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JOURNAL
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE
Brookhurst Street in Anaheim is Little Arabia, a district formally designated by the city and built over decades by Lebanese, Syrian, Egyptian and Palestinian families. Restaurants, bakeries, cafes, butchers and grocers run along the street, mostly inside the same low strip plazas that hold everything else in this part of the county.
Shawarma carved off the spit, mezze spreads, grilled meats and pita that comes out of the oven while you wait are the core of it, and it arrives fast and inexpensive. The bakeries are worth a stop on their own for the sweets. The grocers are where to buy spices, olives and bread to take back to the house.
The kitchens here are not interchangeable. A Lebanese mezze restaurant, an Egyptian grill and a Syrian bakery are each doing something different, and the differences are the point. Ask what the house does best rather than ordering the same three plates everywhere you go.
The practical case for Little Arabia is proximity. It is a short detour from the theme parks, minutes rather than a trip across the county, and it is a far better dinner than anything inside the gates for less money. After a long park day, walking into a room where food arrives in ten minutes and nobody is queuing is the correct decision.
Portions are large and built for sharing, so a family orders fewer plates than it expects to. Many places are counter-service or fast-casual and need no reservation. Some run late, which suits a park schedule. Others close earlier, so if you are arriving after nine, check first rather than driving over on faith.
Coffee and dessert are a separate stop and a good one. Cafes along the street pour thick Arabic coffee and stay open into the evening, and several have patios that fill up late. If you are staying nearby with a kitchen, the grocers on Brookhurst are the easiest place in Anaheim to stock up on good bread, olives and cheese for the mornings you do not want to cook.