Neomonde

Neomonde is literally the best Mediterranean food in town (voted by Independent Weekly in 2006). One visit and I was hooked (which then forced me to go twice in one week)! They have two fabulous locations, one in downtown Raleigh, and one in Morrisville. 

All of their dishes are homemade, even their pita breads (the sesame one is my favorite!). They have daily hot specials and cold salads, and of course, the usual dishes you would think of when you think of Mediterranean cuisine (the best hummus in town, amazing baba ghanouj, fresh tabouli, etc.).

My favorite is their Zaatar Pie. They take their specialty pita dough and treat it almost like a pizza. They then add their special Zaatar blend of thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, and other spices in olive oil. Then, you have the option of making your pie "delight" by adding hummus or baba ganouj (I've tried it both ways and they are both delicious), lettuce, tomato, olives, pickles,  and banana peppers, topped with their special lemon-tahini dressing. It's an absolutely amazing combination of flavors, all wrapped up in one dish!

Zaatar Pie is at the top, one of their platters is at the bottom.

Another nice thing is that you can make your own platter, choosing four sides. It's a great opportunity to try many different things. Their hummus is the most authentic I've had outside of the Middle East. It has the perfect touch of garlic and tahini, and is lemony with fresh parsley, to give it that extra touch. Seriously, you can't go wrong with whatever you choose. After a fabulous meal, make sure to take some containers home to put together your own delicious lunches over the next few days. 


Don't forget to pick up one of their many baklavas and other Mediterranean desserts for the road. 


I also love that Neomonde doubles as a market where you can pick up any Mediterranean ingredient that you could imagine, which really makes it a one-stop-shop for all your Mediterranean needs. 


You really can't go wrong with Neomonde.