The sibling-owned Baba's Middle Eastern food company is opening a hummus house, mana'eesh bakery and market in Minneapolis this summer with a slew of exciting menu options and 50 seats available for enjoying it all.
Inside the restaurant, at 2220 Lyndale Av. S., diners will get to experience hummus bowls similar to those that became an instant hit at the Minnesota State Fair. In a news release, Rana Kamal and Khalid Ansari's venture is described as "a third culture take on the traditional food-focused gathering place."
Menu items will include the Hummus bi Lahme, featuring their original Jerusalem-style Creamy, Dreamy Traditional Hummus, with minced beef shawarma, lemon sauce, parsley, almonds and sumac. But hummus is only the start.
The bakery will use a traditional dome oven with a texture that mimics the stones originally used to bake mana'eesh, the large bubble-textured Middle Eastern flatbread typically served with toppings such as halloumi cheese and za'atar. Plus, there will be Jerusalem-style bagels (ka'ak), an important detail to a neighborhood recently made bereft of the circular breakfast bread. Also look for other savories and sweets, including a pistachio baklava croissant.
Beverages will include Palestinian coffee, and there's promise of a cardamom date latte and a selection of tea.
Kamal and Ansari founded the hummus company in 2018, inspired by their father, Jamal, who makes and serves his own hummus at the beloved Mediterranean Cruise Café in Burnsville. After their breakout success at the State Fair, "we knew we wanted to create a permanent space around the concept," Kamal said in a statement.
The siblings grew up going to street cafes that served fresh bowls of hummus during family trips back to Jerusalem, Kamal said, and are "thrilled to bring this part of our culture to Minneapolis."
Baba's Hummus began with its original Creamy Dreamy flavor, a straightforward sendup to the hummus they grew up with, but it quickly branched out to other flavors, including za'atar, dill pickle and more.
Leading the building's design is Jeremy Nelson of Little Box. (The Minneapolis firm also worked on Boludo, A-Side Public House and St. Genevieve.) The exterior of the building, which is just a stone's throw from Bebe Zito and the Wedge, already sports some midcentury vibes that will work with Baba's playful branding. Kamal said they also want the space to reflect their experience as Palestinian Americans: "That means joyful colors, relaxing seating and attention to detail throughout the space."
The restaurant, expected to open in July, will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer, Art Schallock, is turning 100
