•Middle East: Palestine •
B52
November Showcase
Named for its location on the corner of Butler Street and 52nd Street in Lawrenceville, B52 offers a unique dining experience to everyone who tries it. Owner Omar Abuhejleh, who also owns Allegro Hearth Bakery in Squirrel Hill, combines his Palestinian roots with his vegan lifestyle to provide an unforgettable blend of flavors for his customers. Open since 2016, B52 serves an array of traditional Palestinian dishes mixed with American favorites such as their Seitan Shawarma wrap, Spicy Kofta Tofu wrap, Falafel salad, and their famous pancakes. We had the pleasure of talking with Omar, who told us all about his vegan lifestyle, his transition into becoming a restaurant owner along with its challenges, as well as his favorite Palestinian dishes growing up.
Owner
The owner, Omar Abuhejleh, was born in Los Angeles but moved to Saudi Arabia at a young age, later moving back to the United States. Growing up, Omar often ate Middle Eastern and Palestinian, such as mensef, labneh, zaatar, and zuchan. He attended UCLA for undergraduate studies and then moved to Palestine to live with his grandparents, taking time to travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. He fondly recounted for us his daily breakfasts of zaatar, olive oil, and tea with his grandfather.
Before pursuing a career in the restaurant industry, Omar initially had his sights set on a career in law. He graduated from Pitt law school in 1999 and practiced in appeals courts before switching to public interest work. A few years later, he opted to work for a judge and then switched to practicing law at a small firm. After dabbling in various fields within law for many years, he concluded that his day job as an attorney was the most fulfilling and intellectual position. He enjoyed working as an attorney in court, but at the same time, hoped to pursue other passions that offered more flexibility, autonomy, and creativity.
Abuhejleh recalled his college experiences working at a pizza shop and a bakery, cooking at home, and planning to become a hummus mogul in Los Angeles. All of his experiences pointed him towards establishing his own restaurant. Abuhejleh was determined to pursue his passion for food while maintaining his day job as an attorney. This led to his purchase of Allegro Hearth Bakery in Pittsburgh. He managed his bakery business at night and on weekends while balancing his day job as an attorney. Even though he still enjoyed the intellectual aspect of law, he was drawn to the food industry and began to dedicate more time and effort to his bakery business.
He continued to pursue his goal of opening a restaurant as well. “I was optimistic, and many entrepreneurs are foolishly optimistic,” Abuhejleh said in reference to the financial hardship, tough competition, and unpredictable schedule that accompanies the opening of a brand new restaurant. However, he was grateful to have received financial and moral support from friends and family, which allowed him to persist through the initially challenging years of starting a restaurant and ultimately oversee a successful business.
Restaurant
Omar Abuhejleh drew on his Palestinian roots and early experiences with home-cooked food when creating his unique recipes and establishing B52. Abuhejleh grew up eating hearty meals cooked from scratch, a trend that has persisted throughout his adult life as well. Ultimately, he transitioned to a vegan diet, which often features his hand-crafted vegan cheese and seitan. Abuhejleh recalled that most restaurants in Pittsburgh did not cater to vegan diets and offered limited options for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. As a result, Abuhejleh channeled his inspiration and passion into establishing his own Middle Eastern restaurant in hopes of sharing his healthy, home-made recipes with both vegans and non-vegans.
After Abuhejleh opened B52 a few years ago, he noticed that most customers were taken aback by the vegan-based menu in his restaurant. However, many of them were willing to explore his menu and experiment with vegan food. B52 has received extensive praise from Pittsburgh’s population and has drawn in a large, diverse crowd over the years. The majority of his customers are East Asian, Arabic, or African American and typically adhere to a vegan diet. However, Abuhejleh has hand-crafted his recipes to appeal to non-vegan crowds as well. In particular, he has spent years determining the perfect spice ratios and creating a flavor palette that blends together seamlessly. Abuhejleh explained that these components, along with the authentic, homemade taste of his cuisine, has encouraged non-vegan customers to keep returning to his restaurant.
Food
While the food was delicious and perfectly mouthwatering, what made it all the more special was consciously knowing all the hard work and thought that went into developing the recipe, perfecting it, and carefully cooking it from scratch with the best ingredients and spices possible. Although B52’s menu is inspired by Middle Eastern flavors, it also consists of baked goods, pancakes, and other recipes that Omar has picked up throughout his life. When creating meals, Omar tries to ensure a balance of proteins, carbs, and greens. Eat at Pitt member Haeley Jones shares, “I’ve had falafel in many different forms in my life, but in every instance they’ve been formed from dry mix from a box, pre-made, or frozen. The fresh falafel in my B52 salad were the best I’ve ever tasted - all the flavors were balanced and every vegetable and spice included played its role perfectly. It had the most amazingly crisped exterior that enclosed the aromatic and beautifully green-colored fluffy interior.”
