Al-Sham Sweets & Pastries
“Greeks probably didn't invent baklava, but if I admit otherwise, I'll be haunted forever by my snobby Greek ancestors.”
“We had the Kanafeh with ashta-a baked type of farina with something similar to ricotta inside of it-it was splendid.”
“Al-Sham's date cookies melt in your mouth and the pistachios are fresh and crunchy.”
Al-Sham Sweets & Pastries
Take-out: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Inexpensive
8 reviews
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I kid you not, Talal has GOT to be the nicest shop owner in the entire world – I don't think I've ever met anyone who was so sweet and welcoming to customers who were coming in at 11:30 at night!
They have a whole assortment of baklava and although it may seem pricey at $13/lb, everything I sampled was very high quality – freshly made and delicious! I got 6 pieces to go for $4 because Talal kindly rounded down the cost AND offered us free pieces of baklava because it was our friend's birthday.
I wish I could come here every day, but will definitely stop by any time I'm in the neighborhood!
My mom is the knafeh queen so when I have knafeh outside of the house, I compare it to hers. Every time it falls short (usually very short) of her perfect recipe, but Al-Sham is the closest competitor thus far!
I tried a slice of the ashta knafeh and the cheese knafeh. Both were delicious, but since my mom set a high standard for cheese knafeh, the ashta was more of a stand out to me. Usually the problem with knafeh shops is that you're not getting it straight out of the oven (they obviously can't make every customer a fresh piece since they make it in large trays) so the cheese gets tough and the breading gets dry, but Al-Sham seems to have solved that problem. If I hadn't seen them reheat the knafeh, I honestly wouldn't have known it had been sitting out for a bit.
I don't know how knafeh is usually priced, but I thought it was well worth what I paid (it's cash only by the way). The employee seemed to just throw out a price off the top of his head and I'm pretty sure I got a good deal because of that Arab connection. Totally unrelated to price, my only complaint is that they didn't have knives. It's darn near impossible to cut stringy cheese with a plastic fork, but hey you'll do whatever it takes to eat good knafeh.
Even though I prefer the knafeh queen's knafeh, the knafeh in Queens is still delicious. I highly recommend you check out Al-Sham Sweets & Pastries for an authentic Arab dessert experience.
My friends and I just came back from an amazing trip to the Middle East- specifically Jordan/Israel and were introduced to knafeh by our tour guide. As the shuttle was rolling through the crowded street in Amman, he made the driver stop, hopped out and came back with plates and plates of this warm concoction of fried cheese with a wonderfully sweet and slightly sticky crust- omg, it was soooo good.
We've been craving it since and are all so glad when our buddy found out about Al-Sham online. It's not much of a place to linger since it's pretty bare-boned inside and a little trek from the train – but their knafeh was worth it. Although not exactly as good as the one we got in Jordan, it was close ….and that is pretty darn good enough for us.
Knafa is great – used a microwave to heat it but God was it the best piece of knafa I've had in years
Hello little pieces of heaven. We had the Kanafeh with ashta-a baked type of farina with something similar to ricotta inside of it-it was splendid. We also had the mahlabiyeh-similar to the rice pudding minus the rice-sooo yummy. And the chocolate dipped lady's fingers are to die for. Service is top notch and with a smile.
There are many pastry places in Astoria and a lot of middle eastern desert spots on Steinway, but this in my opinion has the best tasting baklava! It's a small unpretentious spot that you might easily walk past without noticing it, the guys who work here are always very friendly and patiently explain all of the different types of desserts. I've always ordered the pistachio baklava and the almond version. The pieces are small which I like and I'm usually satisfied with just 2 pieces. If you love honey like I do make sure to ask for the pieces that are on the bottom of the tray since they are soaked with the honey! The flaky dough layers, nuts and the sweetness of the honey make the baklava here taste absolutely amazing! They really have a great balance when it comes to the blending of all the ingredients. I finally tried the kanafeh and totally fell in love! The combination of sweet cheese and rose and orange blossom syrup is beyond delicious!! I wanted to eat the entire tray, the only thing that stopped me was that I ran out of cash and this place is cash only. Looking forward to my next visit and having more of the kanafeh!
This place is really excellent and open late. The guy in front was very friendly and will explain what each item is. I have tried their almond and pistachio baklava and both were very tasty and sweet. The chocolate baklava is also good as well. I believe it is cash only. They have a lot of unique pastries and items to try. There is a little counter with three stools if you want to eat there, but most carry out orders.
This place is awesome!!!! Talal is your guy! Always warm and welcoming despite the hour. Amazing customer service and an assortment of yummy baklava will have you crawling back in here over and over again!
Though $13/lb may sound a bit pricey, it's worth every bite. Freshly made great quality baklava that's crisp and not too sweet. My favorite one is their almond and chocolate baklava, simply delicious! Highly recommend this place for your Baklava cravings!
*Make sure the baklava is fresh when u get it or else it will taste soggy and not crispy*.