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Amba is one of my favorite spots in Cambridge! The food is delicious, the staff are very friendly and welcoming, and it's a great place to work remotely. A special shoutout to Felipe and Niko for their kindness, attentiveness, and genuine hospitality! Highly recommend the crispy chicken caesar salad pita and fries as both were perfectly crispy and the pita was pillowy soft.
The breakfast pita was delicious - highly recommend. They also have a great selection of interesting lattes and other coffee drinks. I haven't tried the lunch offerings but a lot of good looking items on the menu and will certainly be coming back for more. Good experience with the staff and efficiency.
Definitely a pleasant surprise, if you're tired of the chipotle slop bowls this is the lunch spot you should check out. Good value with high quality ingredients and awesome flavors.
We came here because of the high reviews and were a bit disappointed with the service and food overall. It took awhile for someone to help us up front, and it turns out that they were short staffed in the front because the staffer at the front said that because they had to fulfill the to-go orders that 2-3 customers had to use the kiosk otherwise it would take another 5-10 minutes for them to be seen. We ordered the chicken gyro plate and the falafel pita. The pita was soft as expected, but the falafel was oversalted. The chicken and the rice in the plate was also oversalted yet also bland at the same time. Overall we were not too impressed with this place and it didn't live up to the reviews for us. Not sure if we would return again.
What a great Mediterranean spot by the CambridgeSide mall! It's café-style, so you order at the counter, choose your own seating, and wait for your food to be brought to you. We also saw that there were screens near the door for ordering as another option. Both items we got here were absolutely delicious. The sabich pita had the perfect mix of textures and flavors, with crispy fried eggplant, sour pickled cabbage, soft hard-boiled egg, and delicious sauces. The hummus bowl had a great amount of toppings (cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, our protein choices of wild mushrooms and chicken schwarma) and soft pita to go with it. The portion sizes weren't very large but also not skimpy and items were reasonably priced in the $15 range. Adding an extra protein for $3 didn't feel very worth it to me given the portion size, so I wouldn't do that again next time, but overall enjoyed my experience and would definitely come back!
Good Mediterranean food near the CambridgeSide mall. The Sabich Pita was an enjoyable medley of different flavors. Unfortunately, I couldn't discern much of the fried eggplant or black garlic flavor. Likewise, the Arayes was well-executed and the sauces complemented it. But, the lamb meat in it was pretty salty and the portion size was lacking for it being $14
High quality maze with clever form factors and lots of vegetarian options! Plenty of seating in a brightly lit space on a Tuesday at lunch. The full Mezze, cauliflower with Pomergrante, and latkes (waffle cut) were plenty to share between two people - all super tasty and filling! A real highlight was the Halva shake with cold brew - it's an initially unexpected texture and flavor that quickly grows on you! Food came out quickly and the staff were nice! A real highlight - would come again!
I was searching for a good breakfast spot in the area, and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this place! As a fan of Mediterranean cuisine, I decided to give it a try--and I've honestly never had a better breakfast while visiting Boston. The service was fantastic. The young lady who took my order was patient and offered great recommendations since it was my first time there. I also really appreciated how they bring your order to you at the table instead of having everyone crowded around a counter waiting for their food. It felt much more relaxed. The atmosphere was quiet and serene, and I felt right at home. They offer free WiFi, and there's plenty of seating, so it's a great spot to hang out for a while. I ordered the breakfast pita, which came with sesame eggs, hash browns, garlic sauce, and herbs--all wrapped up in a pita. I didn't add avocado at the server's suggestion, but honestly, the garlic sauce was the star of the dish! It was absolutely delicious. I also had a tea that paired perfectly. If I'm ever back in the area, I'll definitely make this my go-to spot. Highly recommend!
10/10 this restaurant exceeded my expectations! Even my picky husband was thrilled and wants to eat there again soon! We got delivery to our hotel and everything arrived fresh and hot. We ordered the Pita Mac, full Mezze Platter, chicken tenders, and the Fattoush salad with chicken. My husband loved the Pita Mac. He was impressed with how fresh all the ingredients were as well as how the burger was cooked to perfection. He already asked for another one for lunch tomorrow! I thoroughly enjoyed the mezze platter and especially loved the hummus and muhammara! The pita bread is delightfully fluffy and has a great mouth feel. It is a lot of food when ordering for 1 but would be perfect to share! The chicken tenders were really nicely fried and the dill ranch was delicious! Finally, the Fattoush salad with added chicken was supreme. It was a huge portion and delightfully fresh with each ingredient sliced perfectly for a great mouth feel. The added chicken added a nice bit of protein with good flavor. Fun fact: they make the croutons out of their pita bread! Amazing! We will be back!!