You can taste the culture and passion in every bite of B52, and labeling the restaurant just as a mere “vegan spot” is doing it a major injustice--the restaurant is truly an incredible edible treasure. We highly recommend trying the Falafel sandwich, it’s Omar’s favorite!
Owner
The owner, Omar Abuhejleh, was born in Los Angeles but moved to Saudi Arabia at a young age, later moving back to the United States. Growing up, Omar often ate Middle Eastern and Palestinian, such as mensef, labneh, zaatar, and zuchan. He attended UCLA for undergraduate studies and then moved to Palestine to live with his grandparents, taking time to travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. He fondly recounted for us his daily breakfasts of zaatar, olive oil, and tea with his grandfather.
Before pursuing a career in the restaurant industry, Omar initially had his sights set on a career in law. He graduated from Pitt law school in 1999 and practiced in appeals courts before switching to public interest work. A few years later, he opted to work for a judge and then switched to practicing law at a small firm. After dabbling in various fields within law for many years, he concluded that his day job as an attorney was the most fulfilling and intellectual position. He enjoyed working as an attorney in court, but at the same time, hoped to pursue other passions that offered more flexibility, autonomy, and creativity.
Abuhejleh recalled his college experiences working at a pizza shop and a bakery, cooking at home, and planning to become a hummus mogul in Los Angeles. All of his experiences pointed him towards establishing his own restaurant. Abuhejleh was determined to pursue his passion for food while maintaining his day job as an attorney. This led to his purchase of Allegro Hearth Bakery in Pittsburgh. He managed his bakery business at night and on weekends while balancing his day job as an attorney. Even though he still enjoyed the intellectual aspect of law, he was drawn to the food industry and began to dedicate more time and effort to his bakery business.
He continued to pursue his goal of opening a restaurant as well. “I was optimistic, and many entrepreneurs are foolishly optimistic,” Abuhejleh said in reference to the financial hardship, tough competition, and unpredictable schedule that accompanies the opening of a brand new restaurant. However, he was grateful to have received financial and moral support from friends and family, which allowed him to persist through the initially challenging years of starting a restaurant and ultimately oversee a successful business.
Restaurant
Omar Abuhejleh drew on his Palestinian roots and early experiences with home-cooked food when creating his unique recipes and establishing B52. Abuhejleh grew up eating hearty meals cooked from scratch, a trend that has persisted throughout his adult life as well. Ultimately, he transitioned to a vegan diet, which often features his hand-crafted vegan cheese and seitan. Abuhejleh recalled that most restaurants in Pittsburgh did not cater to vegan diets and offered limited options for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. As a result, Abuhejleh channeled his inspiration and passion into establishing his own Middle Eastern restaurant in hopes of sharing his healthy, home-made recipes with both vegans and non-vegans.
After Abuhejleh opened B52 a few years ago, he noticed that most customers were taken aback by the vegan-based menu in his restaurant. However, many of them were willing to explore his menu and experiment with vegan food. B52 has received extensive praise from Pittsburgh’s population and has drawn in a large, diverse crowd over the years. The majority of his customers are East Asian, Arabic, or African American and typically adhere to a vegan diet. However, Abuhejleh has hand-crafted his recipes to appeal to non-vegan crowds as well. In particular, he has spent years determining the perfect spice ratios and creating a flavor palette that blends together seamlessly. Abuhejleh explained that these components, along with the authentic, homemade taste of his cuisine, has encouraged non-vegan customers to keep returning to his restaurant.
Food
While the food was delicious and perfectly mouthwatering, what made it all the more special was consciously knowing all the hard work and thought that went into developing the recipe, perfecting it, and carefully cooking it from scratch with the best ingredients and spices possible. Although B52’s menu is inspired by Middle Eastern flavors, it also consists of baked goods, pancakes, and other recipes that Omar has picked up throughout his life. When creating meals, Omar tries to ensure a balance of proteins, carbs, and greens. Eat at Pitt member Haeley Jones shares, “I’ve had falafel in many different forms in my life, but in every instance they’ve been formed from dry mix from a box, pre-made, or frozen. The fresh falafel in my B52 salad were the best I’ve ever tasted - all the flavors were balanced and every vegetable and spice included played its role perfectly. It had the most amazingly crisped exterior that enclosed the aromatic and beautifully green-colored fluffy interior.”
You can taste the culture and passion in every bite of B52, and labeling the restaurant just as a mere “vegan spot” is doing it a major injustice--the restaurant is truly an incredible edible treasure. We highly recommend trying the Falafel sandwich, it’s Omar’s favorite!