The tables are empty and yet are not cleaned. It's just sad and drab inside. There's a small parking lot in front. It was good to try once but I can't say it would be worth it to come back. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

This place is special and worth a trip! I saw this new Yemeni-Israeli spot blowing up on Yelp so I had to drop in to give it a try. Ordered the Sabich and a tahini date smoothie. This ended up being two of the best things I've eaten this month. The Sabich is on a house-made flakey flatbread, similar to an Indian paratha. The Sabich is full of flavor - as someone with a high heat tolerance, this didn't strike me as spicy, but there were dense layers of flavor from all the ingredients which worked wonderfully together and were super satisfying. I enjoyed the tahini date shake, which was pleasantly nutty and creamy and just sweet enough. There's also wifi here, so it seems like a pleasant spot to work from - which is good, because the portions are huge and you might want to sit around awhile to savor it all. This spot is doing something unique and delicious - I will definitely be back to try more of the items on their menu. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Sabich with Tahini Date Shake - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

What an amazing little spot with the most friendly and kind staff! I would eat here everyday if I lived in the Bay still. I grew up reluctantly munching Subway sandwiches at this location for probably 2 decades and I'm glad to see it has changed to something delicious and healthy. So many more things I'd love to try. Will be back next time I'm around! read more

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This Ma'lawah wrap that everything comes in as a vehicle for delish reminds me a lot of paratha or roti. It's pretty thin, light, bit crispy, but rich too. Shaksuka - Really enjoyed the lightness of this filling. - Careful eating this one as the fresh tomato juices will be everywhere. - Kinda wish there was a runny egg, but that's ok. - Served cold so that was surprising but again it was tasty. Shawarma - Went with the Marvel dish of choice and it was definitely much heavier with the meats and hummus. - This one could easily be split between two adults. - Had no idea this was Beyond Steak until after the fact. Tasty. read more

Tried the Sabich. Pricey at over 20 dollars. Enough for two people though. I had it cut in half and do not recommend this as small pieces of the foil wrap get in the food. The sandwich was very tasty. The eggplant was really good. Service was great. I wish I could get half the sandwich though and not have to spend so much for lunch. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

4.5 STARS $20 for a veggie wrap? That PA cost of living tho! While perusing The Ma'lawah Bar's menu, I thought $20 for a veggie wrap was kinda wild. BUT, this isn't your ordinary veggie wrap... I was handed this girthy baby PACKED with ingredients. I had to nearly unhinge my jaw like a snake to bite into this bad boy. The wrap was enough for two of us to share for a small meal so don't let the $20 price tag deter you. It's totally worth it! Opening in the former Jimmy's Café/Subway is The Ma'lawah Bar, a Yemenite-Israeli café. They're open for takeout, delivery, and indoor dining. No outdoor seating but there's benches outside where we ate. M E N U Yemenite-Israeli Specialties: Jachnun (sweet bread), malawach (flaky flatbread), and lachuch (spongey flatbread). Available as savory or sweet wraps. Vegetarian, dairy-free, kosher, and vegan friendly. For drinks, there's tahini date shake and bottled drinks. Self-serve water available. F O O D * Ma'lawah Sabich w/ sliced hardboiled egg, roasted eggplant, hummus, cabbage, schug, tahini, and amba sauce ($20) // 4 stars: https://tinyurl.com/e54f3ema --Includes choice of two sides: chopped salad, beet salad, pickles, red cabbage, hummus, babaganough, tahini, etc. Like Indian paratha or Chinese scallion pancake (w/o the scallions), the malawach is hot, golden, and flaky. A bit greasy but I don't mind. It's jam packed with soft eggplant, creamy hummus, slices of hardboiled egg, shredded cabbage, and sauces. Savory, hearty, and satisfying but IMO, missing something in the flavor department. The amba (Israeli pickled mango sauce) and schug (Yemeni hot sauce) seemed toned down from other versions I've had. With more acid and heat, I think it would have created a more harmonious, well-balanced veggie wrap. For our sides, we choose the babaganoush (creamy and smoky) and red cabbage (crisp). In hindsight, I regret not choosing the pickles as one of the sides for a fresh, acidic counterpart. S E R V I C E Humble, super friendly owner. Fast food service - the owner assembles your wrap on the line (like Subway) so you can get in/out and on with your day. A M B I A N C E Lowkey café with a handful of indoor tables. P A R K I N G Limited parking spaces in the lot shared with TeAmo. Overall, Ma'lawah Bar is a great addition to PA. While there's Oren's Hummus for Israeli eats, I believe this is the first Yemeni eatery in the area (otherwise, you have to venture to SF and Oakland). If they can make a second schug for legit spicy food lovers, it would be 5 stars perfect! read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Ma'lawah Sabich w/ sliced hard boiled egg, roasted eggplant, hummus, cabbage, schug, tahini, amba sauce | $20 (vegetarian) - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I got the sabich and my husband got the schnitzel. Both were great! The ma'lawah bread used for the wraps is delicious. The serving size was really generous. I was able to take some home for later. Each wrap had a lot of flavor from sauce and seasoning. Would definitely recommend. read more

