Takeout & Delivery in Paterson, NJ: Enjoy Al-Basha Favorites at Home
Craving flavorful Palestinian and Middle Eastern food without leaving home? Takeout and delivery in Paterson, NJ make it easy to enjoy satisfying meals wherever you are. From creamy hummus and fresh salads to shawarma, grilled meats, and traditional favorites, Al-Basha brings the flavors of Palestinian cuisine to your table. Located at 1076 Main St in […]
Why Is Beef Kofta So Popular in Middle Eastern Cuisine?
Beef kofta is popular in Middle Eastern cuisine because it delivers bold flavor from simple ingredients, develops a delicious grilled texture, and works in everything from family-style platters to pita wraps. Its combination of seasoned ground beef, fresh herbs, aromatic spices, and versatile serving options makes it a familiar and satisfying dish across the region. […]
What is Shawarma? Origin, Calories, Types & Nutrition (2026 Guide)
Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish made by stacking seasoned meat — chicken, beef, lamb, or veal — on a vertical rotating spit, slow-roasting it, and shaving thin slices into warm flatbread. Topped with garlic sauce, tahini, pickles, and fresh vegetables, it originated in the Ottoman Empire and is today one of the world’s most […]
What to Serve with Falafel: 20+ Pairings
Falafel goes best with creamy hummus, warm pita, tahini, sharp pickles, and a bright salad like tabbouleh or fattoush. For a full meal, build it into a mezze platter or fold it into pita with vegetables and toum. We send out dozens of falafel orders a day, so what follows isn’t a list pulled from […]
Baba Ganoush vs Hummus – Tastes, Differences & Best choice
Baba ganoush starts from roasted eggplant and hummus starts from chickpeas, and that one swap drives every difference between them. Baba ganoush comes out smokier, lighter and lower in carbs. Hummus comes out creamier, more filling and higher in protein. Reach for baba ganoush when you want a smoky low-carb dip, hummus when you want […]
Meet Yaser Baker: The Man Behind Al-Basha
Quick answer. Yaser Baker is the founder of Al-Basha, a Palestinian restaurant in Paterson, New Jersey. He grew up in Ramallah, learned to cook across two different kitchens as a teenager, spent eleven years working on a Hudson River ferry after moving to the United States, and opened Al-Basha in 1998. His sons Ammar and […]
Best Dishes to Order at Al-Basha’s Palestinian Grill in Paterson, NJ
We get asked the same question almost every night. A customer walks up to the counter, looks at the menu, and pauses. Shawarma. Musakhan. Kebab. Hummus is made in a few different ways. Then they turn to us and ask, “What should I get?” It’s a fair question, and honestly, one of our favorite ones […]
Where to Find the Best Halal Shawarma in Paterson, NJ
If you are hunting for the best shawarma Paterson, NJ, has to offer, start in South Paterson, the neighborhood widely known as “Little Ramallah.” Paterson is home to one of the largest Palestinian-American communities in the United States, and that history shows up on nearly every block of its restaurant scene. Here, shawarma is not […]
Shawarma vs Gyro: What’s the Difference?
Shawarma and gyro look similar thin slices of meat carved from a vertical rotisserie — but they come from different culinary traditions. Shawarma is a Levantine and Middle Eastern dish seasoned with warm spices and served with tahini or garlic sauce. Gyro is Greek, seasoned with Mediterranean herbs and served with tzatziki. Same cooking method, […]
Is Pita Bread Healthy?
Yes, pita bread can be a healthy choice in moderation. Whole-wheat pita is a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates and is relatively low in fat, while white pita is more refined and lower in fiber. What makes pita “healthy” is less about the bread by itself and more about what you eat it […]
