Tahdig, rice with a crispy crust, is a Persian delicacy. • Photo courtesy of the Wall Street Journal
Like the country it belongs to, Long Island is far from perfect. There’s a lot we could always improve. But what makes Long Island what it is—and makes the job of sharing the stories of how our region eats and drinks so exhilarating—is the cultural diversity of the people who call it home.
Christians live beside Jews who live beside Muslims who live beside Buddhists who live beside atheists—and for the most part, everyone lives beside one another peacefully. Another thing that lives beside each other peacefully here? Our restaurants.
In Huntington Village, an Indian restaurant sits across the street from a pizza place. In East Meadow, a Persian restaurant shares the same shopping center as an all-American burger joint. Signs of our cultural and culinary diversity exist everywhere—in every town, in both our counties, in all our neighborhoods and schools.
This is something we cherish and celebrate—and it’s something we trust you, our fellow Long Islanders and Americans, cherish and celebrate, too.
And so, this week on Instagram, we’ll be sharing beautiful images from local restaurants owned and operated by Middle Eastern immigrants, whose cuisine brings our communities together every single day. We are proud to have them here, and we’re proud to share images of their delicious delicacies with you.
Here are 5 of our favorite Middle Eastern restaurants on Long Island.
1. Sufiya’s Grill in East Meadow
Sufiya’s is a family-owned-and-operated restaurant that serves authentic Mediterranean and Persian cuisine in a warm, inviting atmosphere. Don’t leave without trying their Persian ice cream (made in-house)!
2. Ahuva’s Grill in Hewlett
Owned and operated by Ahuva Tsadok, a Yemenite Israeli, Ahuva’s is famous for its kebabs and falafel. The restaurant is most famous, however, for Ahuva’s Yemenite soup. You really have to try it.
3. Azerbaijan Grill in Westbury
Azerbaijan Grill has been open and serving the Westbury community the best in Persian and Turkish cuisine since 2005. Visit on a Wednesday for Persian Steak Night ($26.99 per person), which includes a Greek salad, a Persian steak (a combination of beef tenderloin and chicken breast) with Annar Polo and a glass of Annar sangria—and baklava and Persian tea for dessert!
4. Ravagh Persian Grill in Huntington
Ravagh Persian Grill has five locations in New York: three in Manhattan and two here on Long Island. We’re big fans of both their Huntington and Roslyn locations. Owned and operated by a Tehrani family, Ravagh serves up some of the best stews we’ve ever had.
5. Colbeh in Great Neck
Located in The Andrew hotel in Great Neck, Colbeh is the perfect spot for a special night out. They also have another cozy location in Roslyn. Order a kebab at each and compare (they’ll both be very near flawless).