The newest, best kept secret in Palo Alto! You should be happy you're on Yelp so that you're able to know about it or you might otherwise drive right past this place, tucked into a very small retail complex on El Camino and El Camino Way. Near Goodwill. Yemenite food! Have you tried it? Well this, my dear Bay Arean, is your lucky day. The world has come to you in the form of densely delicious carbohydrates and I hope you are ready for the bike ride you'll want to take after this authentic, filling meal. The Ma'lawah bar offers two main "tracks" for your culinary experience: either go with a wrap made with Ma'lawah - a greasy flat bread that is somewhat like an Indian paratha but made out of a flakier dough OR get the jachnun. Everything comes with two side salads. I tried the beets (yum) and the hummus (more lemony than I like, but that's just a regional preference). The wraps are filled with 4 different savory options with also a dessert menu with fillings like chocolate (it starts to take on a crepe vibe at that point). They are: -sabich -shakshuka - classic (boiled egg, tomato, spicy zhug) - pizza with vegan cheese Did I mention that the whole place is vegan? Every meal is expensive but it is made from scratch by the owner, Doreet, a dynamic and warm hostess. Seating is indoor only and decor is very minimal: the food is the main attraction of the place. I will be so happy for you once you try it. Jachnun, which I didn't bother describing because you just have to taste it yourself, is often eaten on the Sabbath (Saturday) after cooking all night. It is paradoxically a slow-food and probably has no nutritional value. But it's really good and will keep you full for a while. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Menu - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

We are both elderly and we love Middle Eastern and Jewish food. We are both vegetarian. I was very hopeful about this restaurant when I read their website. We went there for lunch and were surprised to not find the owner there. Instead there were two very young women. We explained that we want food that did not contain salt. At our age we should not be eating salty food. The employees explained that everything there was salted, even all the salad ingredients. I suggested that salt could be provided at each table so the customers could add the amount they liked. Then the prepared items would not need to already have salt added. Their response was that food does not taste good without salt so that is why it is added to everything. We ordered a jachun stuffed with eggplant and a salad with hummus and falafel. Given that the total cost of these two items was $44, we were surprised that the utensils were all small disposable plastic such as would be found at McDonalds. The stuffed Jachun was served in a paper box made for hot dogs which made it difficult to cut and eat. The salad - falafel combination was in a plastic tray. The Jacun bread was OK but the eggplant in it was salty. The salad was salty and the falafel balls were very salty. We have ordered salads many times both here and in other countries including Israel. This was the first time a salad was salted. We will not return as the salt bothered our bodies very much right after eating. read more

Very clean and organized. Friendly staff. The ma lawah portion is huge!! And so good. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

We shared a shawarma wrap and a falafel wrap. Both were delicious, with rich, warm flavors. If I didn't know, I would not have guessed that the "meat" in the shawarma wrap was plant protein. read more

