Manousheh Lebanese is fast casual delight


Every time I travel, I take a food tour if the opportunity presents. It had me thinking, why not take one in New York City? So, back in 2022, I signed up for a food tour throughout Greenwich Village, and we stopped at a small Lebanese spot called Manousheh. I had this flat yet fluffy bread stuffed with labneh and topped with za’atar that ended up being my favorite bite of the day.

Manousheh’s original brick-and-mortar shop, which opened in 2015, closed in 2024,, but luckily there’s a location on the Lower East Side, which opened in 2020.

The name of the restaurant comes from the name of a Lebanese dish, the primary one served at this fast-casual eatery. It starts with a flat white bread with a bit of bounce — think a cross between a pita and a flour tortilla — and is then topped or stuffed with anything from meats and cheeses to herbs and veggies.

“You can compare it to a bagel,” owner Ziyad Hermez tells me. “It is popular in Lebanon and is primarily eaten for breakfast.”

Inside of Manousheh on the Lower East Side. (Kaitlyn Rosati for New York Daily News)

There’s a wide variety of manousheh available to order at their location on Grand St. Some are filled with toppings and rolled like a wrap, others stuffed like a pita or taco, and a few others are almost like a flatbread pizza. The most enticing options include ijjeh (a scallion and parsley omelet served with hummus or labneh), muhammarra (roasted red pepper and walnut dip), and sujuk bi ajine (Middle Eastern beef sausage prepared with red wine, tomato, and aromatics).

But the heart wants what it wants, and after two years of not having my labneh manousheh from my day on that food tour, I had to have it.

I also opted for foul, or foul, a slow-cooked fava bean stew with origins in Lebanon and Egypt. Foul is one of the many choices from their mezze menu, Others include msabaha (boiled chickpeas with garlic, lemon juice, and parsley — not to be confused with hummus, which is also available), mutabbal (roasted eggplant with tahini) and platters of labneh and muhammara. With so many tempting choices, the best option is the mixed mezze, where you can pick any three for $25. Next time, I’d bring a friend or two and go for that.

Pickled turnips and olives (and foul) at Manousheh on the Lower East Side.
Pickled turnips and olives (and foul) at Manousheh on the Lower East Side. (Kaitlyn Rosati for New York Daily News)

So, did the labneh manousheh live up to my memory? Listen, this is a simple dish — it’s a wrap filled with tangy, creamy yogurtlike cheese, about as no-frills as it gets. But it’s the simplicity that made me fall in love with it a few years ago, and it’s also what will keep me coming back. While I do think there are other options on the menu that provide a more flavorful punch, I would gladly swap my everything bagel with cream cheese for a labneh manousheh any day of the week. Plus, for only $6, it’s one of my favorite budget eats in the city.

As for the foul, this let me know that despite being a fast-casual restaurant, Manousheh has some serious cooking chops. The beans are cooked down to a creamy texture, and the kicks of garlic and lemon, especially with a bite of the chopped parsley on top, make for a seriously comforting dish. The portion is pretty good for $12 and can easily be shared with a friend or two.

Inside of the labneh manousheh at Manousheh on the Lower East Side.
Inside of the labneh manousheh at Manousheh on the Lower East Side. (Kaitlyn Rosati for New York Daily News)

Speaking of cooking chops, I asked owner Ziyad what his culinary background is, and was surprised to learn he doesn’t really have one.

“I just spent a year and a half experimenting and baking, and loved every minute of it. In the beginning, the results were terrible, but I found the science of baking fascinating and wanted to learn how to make it better,” he tells me. “Through YouTube videos and forums, I eventually got close, and then went to Lebanon to learn the final touches.”

After perfecting the recipe, his friends encouraged him to open Manousheh, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank his friends for doing that — now, people like you and me get to try his unique, delicious Lebanese food.


  • Address: 403 Grand St, New York, N.Y. 10002
  • Phone: (646) 258-4925
  • Hours: Monday-Sunday 8 a.m.-11 p.m.
  • Prices: Soup $6-$12; Manousheh $6-$13; Salad $8-$13; Mezze $10-$25; Platters $12-$16; Sides $1-$6; Dessert $2-$7; Drinks $3-$30
  • Delivery and takeout available; no reservations.

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