A long-empty spot on the bustling North Fourth corridor in Italian Village has finally been brought to life! Habibi Grill, a Lebanese eatery from the founder of Mr. Hummus Grill (which features a stall in Bubbly Hall), opened in the long storefront just north of Seventh Son Brewing and Duecento.
They’ve done a marvelous job with the long space, adding big windows and laying out multiple dining areas.
Many of the walls are covered with murals, neon signs, and other pieces. Guests order at the counter from their expansive menu; it covers appetizers, gyros and wraps, salads, tacos, pizzas, and burgers, plus full platters, and entrees built around beef, lamb, chicken, and seafood.
We visited at lunch time and tried a couple wraps and a few appetizers. We tasted the dawali, rolled grape leaves stuffed with rice, tomatoes, parsley, and green onion.
We also got a trio of hummus, baba ganoush, and a salad with pickled radishes.
Don’t skip out on the Lebanese cauliflower, fried and flavored with lemon and garlic, then served with a pomegranate dipping sauce.
For our main lunch we ordered a pair of wraps. This is the shish tawook wrap with grilled chicken, pickles, and a garlic sauce.
You can order sides of fries or sweet potato fries with the wraps, too!
This is the beef shish kebab wrap, with grilled chunks of beef, pickled radishes, onions, tomatoes, and tahini. Both wraps were pretty generous in size and very flavorful.
There’s a secondary dining room toward the back, which means Habibi Grill can handle some pretty serious crowds.
Near the door is a big communal table with a full wall of rotary phones and a neon sign hearkening to a famous song and a series of Lebanese eateries in Dubai.
And right out front is a small patio decked with red tables and chairs.
On our visit we were fortunate to run into owner Tarek Albast, who’s very warm and welcoming. His expansive menu means we’ll have to make multiple return visits to try it all!
Habibi Grill is open every day but Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Habibi Grill
1131 N. Fourth St.
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 999-9909
Web: habibigrill614.com
FB: Habibi Grill 614
IG: @habibigrill614