OK, it really pains me to do this to a relatively new business. Check out my reviews, I usually am very generous and give out lots of 4 & 5 star reviews, but this was actually the worst tasting food I've eaten in a long time. The falafels were terrible. The fake Beyond meat was terrible. I threw out most of what I got. I don't know about service or ambiance because I got takeout, but there's no way I'll ever eat this food again. read more

I had been so looking forward to making it here for the longest time. I always ended up most wanting to go right during the sabbath. I finally made it there before closing on a Friday at 1:30 pm. I pride myself on eating normal sized, not American sized portions, but I didn't find the sabich to be especially huge and therefore for one, overpriced. I enjoyed the flavors but it did not stand out as anything distinctive or special. This coming from someone who is not familiar with Yemeni food specifically, but who eats Lebanese and Palestinian food on a regular basis. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Sabich wrap - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Small place behind the Main Street. I always wanted to come here. The staff was super friendly ( one might be the manager) took their time to explain the dishes. We picked up several dishes ( you can eat there too) and they were delicious. Portions were huge! read more

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Food was vegan and delicious. The staff was super friendly. Loved every single bite!!! Don't miss this gem.

I'm so excited about this wonderful new Yemenite Israeli cafe in Palo Alto. The food is so, so good and the vibes are amazing! Sunny, warm, homey atmosphere. The space is enlivened by the great energy of the sweet, welcoming owner, Doreet. At Malawach Bar, Doreet offers expertly prepared Yemenite Israeli cuisine from her family's heritage. Fresh breads, wraps, salads and tahini shakes, all made with love and care. Kosher certified, vegetarian, vegan. Malawach is a flaky griddled flatbread similar to paratha. With malawach as your base, you can choose fillings and sides for your wrap from the teeming bar of accompaniments, including baba ganoush, grated tomato, cabbage salad, Israeli pickles, Moroccan carrots, Israeli salad, etc. I tried the sabich wrap, with eggplant, egg, amba and schug, and accompaniments. Omgggggg it was so delicious and satisfying; bursting with flavor from the combination of savory, spicy, tangy elements. I took home a lachuch, a spongy pancake, and had it for breakfast with my leftover baba and grated tomato. Heated with a drizzle of ghee, the lachuch was so delicate and tasty, yum! read more

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The Ma'lawah Bar brings us the exotic taste of Yemenite Jewish cooking. I never had Yemenite food before, so I started with a traditional Ma'lawah, which is a fried bread served with chopped tomatoes and a spicy green sauce. The proprietor, Doreet, is super friendly and helpful. The smalll, bright space seats 28 people in a room surrounded by floor to ceiling windows on three sides. Strictly vegan; strictly kosher. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - I'm standing with Doreet, the proprietor of Ma'lawah, in front of a photo of a woman in traditional Yemenite dress. - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Service, Doreet was very engaging and kept the conversation interesting while I was waiting to meet with a customer. She offered samples of her tahini shakes too. Food, I had jahnun and the falafel. So good I ordered two more falafels for takeout for dinner. First time I had jahnun in probably 8 years, it was as good as I remember it in the Hatikva Quarter in 2016. Keep in mind when some of the other reviewers used the word greasy, this is "light vegan greasy", not "heavy greasy spoon greasy". Ambiance, small seating area that was perfect for a working lunch. Biggest drawback I live far away and don't make it down to Palo Alto often enough. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Great food needs better service though went here the other day wasn't too busy and tasted pretty good read more

The sabich malawach was sooooo flavorful. Get it without schug if you're sensitive to spice. The owner is super friendly. Vegan friendly. Ask how to modify is something interests you that isn't vegan! No meat or cheese on the menu. Good tahini date shake and was not too sweet. Be mindful that this is a kosher restaurant and please don't bring outside food or drinks! read more

Lovely generous owner bringing some amazing new vegetarian options to our local area. I have tried both types of flat breads here and various toppings - great depth of flavor and you can tell they are made with a lot of care and pride. Very clean and cozy space to enjoy your meal. Quick prompt service and highly recommend you try them out! read more

