Manousheh
“So far I've only had the jibneh and the cocktail (zaatar with cheese-love this!”
“Whenever I get homesick, I come here for a Lahem Bi Ajine , the cocktail which is the jibneh with Zatar.”
“I have been looking for a place that will remind me of the delicious Lebanese food I had when I visit Lebanon.”
Manousheh
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I'm no expert when it comes to Lebanese food, but I must say, overall – very flavorful.
Manousheh is stationed at a great location in the heart of Greenwhich. Despite so many unique restaurants and bars in the area, I would say it's worth stopping by- especially if you're looking to spice things up (maybe too literally). The place is small, but cozy. There's not too much seating, since there's only limited space, but they have the option to take yours to-go.
I ordered the avocado wrap $9, which would have been delicious if I didn't have to pick out the olives. Something worth trying is dipping it in honey. Made it taste SO good.
Also, they have a yelp check in for a free coffee or tea. Can't pass up free offers.
Great cheap eats. I love the "cocktail". The staff is very friendly. The food is piping hot. It's quick and filling. Not a lot of seating but Washington Square Park is so close, in good weather go sit in the park and enjoy. A good addition to the neighborhood.
Manousheh is Excellent, No Doubt About It – it's simple, fast and cheap, for NYC.
This Lebanese street food is one of my favorites of all the street foods.
Funny thing is, manousheh (actual name of the flatbread) is really a breakfast staple in Lebanon, sometimes for lunch, but personally, it's great any time of the day or night in my opinion.
I personally like the:
1. Cocktail: which is the Zaatar and Jibneh combined – the best of both worlds! Love the thyme & sesame mix of the Zaatar, along with the Akkawi melted cheese of the Jibneh. Akkawi is a Palestinian cheese which is briny & chewy, but excellent. Great combination, especially with the included vegetables – cucumber, olives & tomato. Can't go wrong with this one!
2. Labneh: which is basically a Lebanese cream cheese with extra virgin olive oil, that's usually eaten for breakfast, but frankly, I love it any hour of the day. I usually order as a side to go with my Cocktail.
3. Lahem Bi Ajine: or, "meat pie", is ground beef, tomato and onion on a very thin flatbread, crispy around the edges and soft in the middle, looks like a mini pizza. It's good, but the Cocktail is much better.
4. Halawa: sometimes I'll be craving something sweet, so I'll get this one. Halawa is a ground sesame paste mixed with sugar. I like it cause it's not too sweet. It's a fairly plain but good with an Arabic coffee.
5. Arabic Coffee: served in a very small cup and mixed with Cardamom. It's flavorful and delightful, but don't be expecting a "Grande" Starbucks size. It's more about quality than quantity.
6. Ayran: which is really more Turkish, is a cold diluted yogurt drink mixed with salt. Sounds strange, and it is for a Westerner, but it's refreshing and good in the Summertime when it's hot.
Insider Tip – the place is very small with not much seating, and usually filled with people. Most of the people are doing takeout though, so it's deceiving as there's usually a few seats available for those eating there. Point is, don't let the "packed-ness" of the place dissuade you from going in and eating there. You may have to wait a few minutes, but more than likely, you'll get a seat.
Overall, Manousheh is excellent any time of the day, and I highly, highly recommend it.
Come here, order a Cocktail with a side of Labneh and an Arabic coffee, my three favorites, and I promise you'll be happy and full…and all for $8 – probably the best thing you can eat in Manhattan for that price!
~ Specializes in Lebanese street food.
~ Known for their manoushe (savory) and halawa (sweet).
~ Great cardamom Arabic coffee.
~ Counter service.
~ Limited seating (two tables).
~ Clean bathroom.
~ They carry two backgammon sets.
People watching through the full glass store front while playing Backgammon, (Shesh-besh) is what mainly brought my friend and I here. But the good Arabic coffee, and freshly made manoushe definitely enhanced our stay.
The little shots of "cardamom Arabic coffee" that we ordered didn't take long to prepare, however that didn't stop us from getting another one of those yogurt drinks (Ayran).
