Photos from AlTayeb, metro Detroit's popular Lebanese restaurant

By Metro Times Staff on Wed, Jan 12, 2022 at 1:00 am

Metro Detroit Lebanese breakfast restaurant AlTayeb became an instant hit after opening locations in Garden City and Dearborn. See this week's cover story to learn more about the family that started it, and browse these photos from behind the scenes.

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AlTayeb at 15010 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn.

A staple of a Lebanese breakfast, the fava beans for the fool at Al Tayeb are cooked for 20 hours before they are ready to be served.

Diners enjoy a wide variety of breakfast dishes.

Chef Ahmad Sanji pulls from his knowledge of Italian and French cuisine to cook traditional Lebanese dishes.

Susan Zaher serves the busy breakfast crowd, often educating first-time customers about traditional Lebanese breakfast dishes.

Customers feast on a spread of msabbaha, falafel, olives, eggs with chunk meat, fool, hummus, spicy potato, jalapeño sauce, and vegetables Al Tayeb, all dishes that have made Al Tayeb famous and recognized by The New York Times in their list of “50 places in America we’re most excited about right now.”

Sana Noureddine, the matriarch of the family, has prepared a special version of roast beef that has been marinating for days in her unique blend of seasoning, and carries it to the table for family dinner.

Despite the challenges of opening an additional restaurant and being understaffed during the pandemic, the Hamade and Sanji families still manage to gather for family meals.

After dinner, the Hamade family completes the meal with the traditional Lebanese herbal tea Zhourat with Noureddine’s custom brew of rose buds, chamomile, and dried cranberry, alongside delicacies like Kanafeh and Halawet El Jiben from Lebon Sweets in Dearborn Heights.

Back row: Wael Hamade, Maher Hamade, Ahmad Sanji, Mirna Hamade, Samer Hamade. Middle row: Ali Hamade, Sana Noureddine. Front row: Elan Sanji, Malek Sonji.