I have never been introduced to Yemenite-Israeli Cooking until I tried The Ma'lawah bar and I love it. The restaurant is brand new, super clean and ingredients are super fresh. The owner and staff here is also very nice and friendly. Menu items: You can choose from savory wraps ($18-$20) to a la carte items. If you don't know what to order, they even have a cheat sheet that describes the sauces and items - super helpful! My personal favorites are the jachnun (slow baked bread) and ma'lawah (layered flatbread). I ordered the full jachnun meal ($19) that comes with hard boiled eggs, 2 jachnun, a container of grated tomatoes, schug sauce (spicy cilantro based side) and 2 sides (I chose hummus and babaganush and both were great). The schug sauce is one of my favorites with its perfect spice blend and perfect (spicy) kick to it. The jachnun has such a nice, thick, chewy texture with a little bit of sweetness to it, it taste so good without any sauces. But if you eat it with the schug and grated tomatoes, it's a whole different experience The ma'lawah is such a nice layered flatbread, also with a slight chewy texture. So good when hot. If you have never tried this type of cooking, I highly recommend it. read more

The sabich was a mouthful of flavor I've never had before, and it's vegetarian so bring your friends! The soft but flaky wrap contains two sauces (amba and schug) that include a spicy kicky, mustard flavor, and too many other herbs or spices that tasted very well together. The diced eggplant was like a soft tofu to me (not slimy!) which was very satisfying. These components were very refreshing and complemented the heartier hummus and egg. Warning: this place does not have it's own restroom. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Sabich; it smelled so good I forgot to photo first. - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Food a d portions were wonderful. Staff friendly. Perhaps if you cut the generous amount of food and the price, you would have so many more customers! read more

I have now eaten at Malawa Bar four times in the last 2 months Each time I am 100% pleased. I regret saying that I ordered the same wrap each time, the Sabich. A ma'lawah (wrap) filled with sliced hard boiled egg, roasted eggplant, hummus, cabbage, schug, tahini, and amba sauce. It is superb, the taste sparkles in your mouth while eating and lingers in a very good way for a long time afterwards, almost until the next time I go back. One wrap is enough for 2 meals. The whole staff is personable and caters to your desires. Next time I hope to try something else. Certified Kosher. read more

Drove down from SF for some Jachnun and Malawach. Everything was made from scratch, and incredible. The Jachnun was better than most of the Shabbat Jachnun I'd had in Israel and the malawach was incredible better than the Tnuvah frozen ones I make at home. The owner, Doreet, was super friendly and helpful. Can't wait to see this business grow and excited for when she offers frozen Jachnun and Malawach to take home. read more

The Ma'lawah Bar - Jachnun meal - Wraps Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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The service is always awesome here. The coffee flavored shake was amazing!!! Not too sweet and just the right flavors.

I was stopping there for lunch yesterday, the employee were really nice and answerd all questions. Food is amazing I had the ma'laeah with Shwarma and it was amazing. Really recommend! read more

One of my favorite spots, the tastiest food and friendly staff . Ask for the hot sauce!

Ma'lawah Bar is a local small business specializing in homemade Yemenite flatbreads. The Ma'lawah wraps were built on a flaky, crispy, pan-fried Ma'lawah flatbread, and the Sabich wrap came with a plethora of colorful items including hard boiled egg, roasted eggplant, hummus, cabbage, schug, tahini, and amba (fermented mango) sauce. The combination was a party of flavors and textures--the chopped eggplant had a smoky flavor and chewy, meaty texture, the shredded cabbage added a nice crunch, the hummus and tahini had an earthy creaminess, the schug was herbaceous and spicy, and the amba added a tangy sweetness. We also tried two other kinds of breads--the Jachnun was made of the same dough as the Ma'lawah but was rolled before being baked for 14 hours; and the Lachuch was a yeasted pancake, served traditionally with grated tomato, schug, and hard boiled egg on the side. The layered Jachnun was soft and greasy, while the Lachuch had a spongy texture. However, my favorite was still the Ma'lawah for its crispiness, similar to that of a paratha or scallion pancake. Overall, this was a great small business with a passionate owner, and though the prices seemed high, the portions were definitely shareable. read more

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