Aladdin’s Eatery
5878 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
412.421.5100
www.aladdinseatery.com
Hours: Open daily at 11a
It’s tough to count the number of times or various occasions we’ve gone to Aladdin’s— it’s by far the best middle eastern food we’ve had in Pittsburgh, and quite probably our go-to favorite restaurant. We’ve celebrated many occasions here, from birthdays to Mother’s Day, to Valentine’s Day, to just-because day, it’s an easy ambiance to dress up or down, and never disappoints.
When you walk in, you’re greeted by a gorgeous and tempting display of cakes, which are made from scratch and constantly changing. These are all produced by Aladdin’s partner bakery, Jasmine’s Bakery (which also produced their light & airy pita bread!). Aladdin’s friendly servers welcome you to the dining room, which is quiet enough to feel intimate, but not so quiet you feel awkward if you have kids with you.
Aladdin’s menu has everything you could wish for, and you don’t even need a magic lamp. For starters, start with their baba gannouj, which is bright and flavorful, and unequivocally the best way to eat an eggplant. Their menu is huge, and we’ve tried something from almost every page, but we always go back to their rolled pitas. They have a nice selection of drinks as well, including herbal teas, fresh fruit smoothies & juices, a variety of wine (all glasses at $7 or less!), and even a couple Lebanese beers.
Usually after sharing the baba, a small Aladdin’s salad (just thinking of their zesty vinaigrette makes me drool a little!), and a curried chicken rolled pita, we are too full for cake, but sometimes grab a slice for later anyways! To wrap it up (or roll it up!), Aladdin’s is like the Little Black Dress of restaurants in the East End— it can be dressed up or down for any occasion and you always feel great when you pick it.
Cheers,
Julie & Ted