Baba Nahm Reopens in Asheville with a New Look

News Summary

Baba Nahm, a popular Middle Eastern street food restaurant in Asheville, NC, has reopened at a larger location on Biltmore Avenue. Known for its vibrant menu, the restaurant has doubled its seating to accommodate 75 guests and plans to offer dinner service soon. Celebrating its comeback, the team showcased their unique dishes that emphasize local ingredients. The new space features a custom community table and is set to introduce daily specials and more menu items in the future.

Asheville, NC – After a brief closure in July 2024, Baba Nahm, a beloved Middle Eastern street food restaurant, has officially reopened in a larger location at 60 Biltmore Avenue. The restaurant, known for its vibrant flavors and unique offerings, celebrated its comeback with a social media announcement on April 16, 2024, featuring chef and co-owner Brian Smith performing a juggling act with lemons.

Baba Nahm’s new space is significantly larger than its previous location, doubling the restaurant’s size to accommodate around 75 guests. This includes various seating options, such as a bar, banquettes, tables, and a custom community table known as sofra. The restaurant now offers full service for breakfast and lunch, with plans to extend service to dinner in the future.

The breakfast menu, available beginning at 7 a.m., boasts a selection of items highlighting local ingredients, including:

• Eggs fried in olive oil sourced from Dry Ridge Farm
• Breakfast laffah wraps featuring herbed scrambled eggs, Baba fries, crumbled pork sausage, feta cheese, and a choice of hot or sweet sauces
• Turkish bagels garnished with black and white sesame seeds
• Moroccan doughnuts and an array of baked goods crafted by pastry chef Laura Smith.

The all-day menu operates from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering a diverse range of options such as:

• Baba fries
• Build-your-own Baba Bowls
• Pita sandwiches and wraps
• New kebabs featuring chicken and lamb/beef
• Lebanese pita burger
• Mezze platters
• Fish of the day
• A grilled “piece of cow,” which changes regularly based on the cut of beef available.

In addition to its current offerings, Baba Nahm has plans to introduce daily specials, a Mediterranean charcuterie mezze platter, and more pastries and desserts from Laura Smith, including her signature lemon coconut cake and chocolate ganache torte.

The reopening of Baba Nahm explored not only a change in location but also presented several challenges, notably the installation of a commercial kitchen in a historic building. This process involved integrating a 16-foot hood system and navigating complications posed by Tropical Storm Helene, which affected construction timelines. Despite these obstacles, the Smiths, who previously operated the Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant Rezaz until its closure in February 2021 due to COVID-19, have persevered to bring Baba Nahm back to the community.

Baba Nahm first opened its doors in 2017 with chef Reza Setayesh and quickly garnered a loyal following for its authentic and flavorful Mediterranean street food. As many of the former patrons have already returned to the new location to show their support, the restaurant aims to continue as a popular destination for both breakfast and lunch in Asheville.

Currently, Baba Nahm’s operating hours are set for Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with intentions to add additional hours and weekend service in the near future. Visitors and locals alike are encouraged to stay informed about updates and menu developments via the restaurant’s online platforms.

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• AVL Today: Easter Plans Asheville, NC
• Wikipedia: Asheville
• Eater: Best Takeout Asheville
• Britannica: Asheville
• Google News: Asheville restaurants