Why Little Arabia Matters
In September 2022, the City of Anaheim officially voted to designate Little Arabia as an official cultural and business district. Spanning Brookhurst Street between Ball Road and Broadway, this lively corridor represents more than three decades of Arab-American community building.
Unlike isolated restaurants, Little Arabia offers a complete walkable ecosystem: hot wood-fired bakeries next to family grocers, spice markets, community butcher counters, and traditional coffee lounges.
The Anaheim City Council’s historic 2022 vote marked the first official municipal recognition of an Arab American ethnic district in the United States.
Morning in Little Arabia: Mana’eesh & Fresh Falafel
Start your morning at Forn Al Hara (512 S Brookhurst St), where Lebanese bakers slide crisp dough rounds into fiery hearths topped with fragrant za’atar, olive oil, and melted akkawi cheese.
Just a block south stands Kareem’s Falafel (1208 S Brookhurst St), founded in 1996 by the Hawari family. Their fresh-ground Palestinian falafel is fried to order, yielding an impossibly light, herbaceous interior surrounded by an audible crunch.
Afternoon & Evening: Wood-Fired Kabobs & Yemeni Feasts
For a substantial lunch or dinner feast, head to Desert Moon Grill for Iraqi charcoal-grilled minced kabobs and slow-braised lamb shank over spiced rice with fresh samoon bread.
If craving Yemeni culinary traditions, House of Mandi serves piping hot lamb haneeth that slides off the bone, accompanied by stone bowls of boiling maraq broth and spicy sahawiq relish.
Pantry Essentials: Altayebat Market
Before heading home, stop at Altayebat Market (1217 S Brookhurst St). It is the district’s premier grocery anchor, featuring whole and quarter Zabiha lamb cuts, Syrian Aleppo pepper, Turkish cheeses, and freshly packaged flatbreads.