This was my first time trying this place per recommendation. I will be back to try a few more of the items, this was my first time. Let me get into review: ordered the za'atar dusted chicken tenders1 out of 5, they were super dry and hard, the 1 goes for the actually flavor of they were not going to crack my teeth. Then to top it off you get 3 small tenders for $12.00 Next ordered the shawarma fries added the lamb kofte, 5 out of 5, might I add I AM NOT a french fry girly but I would order these every trip to Amba. All the flavors and toppings meshed well together then add the swarm a sauce, these were fantastic. Let me also add the service was good from our waiter and I absolutely love how clean it was in there, I was even looking at all the appliances, Love seeing that.
Ordered Uber eats from Amba and was very presently surprised the food arrived nice and warm, and the package was pretty secure. 5/5 lamb burger- even though you don't see it the other side of the pita actually has a nice spread of that tomato jam. The pita bread was nice and soft, but very solid that it was able to hold the Lamb burger and sauce together. The lamb patty itself was very flavorful, but not too overwhelming. The real star was the mixed tomato jam sauce and harissa mayonnaise that really brought out the flavor of the sandwich. I just kept eating it and couldn't stop and before I knew it I'd finished. Best lamb pita I've had. 4/5 half chicken - the chicken was definitely flavorful and I do believe they must've brined it for a while. The chicken was actually pretty flavorful and juicy and surprisingly even the breast meat was very juicy and moist. I wasn't a big fan of the flower petals, gave it a strange flavor. I can definitely taste the herbs infused into the skin and parts of the chicken. Overall, the takeout from this restaurant is surprisingly good and of good quality. We'll definitely order again in the future.
Amba, named after a Jewish-iraqi hot sauce that migrated with the jews expelled from Iraq to Israel, has pretty good Middle Eastern food. I especially liked the Hummus (a close version to the Israeli one), the pita (again, Israeli style, which is thick and delicious), and the Sabich (an Israeli dish. The name is a Hebrew acronym for salad, egg, and eggplant). While the food was delicious, I was disappointed by the employees refusing to "admit" that a lot of the food as well as the name were Israeli. Maybe it isn't "cool" to be associated with Israel these days... the "Mediterranean style food " isn't cutting it for me.
What a gem! This quick casual restaurant is such a great spot for lunch or dinner when you're looking for something healthy yet filling. This restaurant is tucked away behind Cambridgeside mall, so it is easy to drive by without noticing. There are some street parking spots nearby, so finding a parking spot close to the restaurant is not a pain. The ambience is quite nice. There is a ordering station and a food runner, so all you have to do is order and sit down and wait for your food. My wife and I opted for the chicken tenders, chicken, Shawarma, pita, and three different spreads. The food was absolutely delicious. Everything tasted fresh. What was surprising to us was that even though it was billed as a healthy fried chicken, the dish still had a delicious crisp and juicy chicken bite. Definitely check them out when you're in the area!
3 months ago
Their rotisserie chicken and hummus are so authentic and delicious! The customer service and overall restaurant experience were excellent as well. The space has such a fresh, green, welcoming atmosphere, and the employees were incredibly kind and attentive. They made sure everything tasted right and even brought our food directly to the table when we ate in. They also offer free pins/brooches and have such a vast menu with so many options to choose from. Everything about the experience was wonderful, and I would absolutely come back again! read more
1 day ago
Was staying around the corner at the Kimpton while visiting from LA and was looking for some Mediterranean food nearby. Great service. Great food, absolutely loved it! The chicken was tender, the lentil and chicken lemon soups were very good, we also ordered a couple of bowls and fries. All were delicious! read more
4 months ago
Amba is one of my favorite spots in Cambridge! The food is delicious, the staff are very friendly and welcoming, and it's a great place to work remotely. A special shoutout to Felipe and Niko for their kindness, attentiveness, and genuine hospitality! Highly recommend the crispy chicken caesar salad pita and fries as both were perfectly crispy and the pita was pillowy soft. read more
The breakfast pita was delicious - highly recommend. They also have a great selection of interesting lattes and other coffee drinks. I haven't tried the lunch offerings but a lot of good looking items on the menu and will certainly be coming back for more. Good experience with the staff and efficiency. read more
We came here because of the high reviews and were a bit disappointed with the service and food overall. It took awhile for someone to help us up front, and it turns out that they were short staffed in the front because the staffer at the front said that because they had to fulfill the to-go orders that 2-3 customers had to use the kiosk otherwise it would take another 5-10 minutes for them to be seen. We ordered the chicken gyro plate and the falafel pita. The pita was soft as expected, but the falafel was oversalted. The chicken and the rice in the plate was also oversalted yet also bland at the same time. Overall we were not too impressed with this place and it didn't live up to the reviews for us. Not sure if we would return again. read more
