New Middle Eastern Restaurant Now Open in Allendale

College students and residents of Allendale who have a craving for Middle Eastern food won't have to travel to Grand Rapids to get their fix anymore.

A new restaurant, Hummus & Falafel, just opened on 48th Ave in Allendale. What's funny is that I'm allergic to those two things -- hummus and falafel. What's even more funny is that I'm of Arabic descent so basically I'm the worst Middle Eastern person ever considering chick peas is a staple of my culture and I can't even eat it. However, the restaurant offers a variety of foods that will satisfy any palette (even if you have an allergy).

What's awesome about this place is that the owners are from Syria and moved to the United States in 2015 so you know you are getting authentic Middle Eastern food. The owners told Grand Rapids Business Journal,

We have noticed that Allendale doesn’t have any Middle Eastern type of food... So, we found an opportunity to just offer a chance for a different culture to be in Allendale.

Their menu includes foods like salads (fattoush and tabouli), sandwiches like [chicken and beef] shawarma and kabob, and entrees such as biryani and fried kibbeh.

Before opening the restaurant, the owners worked for Spectrum Health's nutrition department so they pride themselves on serving healthy and delicious food.

They are open for dine-in service right now with tables at a six-feet distance from one another to adhere to social distancing. Because of COVID-19, they currently aren't offering fountain drinks.

To help out, the restaurant is also giving a 10% student discount. I remember what its like to be a broke college student (without a kitchen) so any discount on food is a big help.

If you're someone who cares about where your meat is coming from, all the meat here is considered "Halal" meaning it adheres to Islamic law. For it to be halal, the animal must be alive and healthy before it's slaughtered and all the blood has to be drained from its body. The animal is also blessed before being killed.

Hummus & Falafel is now open for dine-in, takeout, and catered orders seven days a week.