I must admit that sitting here playing backgammon was much more fun than originally anticipated. The friendly and accommodating service helped, but it was the diversity of the people that circled through that made it so much more exciting. One Australian couldn't resist from constantly pointing out what my next move should be (he definitely didn't help with the aussie "overly friendly" stereotype, hmmm.. did he?) While telling me how obsessed he was for the past five years with the game. Another British couple, after having some Lebanese beer, showered us with all the "hole in the wall" restaurants they knew in London, to be fair, I asked for some recommendations. And two Lebanese females were so proud of their heritage, that they were willing to bet on our game.
My friend ordered the cocktail manoushe ($6) plus veggies ($2) which is a combo of two other options on the menu. Now Before I continue to go into detail on my friends order, let me first introduce you to the Manoushe/manakish. (Not to be confused with the "gypsy jazz manouche," although both share the same attribute of Making you dance from happiness.) The "Manoushe" is a very popular breakfast street food in Lebanon. It's similar to a wrap but different in two distinctive ways. The dough itself, and the ingredients. The dough from which the manoushe is made out of, is pressed before baking to create those little dips to put the ingredients inside before baking. Then it's baked on the spot "right in front of you" in a classic bread oven. The ingredients usually include wild spices, cheeses, and sometimes minced lamb.
You can get it folded or rolled, it's up to you.
Now that you kinda got a feel for what a "Manoushe" is. let's let one of the Bakers prepare one for My friend, and bake it in the custom oven they have in the back.
Sumak, thyme, sesame, zaatar and akkawi cheese (Palestinian cheese), cucumbers, plus some really tasty olives were the ingredients on the cocktail manoushe. Just the smell of that hot "out of the oven" goodness, is capable of reaking havoc on your diet! It's definitely not for the faint of heart. After taking the first bite I recognized how much I really miss zaatar, and sesame on fresh bread. I just whish that the lebnah ($2) we ordered on the side was as tasty as the one I used to get in the Muslim quarter in Jerusalem.
Now back to my backgammon game, after a really tough battle I lost the game, (I was actually a roll of a dice away from winning), but won tons of conversation with tips and recommendations from middle eastern, British, and Australian dinners.
To conclude:
Their bedouin style Arabic Coffee was so far the closest thing I had to the authentic version in new York, Well done manousheh! And the fleatbread that my friend ordered was not that far behind.
Insider tip: get one of the mastic gums imported straight from Lebanon… You will thank me later, or hate me! for spoiling you forever. (big thanks to my friend for finding the gum hiding somewhere on the counter.)
I have been to this place now and it remains my favorite option in the west village for a quick healthy bite that leaves me full and still feeling good. The service is also impressively friendly.
I like avocado zaatar, which comes with other vegetables in a delightful and potent thyme spice paste. The lahem bi ajine is good as well though not as much of a meal. If you get that you should get two.
There are a few seats and a bathroom and they take credit cards. The food only takes about 5 minutes. The atmosphere is relaxed and it's a nice place to kill an hour while reading if you're waiting to meet people at ifc or the comedy cellar.
Lebanese food? Yes! I've only had it once before (in Vancouver) and it was very different from this. This was super tasty though! The bread is baked hot and everything inside was very hot too. The flavor was great, slightly tangy and really delicious. It's pretty close to the metro station too. All prices on the menu include tax, and my Faiayer, which had onions, tomatoes, spinach, lemon, and spices, was really good. For $7 (including tax), it's a good amount for good quality. The cashier was quite friendly too. Definitely recommend!
Avocado and Zaatar ($8): Thyme mix, avocado, and vegetables.
Lahem Bi Ajine ($5): Ground beef, tomato, and onion.
Uh, YUM. This was our first experience with Manousheh (both the dish and the restaurant) and we left with stomachs happy. These Lebanese flatbreads are fun, flavorful, and just damn good. We enjoyed both of our options, but I absolutely looooved the Lahem Bi Ajine. The crust is crispy and slightly charred and the toppings were fantastic. The Avocado and Zaatar was fashioned like a wrap or burrito, which I wasn't expecting and probably would've enjoyed more had it been a flatbread. I love Zaatar seasoning!
If you're in the area (or even if you're not), pop in for a quick bite. It's so worth it. Also, the Lahem Bi Ajine can be shared, but I suggest getting your own or you might be fighting over it.
the perfect substitute for that inevitable "walking down the street in NYC & can really use a slice of pizza" craving. stopped in once and got a Zaatar to go. it really hit the spot. I walk past all the time and will be sure to stop back in to taste more of their flat bread delights. & the coffee sounds killer.