All About Food | August 5th, 2015
Cafe Aladdin offers Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine at its finest
When I moved here over 37 years ago, the ethnic food in the area was limited. In 1980, a gentleman by the name of Ahmad Younis and his family moved to the Fargo area because he could not find the work he was looking for. In 1990, he opened a street trailer (the first one in the Fargo-Moorhead area to my knowledge). He and his brother Younis Younis, opened their first restaurant, Aladdin's Market and Deli, in 1994 on Sixth Avenue North in downtown Fargo.
Ahmad describes Cafe Aladdin’s fare as a mixture of Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Whenever I think of Middle Eastern food, gyro and hummus come to mind. Ahmad said another popular item on the menu is the shish kabob. The restaurant also offers a halal gyro by request.
The brothers have done very well for themselves. Cafe Aladdin now has three different locations in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Its most popular stop is located downtown. The other two are housed on 32nd Ave. and 13th Ave.
Cafe Aladdin offers food for everyone. The staff can prepare vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals for customers. There are even children-size plates.
It also has a little deli where they sell items such as feta cheese, kalamata olives and baklava, a traditional dessert.
In the times of many different restaurants opening throughout the Fargo-Moorhead area, it's great that these two brothers have not only been able to stay open but also to expand. So with that said, I hope you visit and enjoy their food.
When I asked Ahmad what he would like people to know about his restaurant, he put a big smile on his face and said, “I want people to know that it's family-run and family-served by the owners.”
Here is Cafe Aladdin on my good/bad criteria list for restaurants:
1. Location: Easy to find
2. Parking availability: Lots of availability at each location
3. Variety of menu: Outstanding
4. Wait staff: Great
5. Dining area: Clean
6. Food and presentation: Like perfect artwork
7. Cost: Range from $5.99 to $13.29
8. Bathroom: Clean
9. Would I go back and would I recommend it: Absolutely!
Cafe Aladdin
Three locations:
530 6th Ave N, Fargo
3017 13th Ave S, Fargo
1609 32nd Ave S #2, Fargo
June 17th 2025
April 16th 2025
March 26th 2025
March 15th 2025
February 19th 2025
__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comNorth Dakota communities will join a “nationwide day of defiance” against authoritarianism and President Donald Trump’s policies on Saturday, June 14. A range of "No Kings" events…
Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…
June 21, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.Fargo Theatre, 314 Broadway N., Fargo“We Watch Shudder,” Fargo’s favorite horror podcasters, bring on the darkness during the longest day of the year. The Darkest Day of Horror Film Festival features…
Fighting the good fightBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Over two thousand rallies took place nationwide June 14 as part of the “No Kings" protest. Ten of those protests were held in North Dakota, with thousands in attendance.…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWe need Paul Revere on a Harley: “ants and autocrats are coming!”The Asian needle ant has been nesting in the American South since at least 1932. It probably hitched a ride on a freighter from…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com The weather warmed up quickly here in the upper Midwest this spring, sparking prime eating season. This means burger battles, food trucks and lake-season food travel. The 2025 Downtown Fargo Burger…
By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com The June 9 death of musician Sylvester Stewart, known much better by stage name Sly Stone, saw an outpouring of tributes, memorials and appreciations from some who knew him personally and many…
By Deb Wallworkdwallwork@icloud.comI first met Catherine Mulligan at a party at her house. It was a small gathering, spontaneous, just a few people over for dinner. Directed toward a stack of plates and bowls and a big pot warming…
By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comAct Up Theatre, in partnership with Minnesota State University Moorhead, will present “The Sound of Music” on June 10-14. All shows are at 7:30 p.m. at the Minnesota State Moorhead’s…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
The drug that keeps re-purposing itselfBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but…
By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…
By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…