There's a particular kind of hunger that no Dutch supermarket can satisfy. It's not just about calories — it's about memory. The smell of fresh manaqeesh from a bakery. Your grandmother's maqluba. The sharp bite of real sumac on a fattoush made with tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes. For Arab expats in the Netherlands, the distance from home is often felt most acutely through food. Here are the top Arabic foods people miss most — and where to find them now, without boarding a plane.

The Top Arabic Foods Arab Expats Miss Most

1. Proper Shawarma

Not the Dutch döner-style shawarma, but real Arabic shawarma — thin-sliced marinated meat, toum (garlic sauce), pickles, and fresh vegetables wrapped in soft bread. Syrian and Lebanese restaurants on MnBaladna come closest to the authentic experience.

How you benefit:

• Order from verified Arabic restaurants — not generic kebab shops.
• Available for delivery in 30 minutes across Dutch cities.

2. Fresh Manaqeesh

The Arabic breakfast flatbread topped with za'atar and olive oil — or melted cheese — pulled fresh from a wood-fired oven. A few Arabic bakeries in the Netherlands now offer manaqeesh for morning delivery via MnBaladna.

How you benefit:

• Start your morning with a proper Arabic breakfast delivered to your door.
• Order the night before for guaranteed morning availability.

3. Kunafa

This beloved cheese-and-pastry dessert, soaked in sugar syrup and topped with pistachios, is the food Arab expats dream about. Several Arabic pastry shops in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague now make fresh kunafa available for delivery.

How you benefit:

• Order fresh kunafa for guests — no advance notice needed.
• Available in full trays or individual portions depending on the shop.

4. Ful Medames

Egypt's national breakfast dish — slow-cooked fava beans with garlic, lemon, and olive oil — is available through Egyptian restaurants and specialty grocery stores on MnBaladna.

How you benefit:

• Pair with a fried egg and fresh pita for the complete Egyptian breakfast experience.
• Order the fava beans in canned or dried form to make it at home.

5. Quality Medjool Dates

Not the dried, tough dates sold in health food stores, but fresh, soft, caramel-sweet Medjool or Ajwa dates. These are available from specialist date vendors on MnBaladna, particularly during Ramadan season.

How you benefit:

• Stock up during Ramadan when the selection is at its peak.
• Perfect as a gift or for breaking fast throughout the year.

6. Authentic Hummus

Supermarket hummus in the Netherlands is a pale imitation. Real hummus — made with quality tahini, fresh lemon, and proper chickpeas — tastes completely different. Order from Arabic restaurants that make it fresh daily.

How you benefit:

• Order as part of a mezze set for the full Arabic starter experience.
• Source quality tahini and chickpeas to make it yourself at home.

7. Freshly Baked Arabic Bread

Thick, fluffy khubz from a real Arabic bakery — not the supermarket pita that tears before you can dip it. Arabic bakeries on MnBaladna bake fresh bread daily and deliver while it's still warm.

How you benefit:

• Order fresh bread alongside your grocery shop — no extra trip needed.
• Warm Arabic bread elevates every meal it accompanies.

You Don't Have to Miss It Anymore

The Arab food scene in the Netherlands is thriving, and with MnBaladna, the flavors of home are more accessible than ever. Download the app on iOS or Android and rediscover the foods you love — delivered in 30 minutes to your door.