Baba's Pantry — Restaurant in Kansas City

Baba's Pantry is an incredibly soulful and vibrant family-owned restaurant that makes the best Middle Eastern food I've had in Kansas City (or perhaps anywhere).

Upon entering, you will be treated to a feast of the eyes, as the restaurant is tastefully decorated to celebrate the owner's Palestinian heritage. Baba's makes one feel at home while simultaneously transporting you to The Levant.

My order was diligently by the person at the counter, who very kindly answered questions I had concerning the toppings of their pitas and wraps.

I ordered a pita with chicken shawarma, tahini sauce, pickled turnips, and shatta. For the uninitiated like myself, shatta is a mix of jalapenos, garlic, walnuts, olive oil, and herbs. The pita came with choice of fries or side salad (Salata Arabi), I opted for the salad and some basil lemonade to wash it all down.

My dining experience at Baba's was positively transcendent.

The chicken in the pita was perfectly spiced and cooked, giving it a rich flavor with a pleasant amount of heat. The toppings on the pita struck a beautiful balance of flavors and textures that married perfectly with the chicken. With all of this being lovingly tucked into 2 wonderfully fluffy pieces of pita bread, I can comfortably say it was the best pita I've ever had.

The Salata Arabi was fresh and crisp, with a surprising yet delightful hint of mint.

Less surprisingly, the basil lemonade was fantastic. Like everything else I ordered, you could taste the love and care that had gone into preparing it.

Baba's Pantry has, in a single visit, won itself a lifelong customer.

My compliments to Baba for putting together a truly singular restaurant, a beautiful family, and the best chicken shawarma...

I’m a picky eater and had never had any sort of middle eastern food before trying here so I was a bit hesitant. The hummus topped with chicken with pita chips was amazing. The flavors were mild in the best way and just felt natural to the dish. The whole meal was made up of amazing tasting food with complimentary spices instead of food that relies on seasoning to be good.

The hummus was insanely creamy and smooth. I’ve definitely never had better and I don’t know if it’d be possible to find better. The chicken was cooked well and I liked that it was thinly sliced on top. It wasn’t overpowering to the hummus but was still delicious on its own. My wife accidentally ordered pita chips for me instead of bread and I was disappointed when I realized because I usually don’t like how hard and crunchy pita chips can be. These were not like that at all. They were almost more like crackers with their crisp yet not overly crunchy texture.

The portion size was great and was enough for lunch today and a big snack tomorrow. My wife had a wrap with fries. She loved it and said that it was exactly what she hoped it’d be. (She had been imagining this wrap for a week since she discovered this place and looked at the menu). I tried some of her fries and the seasoning was great. I usually don’t care for fries without sauce but the seasoning alone was enough. Love that they use paper to go packaging too instead of styrofoam! We’ll definitely be making this a...

(I'm not intending to stop this review by stating that it's a loooong review. It's a good review.)

Hello all, I ate at Baba's Pantry with 2 other friends in May. I really, really enjoyed my Mediterranean dinner. It was very tasty.

Since this was my first time in their restaurant, I spoke (briefly) with a couple of other people standing in line (in front of us).

One guy (a bit younger than myself) said this, "Everything I've ordered from this restaurant is GOOD. I'll leave it at that."

Then I spoke with another (soon to be) customer. She had overheard what the man said to me... "Yes, I've enjoyed all of the dishes I've ordered from Baba's Pantry."

Baba's Pantry has a smallish dining area. Total occupancy is 20 (or a few more). There's pre-made foods behind glass, meaning if you'd prefer not to wait for hot Mediterranean food? You have options for a meal wherever you'd like to eat (and/or drink) your meal.

Baba's Pantry has also been awarded with great reviews. I looked online for reviews and location for Baba's Pantry, and luckily it was walking distance from the apartment I'm currently living in.

Lastly, Troost Street is undergoing quite a bit of change (beginning in 2021). In other words, classics continue providing foods & services while newer businesses are opening.

Tiki Tacos has some tasty "Tacos" just like their sign indicates. 😀

I'm unable to post pictures of Baba's Pantry. As I've mentioned previously,...