Zaad
Mediterranean · New York
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About Zaad
At Zaad, we're passionate about sharing the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean with our community. We're a small counter-serve restaurant where traditional favorites like crispy falafel and juicy shawarma come together with creative twists. Our cozy atmosphere invites you to relax and savor each b...
At Zaad, we're passionate about sharing the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean with our community. We're a small counter-serve restaurant where traditional favorites like crispy falafel and juicy shawarma come together with creative twists. Our cozy atmosphere invites you to relax and savor each bite, accompanied by excellent service that makes every visit feel like a homecoming. From the satisfying crunch of our freshly baked pita bread to the warm smiles of our staff, we're dedicated to making your dining experience truly unforgettable. Come taste the warmth of Zaad for yourself at 963 Amsterdam Ave in New York's heart.
What Customers Say About Zaad
Zaad is a Mediterranean restaurant known for its flavorful and authentic dishes, especially the shawarma, falafel, and koshary. Customers rave about the friendly service, generous portions, and vegan options. Some reviewers mention inconsistent meat quality.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: The portions are large, consider getting a platter to share or be prepared to take leftovers home.
Features
What to see nearby
Data from Wikidata
Explore the area around Zaad
Zaad is located in New York, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Historical Heritage
- Ramath Orah (A 301m) — modern Orthodox synagogue in Manhattan Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
- Master Apartments (A 531m) — apartment building in Manhattan Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
- Riverside Park (A 538m) — public park on the Upper West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
- Church of Notre Dame (A 557m) — church in New York City, New York, USA Propiedad contribuidora
- Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Manhattan (A 620m) — church building in Manhattan, United States of America Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
Religious Buildings
- Church of the Ascension, Roman Catholic (A 145m) — church building in Manhattan, United States of America
- Ansche Chesed (A 634m) — Synagogue on Manhattan's Upper West Side
Parks & Gardens
- Straus Park (A 293m) — park in Manhattan, New York City, United States of America
Other Points of Interest
- Leake and Watts Children's Home (A 225m) — repurposed building in Manhattan
- Frederick Douglass Memorial (A 565m) — Memorial and sculpture in Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Data from Wikidata
Frequently asked questions about Zaad
Zaad New York Reviews
Best falafel in NYC and it was very tasty. I would to thank Hussam for his great welcome. It’s best for to go as they have a limited seating area. Chicken shawarma is better than beef Shawerma. All the foods are Halal foods.
Perfect casual spot to grab some food. The staff was very polite. Offered a delicious sample of lentil soup when I walked in. I had the falafel pita sandwich and baba ghanoush. They were excellent. Price + tasty = Perfect lunch.
Amazing Mediterranean place in UWS/Columbia. Authentic food, beautiful music, friendly and welcoming staff and the chef! I love their chicken and lamb shawarma, lentils soup, and baklava. Feast for the soul and body! Recommend it to all my friends too!
Amazing staff great customer service! I had foul mudammas with lychee home made juice both are amazing and satisfying
We ordered catering from Zaad for a family get together. Exceptional customer service and food. They went above and beyond, we could feel the love and care that they put into it. Great value as well.
Best falafels my mom and I have ever had! We got the falafel bowl and when we went to the restaurant the staff was very welcoming and kind. They took great care in making our bowls and the portions for the price were incredible.
The falafel here was amazing, really delicious with good flavors!
Excellent koshari! The owner let me sample it and it’s really good! Very kind hospitality. I’ll be returning!
I just tried the shawarma, falafel, and koshary omg, what an incredible experience! Every bite was bursting with authentic flavor, but the koshary completely stole the show. Hands down, it’s the best I’ve tasted in years . Chef Hussam is not only a master of his craft but also warm and welcoming, which makes the whole dining experience even more special. If you’re craving true Egyptian flavors, this is the spot you must try!
Heard about this Halal place for colleagues and it did not disappoint. Ordered a chicken shawarma salad bowl and lamb kofta plate; hefty portions on each, fresh ingredients, crisp and nonsoggy veggies, and all in all delicious. Owner was exceptionally friendly and welcoming, gave us lentil soup samples while we waited for the food, got us to try authentic koshary for the first time and we will come back for it for sure! Excellent hospitality and food, 100% recommend, and will definitely come again. Thank you!
