Al Bawadi is well-loved by the Palestinian, Syrian, and Jordanian community in Bridgeview, largely because the food and decor are reminiscent of home. The interiors are unapologetically Palestinian with the red patterned fabric that decorates the walls and upholstery which draws on Bedouin culture. The look has long been integrated into restaurants and cafes in Palestine and Jordan. Bawadi’s menu, curated by founders Kal Ismail and Khalied Baste, is extensive, with everything from classic mezze like batata harra (spicy potatoes), kibbeh, to kebab. If you get anything grab their chicken or beef shawarma (encased in thin but sturdy shrak bread) and all accompanied with excellent fries and house pickles. Bawadi’s even worth a stop if you just want dessert for its knafa pastries. Outdoor seating is available on the weekends in a tent attached to the building itself. A second location opened in 2019 in north suburban Niles.

Afghan cuisine is renowned for skewered and barbecued meats. Kabul Kabob is also part of the Harlem Avenue community of restaurants and while it is definitely worth a stop. Their menu also includes other elements of Afghanistan’s expansive and diverse cuisines. Kabul Pilau and mantu (dumplings) are two highlights of the menu: Kabul pilau, although it comes with a piece of lamb on the bone, is really worth it for the spiced rice that comes with it. It’s flavored with dried fruit and carrots, and served with different sauces.

Alwatan is a Bridgeview classic because it features such an extensive menu of mu’jinat, an expansive genre of savory baked goods made with dough including mana’eesh (za’tar bread), akras (wheat fritters), and sfiha (flatbread with meat).  The white cheese and za’tar man’eesh come in all of the classic varieties (including what’s often called “cocktail” — a mix of cheese and za’tar). But another reason to go to Alwatan is for its ka’ik: an airy bread covered densely in sesames and typically sold from carts on the streets of Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Related distantly to the Turkish simit (circular bread with a hole), ka’ik can come in different forms (shaped like a long-oval, or like a football) and is eaten on its own (or with salt, za’tar, ful (fava beans), or whatever else you have on hand). A piece of ka’ik and some of Alwatan’s excellent falafel makes a meal in itself. Watan also sells tea biscuits that are crunchy and slightly sweet, with anise and ma’amoul.

In the realm of Palestinian, Lebanese, Jordanian, and Syrian desserts, knafa is the best known in either its na’ima or khishna forms (na’ima being made with semolina and khishna with knafa or kadaif pastry; a thin vermicelli-like noodle). Prince has both, with its distinctive dark orange, along with other well known classics, including three different kinds of basboosa or harissa (a cornmeal cake soaked in syrup featuring a variety of toppings), and ma’amoul (with walnut and date varieties). Prince also features Palestinian regional specialties, like karakiyya, a thin-fried dough dotted with black seed and sesame soaked in syrup. 

Of all the restaurants in Bridgeview, Ozi Corner leans the heaviest into Syrian cuisine. Oozi is a dish found largely in Syria and Jordan: very lightly spiced beef served with peas and rice. Another popular iteration of oozi is encased within bread or pastry and convenient for packing for lunch or picking up at a bakery on your way to work: Oozi Corner’s version is very generous and sturdy, made within the same dough they provide with every order and accompanied with a side of their smooth hummus. The rest of the menu features Syrian classics including grilled kibbeh, several clay-pot stews, along with other dishes like fattoush and kebab. Oozi also has outdoor seating and a drive-thru with a more limited menu.

Saj is a street-food well loved in Bilad al-Sham, consisting of a flatbread folded over into a half-moon shape that can be served with a variety of fillings. Baba Saj offers everything from labneh with olives to halal mortadella; school-kid classics. Maybe their best is the muhammara saj, made with tomatoes bursting out of the saj itself, is juicy and satisfying. Other offerings include different mana’eesh varieties, shawerma, and msakhan — a flatbread topped with stewed onions, sumac and chicken which the Palestinian city of Tulkaram is particularly well-known for. The Harlem Avenue location is technically in Palos Hills. There’s also a drive-thru and another location in Oak Lawn.

Slightly further down Harlem Avenue in the Friendly Village, Fattoush maintains a long and expansive with all of the Bilad al-Sham classics, including mansaf (a lamb-and-rice dish served with bread) and an iconic rich sauce made out of jameed (a rehydrated yogurt with origins in Bedouin cuisine). The namesake salad, fattoush, is served unconventionally in a large fried bread bowl and is fun to share in a group. A dish you might not be able to get anywhere else is mtawameh, which is slightly different from toum, the popular fluffy garlic sauce. Muthawama has a good amount of potato mixed in and is customarily eaten as a mezze with bread. Fattoush also boasts some of the best house pickles in the Southwest Suburbs.

A little unassuming, Al Medina Bakery has some of the best mu’jinat, made fresh daily, in the Southwest Suburbs. A small supermarket with a full-fledged bakery in the back, its pillowy sfiha, topped with minced meat and very finely diced tomatoes, has beautiful delicate crimps around its rim. The spinach fteer is very generous on the spinach and onion filling, with the right amount of lemon and sumac.  They also have a wide selection of tea biscuits and barazek. They also stock a variety of breads, including ka’ik and excellent fresh falafel.