Gazala

Gazala Halabi, owner of the popular Hell's Kitchen Israeli Druze restaurant Gazala's Place, first fell in love with her Upper West Side neighborhood when she moved to the city. Her hope was to one day open up a restaurant near Columbus Avenue, and this spin-off is the fruition of that dream. She knew she'd found just the spot when she came across this charming brownstone space: It had the "homey feel" she was looking for. The menu is the same as the original location, focusing on the unique Druze cuisine—a Middle Eastern minority group—with dishes like spicy homemade pita topped with sundried pepper, tomato, onion; fava-based foule spread; and range of kebabs. Though the restaurant is BYOB, there's a separate "bar" area for those wishing to bring their own alcohol while munching on small plate meze. For everyone else, there's a dining room and sidewalk seating to choose from.

See more: Manhattan Valley restaurants, Israeli restaurants, Middle eastern restaurants