Aya’s Cafe

It’s unfair to fault them for the unromantic location, so I’ll heavily credit them for their fresh and savory vegetarian dishes. A friend and I enjoyed a lunch on a summer’s day a long time ago, but I can still remember that we received generous service while enjoying several appetizers and entrees from their menu. The prices are a bit high, and as previously mentioned, you have to go out of your way to find this place. I think better Mediterranean (Middle Eastern?) food can be found elsewhere.

This little wedge of a restaurant delivers on style and décor, but falls short on food. It was easy to make a reservation for a Friday evening dinner and the venue was only half-​packed when we arrived. We were very politely and persistently attended to throughout our longish stay (as per slow eaters) so kudos to their attentive wait staff.
The baba ghanoush appetizer was decently tasty, but I found the pita bread unimpressive. They looked like something I could have just picked up at the local grocery store. The main course was a multi-​meat platter (chicken, lamb, beef kabobs accompanied with rice and grilled vegetables). The lamb was slightly under cooked and chewy, but the chicken succulent.
Overall, it was an enjoyable dinner, but mediocre for the price we paid ($ 26 entrée and $ 8.50 appetizer). I’m convinced there are more impressive Mediterranean restaurants nestled in the city. I guess if you’re in the neighborhood, have a pocket full of a cash and a severe craving for hummus and grilled meats, you could stop by here.

What a lovely place.
The food was great, the ambience was just right, and the service was superb.
Thank you for a lovely evening.

I got carryout from this place and a cockroach worked across the receipt as I was signing it. I backed up quickly and the cashier freaked out and said nothing. Didn’t sit down afterwards and waited for my food standing.
Food was okay but nothing special, not sure how this place got good reviews but probably never going back. Unless of course I’m in the mood for cockroach.

Just dined here on Saturday. We had the amazing hummus and pita for an appetizer. The aroma of the fresh pita was delightful. My dinner date had the salmon in lemon caper sauce and I had the kirba and beef kabob. The entrees were so flavorful and we didn’t have room for dessert. The service was great and we were seated promptly around 6pm with no reservation. I would definitely go back here any day.

Everything we ordered here was good if not downright delicious, and the service was warm and friendly. I wasn’t feeling too hungry when we went in, so I just ordered a Greek salad, but luckily my parents had eyes bigger than their stomachs and shared some of their soups and entrees with me.
The soups were the least impressive part of the meal — both the lentil soup and the soup of the day were only okay. The lentil soup was punched up a bit with a squirt of lime juice, but compared to the rest of the meal, the soup was disappointing.
The Greek salad was great; the feta was tasty but not too salty, the dressing was nicely garlicky. The greens were quite fresh and crisp, and the tomatoes on both my salad and the salmon entrée that my mom had were juicy, like they had come from a backyard garden. The olives on my salad were also really good, just a bit tangy. The only thing I would change about the olives was that there weren’t enough of them.
My dad had the grilled Mediterranean eggplant, which is served with a tomato and olive sauce on top of Israeli couscous. This was a great rendition of eggplant, and the tomato sauce had more succulent olives to enjoy.
We rounded out the meal with some rice pudding (topped with tasty crunchy pieces of pistachio) and sweet mint tea. As we were finishing our meal, I told my parents they ought to move to Philadelphia so that we could enjoy good meals like this one more often.

Solid meal! We came with a group of 5 and were seated promptly (it was a late dinner). The cushioned bench seating was a favorite. The Aya’s taster platter was a solid starter to try multiple things, but to it fill up too much before entrees.
I don’t think one entrée at the table wasn’t enjoyed! Good serving size without the gluttonous sizes of some chain restaurants. The vegetables in the sautéed veggie entrée were very freehand delicious.
The staff was very accommodating and friendly. Turkish coffee was explained to us and tasted!
The ambiance with candles and ample seating good for communication was just what we were looking for!
You cannot beat it being a BYOB!!! Sweetens the deal!
We will be back!