Neighborhood staple! The menu is extensive and has great veggie options. The falafel is crispy and moist, the salads are fresh, and the chicken is tender and flavorful. Great prices for the portion size and the hospitality is remarkable. Truly kind people who want you to eat well. Coming back soon!
We picked this place to eat quickly and simply because it looked like it had enough good ratings. I wish I could give Zaad a 6 STAR review!!! The vegan plate was superb! I am a harsh critic of falafel but this was by far the best I’ve had. The plating was also gorgeous for such a hole in the wall restaurant. They gave us free pita bread and were so humble originally declining tips for 3 members of my party. Would highly recommend.
Good place. It is unique. Good atmosphere! The service is good. I enjoyed the double cheeseburger and fries meal.
This place has the BEST CHICKEN SHAWARMA PLATE ever. Truly delicious and you would never expect it from its humble environment. The portion size is huge in my opinion. Better than what you get paying $15 from most places. The gentleman working behind the counter is sweet and makes dad jokes to customers. So so so good!
Had a nice lunch here. Everyone was really friendly and the food came out fast. This is the lamb shawarma platter pictured. It was a ton of food, all very good. The staff graciously boxed up my leftovers for me when I couldn’t finish all of it. A girl who came in after me asked for her food to be spicy, which I will do as well next time I come.
Best falafel I ever tried so far! Zaad mixed grill platter is sooo delicious. Very friendly personnel - once we got in they treated us with falafel 🧆 gave us a platter with hummus as a heart ♥️ Highly recommended!
My husband and I were looking for some delicious Mediterranean food. This place was absolutely amazing. I asked for a meat free option and the guy made me an amazing plate full of vegan options and every bite was amazing. My husband got the beef shawarma and said it was the most flavorful thing he had yet! Would 100 percent recommend this place.
I mean, what else can I say that others haven’t already? In reality, those 5 stars I’m leaving here are 20 stars!! 1. Food is SUPERB. Literally the best shawarma I’ve had in years. If you’re really hungry get the platter, they are huge. I’d say the wrap is next and then the pita, but the difference between pita and platter is substantial. 2. We tried lamb and beef. They were both delicious although beef was more of my thing. 3. Service: extremely friendly staff, and while we were waiting for our food, they gave us two free falafels to try 🥺 very nice on them. Go on and support this business. 100% worth your money!
I ordered a beef shawarma sandwich — the taste was really good, but I wish it had more meat. The flavor was there, but it felt a bit too light overall. They also gave me a sample of lentil soup, and honestly, it was amazing! Full of flavor and really comforting. I didn’t expect much, but it surprised me in the best way.
I paid extra for the wrap falafel but when the order got delivered it was with pita! No extra sauces which they offer! Food was slightly cold! Beef samosas were absolutely delicious in taste but oily! I rarely eat red meat and fried food so I was looking forward to enjoy this meal but after paying extra money for which I got original order and not the thing I wanted it was okay! I would not recommend this place!
The chicken shawarma shouldn’t be called that, it’s no where near a shawarma. Chicken has a smell, fishy smell almost or bad chicken smell, ordered take out and wouldn’t recommend. We didn’t even eat the second plate and just had to toss it, as something was off. Found a lot of cartilage from chicken, shows you that it’s not traditional shawarma from a rotating spit, more like chopped chicken with some salt … Please do a better job at Quality Control, I would try again if it improves.
This place usually has great food however they sold me a raw fried chicken pattie. I have also not heard anything from the establishment regarding my experience. I got food poisoning
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About Zaad
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963 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10025
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963 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10025
📍 Explore the Neighborhood
church building in Manhattan, United States of America
repurposed building in Manhattan
park in Manhattan, New York City, United States of America
modern Orthodox synagogue in Manhattan
apartment building in Manhattan
public park on the Upper West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City
church in New York City, New York, USA
Memorial and sculpture in Manhattan, New York, U.S.
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