The story
In 1998, Rawia Bishara opened Tanoreen as a ten-table storefront in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhood. Her inspiration was simple: to cook the Palestinian and Middle Eastern food she made for friends and family, but with her own creative twists. That idea grew from years of dinner parties and teaching friends how to cook – a form of expression shaped by her mother’s influence, her travels abroad, and life in New York.
Today, Tanoreen has expanded to a larger location and taken on a partner: Rawia’s daughter, Jumana Bishara. The restaurant now carries an intergenerational legacy, one rooted in respect for culinary heritage while embracing change. In 2026, this dedication earned Tanoreen a Michelin Bib Gourmand – a nod to good quality, good value cooking that draws diners from across the city.
Jumana describes the experience simply: “When you eat at Tanoreen, it’s as if you are eating at our home.” The cuisine is home-style, meant for sharing. It blends classical Palestinian and Middle Eastern cooking with multicultural aromas, never straying from its roots. Rawia’s first cookbook, Olives, Lemons and Za'atar, captured these flavors – recipes from her Palestinian childhood in Nazareth, recreated with her creative flair and influences from summers in Spain and living in Bay Ridge. A second book followed in 2018.
The menu evolves, but the foundation remains: generous mezze, stews, salads, and dishes that celebrate tradition. Whether you’re stopping in for brunch or a full dinner, the warmth of Arab hospitality is present at every table.
Recognition
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