About Habibah

We are a friendly family-run cafe serving fresh and vibrant Arabic food, packed with amazing flavours and good value for money.

Every Palestinian boy loves falafel, and Sleiman (Habibah founder) was no different. Growing up in Haifa, his favourite falafel shop was always Najla’s in Wadi Nisnas, where Abu Wala’ made the best in town – crispy, light and packed with parsley.

Today, Abu Wala’ greets his customers with a hot falafel dipped in zesty tahini – the same tasty and hearty Arabic welcome he gave to Sleiman when he was a boy.

For culinary inspiration, Sleiman’s childhood home was all he needed. His mum (Umm-Sleiman) was, and still is, an incredible cook. She can rustle up all sorts of mouth-watering Palestinian dishes and she never ever opens a book – the recipes are etched into her DNA. Most Saturdays, Sleiman would wake to the smells of Za’tar and freshly baked bread wafting through the house as she made her weekly mana’eesh (flatbreads) and khubez (pita).  Even today, she can spend a whole afternoon coring and stuffing zucchini or eggplant or filing and rolling vine leaves to perfection. Her kitchen is always abundant with mint, parsley, olives, lemons, olive oil and Za’tar – the must-have ingredients of Palestinian cuisine.

Habibah – which means sweetheart in Arabic – is a proper family affair. Founded by Sleiman and his English wife Catherine, it’s filled with hearty contributions from their two sweetheart daughters. Having lived in the Far East for many years, the family have a great love of culture, adventure, and people. They are passionate about creating community, having fun and of course, eating and serving great food.