Alfanoose was founded in 1999 by Mouhamad Shami in New York City's Financial District. Shami is a lover of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine and a purist at heart. Alfanoose came about, mainly because of his disappointment in finding true Syrian/Lebanese food in New York. He discovered that most restaurants would offer their falafel dripping with oil, or their shawarma served with non-marinated meat. He also noticed that the main principal in creating good falafel--lightly fried in fresh oil- was often ignored by many eating-places due to high cost of replenishing the oil in the fryer. He decided to offer New Yorkers a taste of authentic, healthy Middle Eastern food. An alternative meal to the commercial variety found on corner stands, or in other neighborhoods in the city.

We originally opened Alfanoose on Fulton Street, near Broadway. Soon, it found its large group of loyal followers. 9/11 brought a set back for our eatery, as it did for most other businesses near the World Trade Center site. However the intense loyalty of our customers pulled Alfanoose through the tough times. In 2004, we moved Alfanoose to a larger and more elegant location, two blocks away, at 8 Maiden Lane.

The New York magazine has reviewed Alfanoose about a dozen times. Our restaurant has held the title for "The Best Falafel in New York" every year since 2000, an award that has also been confirmed by Gourmet magazine and the Daily News.

At Alfanoose we strive to create a healthy and novel alternative to a "quick meal." All of our offerings are made fresh upstairs in our kitchen. We select only the best ingredients, which arrive daily at our door. We even bake our own specialty breads and pastry.

We believe a meal is most appetizing when it is made to order. Each falafel ball is formed and fried just for you. When you order lamb or chicken, we grill the meat just for you.

Treat yourself to the authentic Middle Eastern cuisine of Alfanoose, we guarantee that you will taste the difference.

ALFANOOSE MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT
8 Maiden Lane, between Broadway & Nassau
New York, NY 10038
212-528-4669

A & C: to Broadway - Nassau
E: to WTC
J, M & Z: to Fulton Street
R & W: to Cortland Street
2, 3, 4 & 5: to Fulton Street