The owner here is so rude! Their card machine was «broken» and I asked for a written receipt just saying that I was only charged once. He immediately started raising his voice and asking if I had cash. I told him I didn’t I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t charged several times because they swiped my card several times. I just wanted something in writing. He starts yelling and saying im supposed to be nice. Is this guy serious? What happened to customer service it’s not my problem you don’t have procedures in place for this and I was just asking for a receipt my god! Lol he literally followed me out the store yelling and causing a scene because I wanted a receipt. I should have taken my money elsewhere and I will definitely not return. YOU DONT KNOW HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE!

Absolutely delicious, mouth-​watering chicken kabobs! When I bit into the chicken, I swear I got to taste heaven. The perfectly cooked chicken was juicy and full of flavor from the herbs, coupled with the delectable chargrilled taste. The rice that accompanied the kabob lived up to the prestige of the chicken. The brown rice featured subtle hints of cinnamon with raisins. The side of tahini sauce served as the metaphorical icing on the cake.
The atmosphere has pillows for the booth seats, nice table clothed tables and dimmed lights. They even serve your bill in a fancy box (I have never seen the before).
The restaurant is also BYOB.
I highly recommend this high quality restaurant!

Place was empty when we arrived… I got a little scared thinking it wasn’t good but boy was I wrong! Chicken kabob said was delicious and the humus was perfect! Very intimate and authentic. Love that it’s BYOB!!!

Aya’s is a great option Mediterranean/​Middle Eastern food in the area. The food is very good and they have a discount for takeout! I have been able to dine in and take out from here, and the quality is consistent for both.
Ambiance is cozy. The place has a good amount of seating without feeling crammed in. It’s a small restaurant, so when they are crowded, the place is full but customers are not on-​top of each other. There is also sometimes a table or two available outside when the weather is nice. Also, the restaurant is pretty dimly lit, so keep in mind you might need to use the flashlight on your phone to read the menu depending on where you are sitting.
The cuisine is pretty straight forward. Although there are some odd items on the menu (such as pasta dishes and lobster ravioli) you will certainly have a tasty meal from Aya’s. I usually just stick to the items that actually go along with the theme of the restaurant which is middle eastern/​Mediterranean. You can’t go wrong with the Muffuletta, calamari salad, greek salad, beef kofta, chicken kabob, appetizer sampler, mussels, baba ghanoush, and hummus.
Staff has always been kind and friendly, always happy to accommodate and I have seen them happily help out those who are trying this type of food for the first time with recommendations and explanations of different items.

Another cute BYO in the Logan Square neighborhood! This place a really great Middle Eastern option that hasn’t been swept up into the trendy hype of Center City (and by that I mean they stay true to who they are). I’ve had the chance to dine in and order take out from here — NOTE: they have a discount for take out orders and they don’t take AMEX. The restaurant is quaint: the entrance is nondescript and the space itself it’s dimly lit with enough seating to fill the place. There’s bar seating that overlooks the kitchen area, but I’ve only sat there while I wait for my take out. I’ve always found the staff to be very kind and respectful, regardless if I’m ordering take out or dining in.
For food I’ve had and would recommend to you:
Calamari Salad (literally what it sounds like, but you can’t go wrong with fried calamari on a salad)
Beef Kofta Dinner
Baba Ghanough (eggplant dip — yummy!)
Chicken Kabob lunch special
Honestly, all the things that I’ve gotten there have been really tasty — the menu has a few odd options, like lobster ravioli, that don’t really go with the theme, but I think otherwise you’d be smart making any choice for your meal!

Absolutely delicious! Our server was prompt and really nice and the food was incredible. Great experience. The Kofta is exactly how it should be.
I can’t eat sugars or carbs and they were very accommodating to me and gave me alternatives to the rice.

The one n only amazing Middle Eastern/​Mediterranean in the whole of Philadelphia, excellent food n amazing service every single time. Have been going here for a reads now n the food is exactly the way it used to be maybe more yummier. Very affordable n it’s a BYOB, what more can you ask for.
Their desserts are not to be missed. Our all time favorite is the Rice Pudding, out of this world n never ever to be missed. The Baklava is also fabulous.
Our all time favorite entrée is the Cilantro Lamb Stew n Khudaar Mashwi for every vegetarian, this is one of their best n not to be missed.
If in Philadelphia, do visit this restaurant, you will not every single morsel, it never fails n the food remain the same par excellence.

