Baba’s Pantry: A Beacon of Palestinian hospitality
Step into Baba’s Pantry and experience a whole world of flavors & hospitality
Photos by Tyler Shane
Baba’s Pantry is a family-owned Palestinian café and grocer and a hidden gem located near Brookside. No worries on staking it out, though. The grocer stands out among a mundane street with its colorful storefront; the vibrancy acting as an amuse bouche to the rich culture that awaits inside.
The shop is small, quaint, and friendly. The walls are packed with Palestinian iconography, family photos, and pantry goods. Serving food up bodega style, the deli counter offers a chance to take home house-made goods such as pita bread, pickled vegetables, various flavors of hummus, olive salads, and more. The menu is sizeable, displaying traditional Palestinian food such as shawarma, stuffed falafel, hummus, kebab, and baklava, all made in house.
Omar, Baba’s son, runs the store while his father is visiting Palestine– and I had the pleasure of his expertise during my visit. Omar loves to indulge his customers, whether it be answering questions about the menu or even handing out samples of food. If you don’t recognize something on the menu, don’t sweat it. Omar loves when customers are curious, and he will confidently refer you to something you’re sure to delight in. The Palestinian custom of hospitality shines through Omar’s enthusiasm in nourishing and satisfying the patrons of his family’s shop.
The beautiful thing about Middle Eastern food is that many of the dishes focus heavily on fresh vegetables. Palestinian food is no different, and many of the menu items are naturally vegan or gluten free. Despite the hot weather, the food Omar bestowed me with was so fresh and the vegetables were so crisp that I found each dish to be the perfect antidote to placating the harsh Kansas City heat, despite their generous sizes. Their popular homemade lemonade drinks certainly helped as well!
The culture is in the details. Baba’s Pantry looks like an antique shop, representing his lively country in each brightly colored pattern, vintage picture, and even the coffee cups. The café makes Turkish coffee, a rich and thick coffee specific to the Middle East and Europe. The unique brewing process is a labor of love in which the finely ground coffee is brought to a near boil and poured into a traditional ornate coffee cup little by little until a frothy consistency is achieved. The coffee grinds settle to the bottom of the cup making the caffeine content much higher than the average coffee. Beyond the brewing process, there’s a historic and auspicious custom of fortune-telling through analyzing the coffee grinds that linger in the drinker’s finished cup. These readings are a fun pastime and done by professionals or even between friends who have previous experience with readings. Let it be known that it is not custom to read your own cup, so resist the urge to do so and wait until the opportunity is presented to you. Enjoy the mesmerizing method of your Turkish coffee being made and allow yourself to pause as you sip on the cultural delight. I highly recommend grabbing a side of baklava to enjoy with your coffee, as I believe it’s some of the best in the city. Infused with roses and cardamon, the pastry is the perfect blend of sweet and savory.
Baba’s Pantry stands as a treasure within the Kansas City food scene because it has roots. The recipes are familial, and Baba’s origins shine through every nook and corner. The casual food joint has uniquely mastered offering its customers a nuanced experience of the old and the new, the unknown and the familiar. The food offerings are classic Palestinian staples yet refreshing. The ambiance is proud, yet humble and welcoming. Relish in the rare experience the Pantry provides to immerse yourself in culture and connection.
Must-Trys:
Chicken shawarma sandwich – if you are a gem that can appreciate raw onions, GET THIS.
Fattoush – fresh vegetables topped with a light vinaigrette and topped with pita chips. Great meal for a hot day!
Baba’s falafel – some of the best falafel in Kansas City. There, I said it.
Torshi – pickled vegetable spread. Also great for beating the KC heat.
Turkish coffee with a side of baklava
