Levantine’s Syrian Cafe & Cuisine — Restaurant in Town of Gates

I really enjoy coming to Levantine's Cafe and wish that I could do so more (we live on the east side and Levantine's is on the West). That said, I came to pick up their new daily lunch special (falafel on tabbouli salad with hummus) and it was AMAZING.

The process to order was smooth and easy over the phone. When I tried calling last, I got a "voicemail box is full" message, which really just means the phone is busy. Today I got through immediately. Really friendly staff member on the other side.

Masks are required if you go inside to pick up, but they are also equipped for curbside. I went inside to pay. The place is still super clean, albeit a bit empty without tables set up. Food was ready at pick up.

20 minutes later driving home and the food was still presentable (already a cold salad so can't speak to that). Despite what looks like a smaller serving of falafel and tabbouli, it filled me right up -- the perfect lunch sized portion. The hummus was drizzled with olive oil and paprika which lent an extra fattiness to the already well seasoned and smooth dip.

I also ordered a brownie because they are large and to DIE for.

5 star recommendation....

I got the hummus & a falafel wrap as a to-go order. Have had plenty of authentic middle eastern food in different parts of the country and locally, including homemade by people from the region. Heard about this place, it is pretty close to home so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Hummus - too liquidy, too much tahini, not enough lemon or garlic for my tastes - tasted more like tahini than chickpea. Served in a paper bowl, not dressed with any olive oil, chili powder, veggies or pickles. The pita does not appear to be homemade, I would guess it's from Toronto. Overall 2/10.

Falafel wrap - the wrap itself is a flour tortilla, not a pita as I've seen more commonly used, which is ok - it was good in its own right. The falafel had no crunch, the grind of the falafel mix was too fine, and the falafel was pasty and dense, not fluffy inside. The variation and evenness of vegetables in the wrap was very good. Overall 5/10.

I wish the owners luck in their business - though I will not be returning. There are simply other options in the Rochester area that align better with my preferences of flavor and preparation than that offered...

I live in Chicago but spent the summer in Rochester. I love middle eastern food, specifically falafel and babaganoush. I’m vegan and gluten free so I was on a mission to find the best gluten free falafel and dairy free babaganoush in Rochester. I ordered from 9 different places and found Levantine’s to be the best. The falafel is the perfect consistency and size. I have eaten a lot of falafel and it’s truly the best I have ever had. Now, let me tell you about the baba, or should I say mamaganoush. I learned that in Syria, babaganoush doesn’t have tahini or yogurt, it’s just this amazing concoction of eggplant, tomato, and some herbs and other ingredients that make you want to scream profanities when you take a bite. It’s out of this world. Trust me on this, where ever you are in Monroe county or if you are driving through, make Levantine’s a stop. For the 8 weeks I have been in Rochester I have made the 25 minute drive every week to Spencerport to stock up on falafel and mamaganoush - it is just that good. Also, the owner and his wife are...