May 17, 2026 · Updated May 17, 2026
Taheni Cafe and Grill, the Palestinian-owned halal kitchen that built a following in Brooklyn, has opened at 175 Bay Shore Road in Deer Park, bringing shawarma wraps, manakish, and a smash burger in soft potato pita to the south shore's growing dining scene.
Taheni Cafe and Grill has opened at 175 Bay Shore Road in Deer Park, bringing the Palestinian-owned halal kitchen's shawarma wraps, manakish, and unconventional smash burger to the south shore of Long Island.
The restaurant traces its roots to Brooklyn, where the family behind Taheni built a following for Mediterranean-influenced halal cooking centered on Palestinian home recipes. A Lindenhurst location followed the Brooklyn success, and the Deer Park address is the brand's most recent expansion. It puts Taheni within a short drive of Bay Shore, North Babylon, and the dense residential communities between the Southern State Parkway and Sunrise Highway.
The menu is built around a few signature formats: shawarma wraps and bowls, manakish, and a smash-style burger served in a soft potato pita rather than a conventional bun.
Manakish, a Levantine flatbread baked with toppings such as za'atar, cheese, or spiced meat, is the dish that sets Taheni apart from other halal spots on Long Island. The flatbread is made to order, folded around fillings including feta and tomato, and served hot.
All items are halal-certified. The restaurant draws both observant Muslim families and the broad market of diners who want quality, fast-casual food that happens to be halal.
Deer Park sits in the southwest quadrant of the Town of Babylon, bordered by North Babylon to the west and Wyandanch to the north. The area's demographics have shifted significantly over the past decade, with a growing population of first- and second-generation immigrants from the Middle East, South Asia, and Latin America.
Commercial strips on Bay Shore Road and Deer Park Avenue have tracked that shift, with Middle Eastern groceries, South Asian restaurants, and international bakeries filling storefronts in recent years. A halal restaurant with Palestinian roots fits the pattern.
The 175 Bay Shore Road address puts Taheni between the Southern State Parkway and the Long Island Expressway, close to the Suffolk County line and within a short drive of dense residential neighborhoods on both sides of Route 231.
The family that runs Taheni brought the concept to Long Island after establishing it in Brooklyn, where it built a loyal following among the borough's large Palestinian and Arab-American community. The Lindenhurst location was the first step east on Long Island. The Deer Park opening deepens the brand's presence in Suffolk County.
On its social channels, the restaurant cites family recipes as the foundation of the menu. The brand describes itself as a Mediterranean Grill, though its execution is more specifically rooted in Palestinian kitchen tradition than that label suggests.
Long Island's halal dining scene has expanded rapidly since 2020. Suffolk County, which saw little halal presence outside of Brentwood and Central Islip a decade ago, now has options spread from Bay Shore to Farmingville to Coram. The growth tracks the demographic diversification of the island's working and middle-class communities.
Taheni joins a small cluster of Palestinian-owned restaurants that have established footholds across the region. The decision to anchor in Deer Park signals confidence in the south shore market.
Taheni Cafe and Grill is at 175 Bay Shore Rd, Deer Park, NY 11729. For hours and menu updates, follow @tahenimg on Instagram or visit taheni.com.
