Baba's Deli — Restaurant in Wausau

The backstory: in college I lived down the street from a Lebanese restaurant and had kofta with tahini and potatoes almost every week. Haven't been able to find that dish since on the menu of any Mediterranean restaurant, not for lack of trying.

But as soon as I got that savory tahini and creamy potato in my mouth, I traveled back in time, to before my knees hurt. So good! Make sure to try it along with the more familiar kebabs and shawarma!

The food here is generously portioned for sharing and super flavorful. The mixed shawarma plate and the kofta was more than enough food for three with plenty of leftovers.

Recommend getting takeout or delivery. You miss out on the amazing smells and the super friendly service, but the parking situation isn't ideal, especially for folks with mobility issues and the dining area isn't as cozy as one might like in the winter. But the food will warm you right up.

So happy this place is in town. Next time, I'll take photos before diving in. If I can...

This is a small little shop run by a single person, the owner. We placed a via DoorDash for pickup, and stopped into Baba’s to pick it up. It wasn’t ready when we arrived, and there were several people ahead of us waiting for their orders but the shop feels very welcoming and the owner was quick to keep us updated on the status of our orders. Please don’t let the wait keep you from stopping in or ordering. The food is delicious and the owner was working so hard to get everyone their food. I have worked in the food service industry, and it’s far from an easy job, and that’s WITH a whole team to operate the restaurant. This man runs the entire place alone. Go support...

We ordered the chicken shawarma rice plate and lamb kabob wrap with fries. The flavors were thoughtful and vibrant: tangy sumac sprinkled over creamy hummus and babaganoush, perfectly charred onions in the wrap, and the garlic sauce? Chef’s kiss! Loved the pickled cabbage and crunchy pickles alongside everything.

The wrap was a little messy but that’s what they make napkins for! The pita was a little overdone and they quickly brought out a fresh batch.

Nasir, the owner was so kind and attentive - it genuinely felt like being welcomed into my own baba’s home. The decor is simple and meaningful with beautiful photos from Palestine and the region. We’ll...