By Emily Zeigfinger
Dallas’s best areas to eat are often hidden gems, such as with the Middle Eastern restaurant and bakery scene in Richardson. In such a large city, there is amazing bites from every cuisine to help expand the community’s knowledge of food. However, it’s equally important to allow cuisine to expand our horizons of culture and respect, helping us appreciate each other for the unique foods and ideas we bring to the table.
Al Nimer Roastery is a favorite for my family and I because they fill a niche in the Dallas area for quality coffee, dessert and conversation. They add cinnamon and other spices to their coffee upon request. One employee told us that his recommendation to accompany coffee are the popular nuts and dried fruits.
“We have lots of different flavors, like cheese nut mix and barbecue nut mix,” he said.
In the center of the store are dried fruits ranging from hibiscus to Armenian peach, as well as the standard dried mango. The shelves have perfume, chocolate and toys. A small fridge tucked in the corner houses orange drinks and sodas.
However, the most beloved part of Al Nimer is their Turkish delights. For those unfamiliar with this decadent sweet, it is similar to a marshmallow with a much more complex flavor profile.
Al Nimer wraps their delights in a mixture of nuts. They have a pomegranate and hazelnut option, which is my personal favorite, and other popular flavors.
“Traditional Turkish delights are central to celebrations and special occasions in Turkey. Vendors in Turkish markets and bazaars often offer free samples of Turkish delights to passersby, a charming tradition that helps make every customer feel like family,” said LQM, a Turkish delight company. At Al Nimer, this hospitality is visible with welcoming staff offering samples.
Directly across S. Sherman Street from Al Nimer is a popular Middle Eastern market called Sara’s Market & Bakery. A diverse crowd from all areas of the city can be found shopping in Sara’s.
While having some more Americanized food on its shelves, Sara’s succeeds with their Middle Eastern falafel, baklava, Lebanese zaatar and gyros. They also have Middle Eastern items in bulk in the back—huge tubs of olive oil, rice and pita options line the walls.
Just next door to Sara’s is a popular Palestinian restaurant called Ayat, which is a chain bistro found in New York as well. However, this exceeds expectations of what a chain would look like. The inside is gorgeous, the menu looks delicious, and the drink I purchased there, a hibiscus tea, was one of the best drinks that I have ever had. The meaning of the restaurant is probably the sweetest part:
“Our bistros were created in honor of my wife, Ayat…[she] is honest, hardworking, and loves her career; but there is a different kind of love that radiates through her when she is cooking,” said Abdul Elenani, the creator of the restaurant.
Back across S. Sherman on the other side of Sarah’s is Ramallah. The setup inside Ramallah is unique: go through the main doors to access the bakery, then enter to the right for pantry items. We purchased a Dubai chocolate bar that was soft and flavorful. They make sandwiches and bread in-house.
Ramallah also has a deal for their Fatayer bread (“stuffed” bread) which is buy two, get one free. A popular type of Fatayer bread is the cheese flavor, which is similar to cheesy bread in American cuisine.
Similar to Ramallah is Bilad Restaurant and Bakery. Has home décor and pantry items on one side of the store and a restaurant on the other. Immediately when walking in, you can see two heartwarming photos taken 40 years apart of the owners’ family: one in the Middle East, and one in the United States.
My favorite item is their hummus, which they dollop with a bunch of olive oil and fresh chickpeas before giving it to you. A large container is only one dollar more than a small (so you can imagine which one I always get).
Nextdoor is Shibam, which is a new Yemeni coffee shop. “Our most popular drinks are the pistachio latte and Spanish latte, which are very sweet,” said the barista. She also clarified the difference between Yemeni coffee and other countries’ varieties.
“I think [Yemini coffee] is very strong, and it’s not too sweet…definitely more strong than sweet,” she added.
Web Editor Claire Caldwell ‘27 and I tried a copycat Starbucks Dragon Fruit refresher. Similarly priced to the Starbucks version, we both agreed Shibam’s was much higher quality.
Another popular Yemeni coffee shop in Richardson is Arwa Yemeni Coffee. The back of the shop also has a prayer room. The shop has books on Yemeni history lining its shelves, while a bright yellow coffee machine goes with the gorgeous décor inside. The drinks are delicious and so are the baked goods, so you can’t really go wrong with your order!
The last visit you have to make is La Souq. This Arab coffee shop is full of art—but this time, you can buy it. They have stone vases for sale as well as delicious coffee.
“A lot of our syrups are made in house, which is really awesome. We offer a lot of variety and unique flavors. It’s important for people to experience culture in new ways,” said Monika, a barista.
She recommended the fig latte, the cinnamon latte, and the Za’atar W’Zeit Latte. “It’s with olive oil and thyme. It’s so unique, and it’s so delicious. I love our thyme syrup that we use,” she said.
After trying as many of the offerings in these bakeries as possible, I truly believe you can’t go wrong with trying any of them. We hope you enjoy!
ADDRESSES:
Al Nimer Roastery | 815 S Sherman St, Richardson, TX 75081
Sara’s Market & Bakery | 750 S Sherman St, Richardson, TX 75081
Arwa Yemeni Coffee | 888 S Greenville Ave Suite 223, Richardson, TX 75081
Bilad Restaurant and Bakery | 850 S Greenville Ave, Richardson, TX 75081
Shibam Coffee | 850 S Greenville Ave #105, Richardson, TX 75081
Ramallah bakery | 705 S Sherman St, Richardson, TX 75081
La Souq | 150 W Main St Suite 900, Richardson, TX 75081
Ayat | 200 W Spring Valley Rd, Richardson, TX 75081
THE BEAR FACTS 