Knafeh Cafe

Middle Eastern desserts are enjoying a long-overdue moment in the spotlight right now, thanks in part to a virally popular “Dubai chocolate bar” filled with kataifi – crispy “shredded” noodles of phyllo dough – butter, and pistachios, three key ingredients in an ages-old treat called knafeh. Located in Anaheim’s Little Arabia district, Knafeh Cafe has specialized in this and other Palestinian sweets for over a dozen years, producing desserts that are far more affordable than the routinely overpriced Dubai bars.

Although Knafeh Cafe offers a small selection of basic ice creams and a Nutella version of balourieh – two layers of syrup-coated kataifi topped and filled with Nutella – its pure Palestinian pastries really shine. The eponymous knafeh, sold warm in your choice of crispy, creamy, or soft squares, is a layer of syrup-sweetened cheese topped with buttery kataifi and pistachios. It is an undeniably special dessert, particularly when the sweet cheese is still molten: its crackling dough and soft cheese instantly demonstrate why a chocolate-coated version with added sesame flavor went viral as a candy.