Second time here but the first time was a while ago so we decided to try it again. Glad we did! Cozy, laid back and rather quite… quiet for a downtown restaurant. Service was good and the meal was very good. Try the zucchini soup… excellent!
You should not be disappointed with your meal.

Came here with my wife for lunch around noon, friendly staff very good prices, and very filling meals. Go Ayas Café you won’t be disappointed. Minus 1 star only because they don’t accept AMX

Strictly a lunch review.
Came here with about 12 people for lunch. Made reservations the same day with no problem. Also given the amount of people we had, the waiters were efficient.
The chicken kebob and shwarma is a good option. Deceivingly small, but very filling. Delicious. I would come again for a small or big party.

They can get pretty busy so I recommend getting reservations. We got the mussels ($ 10). It was a decent amount and I really enjoyed the white sauce. We also got the pita bread so we could dip it into the sauce. Super flavorful!
For my entrée I got the chicken kabob ($ 16). It comes with this cinnamon rice that I don’t like so I asked for regular white rice. There was 6 – 8 big pieces of chicken as well as some veggies. I really enjoyed the kabob especially combined with the white dipping sauce, without the sauce the chicken is pretty dry. I’d recommend asking for extra white dipping sauce.
We had the $ 25 off when you spend 50. Gratuity is also included. Bill came out to still be $ 43, so this place is kind of on the pricey side but if you’re craving middle eastern food I recommend coming here. Service is super friendly and the place is cozy inside, probably would make a good date spot!
Most importantly… BYOB!

I have been to Aya’s café twice and loved it both times.
The first time I went was with about 20 other people for a friend’s birthday BYO. I think Aya’s is normally a place for a more intimate meal and isn’t used to such large groups, but all of the employees were very accommodating and kind to us. Everyone loved their food. I had the moussaka, which was so so tasty.
The second time I went was with four others for a BYO. We went on a Thursday night. The place was very quiet, with just a few other groups there. The moussaka was so good the first time that I got it again. The four others I went with loved their kofta, kebab, and ravioli dishes. They kept complimenting me on my great restaurant selection :)
I 100% recommend having dinner at Aya’s. It is a great place for dinner with a few friends or a date. Bring along a bottle of wine since it is BYO.

The food is kind of bland for being a mediteranean place. I came here with a
certificate thinking it would be a good deal, but I probably spent more with the certificate than I would have without. I knew there was a $ 100 minimum, but if I’d known about how reasonable prices are, I would not have gotten the certificate. We ordered 3 appetizers and 3 meals! Normally, we would only order 1 app and 2 meals between my wife and I. We ended up throwing away almost all of it.
Fresh Steamed Mussels in white sauce — Bland! The sauce did not soak enough into the mussels and it was way too thin to stick to the mussels, so it felt as if I was eating just plain steamed mussels.
Calamari — The calamari was bland, but the sauce it was served with was good. I practically had to use tons of sauce to make the calamari have some flavor
Stuffed Mushrooms — This was actually really good. It had tons of flavor, but maybe because of the cheese? There was lots of cheese on it
Lamb Stew — It was good, but there were way too many chick peas. It definately overpowered the dish.
Whole fish — horrible. Just skip it. it had no flavor. Even the veggies on the side was bland.
Meat platter — The rice was way too sweet. It had raisins in it. Seemed like I was eating dessert rather than a meal. The meat was also very tough and some were way way way overcooked. I felt like I was eating charcoal.
Service was great though. She came and checked up on us often, filled our waters, bought things out nice and hot. The only thing bad is that they automatically charge gratuity for 2 people! Who does that!!! My wife’s been a server for 7 or so years, so we know how to tip, but I find it wrong that they do that.
Overall: I would not be going back. The place is nice, but is not worth going if you have any certificate.