What a great Mediterranean spot by the CambridgeSide mall! It's café-style, so you order at the counter, choose your own seating, and wait for your food to be brought to you. We also saw that there were screens near the door for ordering as another option. Both items we got here were absolutely delicious. The sabich pita had the perfect mix of textures and flavors, with crispy fried eggplant, sour pickled cabbage, soft hard-boiled egg, and delicious sauces. The hummus bowl had a great amount of toppings (cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, our protein choices of wild mushrooms and chicken schwarma) and soft pita to go with it. The portion sizes weren't very large but also not skimpy and items were reasonably priced in the $15 range. Adding an extra protein for $3 didn't feel very worth it to me given the portion size, so I wouldn't do that again next time, but overall enjoyed my experience and would definitely come back! read more
1 year ago
Good Mediterranean food near the CambridgeSide mall. The Sabich Pita was an enjoyable medley of different flavors. Unfortunately, I couldn't discern much of the fried eggplant or black garlic flavor. Likewise, the Arayes was well-executed and the sauces complemented it. But, the lamb meat in it was pretty salty and the portion size was lacking for it being $14 read more
High quality maze with clever form factors and lots of vegetarian options! Plenty of seating in a brightly lit space on a Tuesday at lunch. The full Mezze, cauliflower with Pomergrante, and latkes (waffle cut) were plenty to share between two people - all super tasty and filling! A real highlight was the Halva shake with cold brew - it's an initially unexpected texture and flavor that quickly grows on you! Food came out quickly and the staff were nice! A real highlight - would come again! read more
I was searching for a good breakfast spot in the area, and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this place! As a fan of Mediterranean cuisine, I decided to give it a try--and I've honestly never had a better breakfast while visiting Boston. The service was fantastic. The young lady who took my order was patient and offered great recommendations since it was my first time there. I also really appreciated how they bring your order to you at the table instead of having everyone crowded around a counter waiting for their food. It felt much more relaxed. The atmosphere was quiet and serene, and I felt right at home. They offer free WiFi, and there's plenty of seating, so it's a great spot to hang out for a while. I ordered the breakfast pita, which came with sesame eggs, hash browns, garlic sauce, and herbs--all wrapped up in a pita. I didn't add avocado at the server's suggestion, but honestly, the garlic sauce was the star of the dish! It was absolutely delicious. I also had a tea that paired perfectly. If I'm ever back in the area, I'll definitely make this my go-to spot. Highly recommend! read more
Business owner information
Rebecca M.
thank you, moni! we appreciate it.
10/10 this restaurant exceeded my expectations! Even my picky husband was thrilled and wants to eat there again soon! We got delivery to our hotel and everything arrived fresh and hot. We ordered the Pita Mac, full Mezze Platter, chicken tenders, and the Fattoush salad with chicken. My husband loved the Pita Mac. He was impressed with how fresh all the ingredients were as well as how the burger was cooked to perfection. He already asked for another one for lunch tomorrow! I thoroughly enjoyed the mezze platter and especially loved the hummus and muhammara! The pita bread is delightfully fluffy and has a great mouth feel. It is a lot of food when ordering for 1 but would be perfect to share! The chicken tenders were really nicely fried and the dill ranch was delicious! Finally, the Fattoush salad with added chicken was supreme. It was a huge portion and delightfully fresh with each ingredient sliced perfectly for a great mouth feel. The added chicken added a nice bit of protein with good flavor. Fun fact: they make the croutons out of their pita bread! Amazing! We will be back!! read more
Business owner information
Rebecca M.
you chose right. we have a feeling we might win him over with the…
1 year ago
This was my first time trying this place per recommendation. I will be back to try a few more of the items, this was my first time. Let me get into review: ordered the za'atar dusted chicken tenders1 out of 5, they were super dry and hard, the 1 goes for the actually flavor of they were not going to crack my teeth. Then to top it off you get 3 small tenders for $12.00 Next ordered the shawarma fries added the lamb kofte, 5 out of 5, might I add I AM NOT a french fry girly but I would order these every trip to Amba. All the flavors and toppings meshed well together then add the swarm a sauce, these were fantastic. Let me also add the service was good from our waiter and I absolutely love how clean it was in there, I was even looking at all the appliances, Love seeing that. read more
Ordered Uber eats from Amba and was very presently surprised the food arrived nice and warm, and the package was pretty secure. 5/5 lamb burger- even though you don't see it the other side of the pita actually has a nice spread of that tomato jam. The pita bread was nice and soft, but very solid that it was able to hold the Lamb burger and sauce together. The lamb patty itself was very flavorful, but not too overwhelming. The real star was the mixed tomato jam sauce and harissa mayonnaise that really brought out the flavor of the sandwich. I just kept eating it and couldn't stop and before I knew it I'd finished. Best lamb pita I've had. 4/5 half chicken - the chicken was definitely flavorful and I do believe they must've brined it for a while. The chicken was actually pretty flavorful and juicy and surprisingly even the breast meat was very juicy and moist. I wasn't a big fan of the flower petals, gave it a strange flavor. I can definitely taste the herbs infused into the skin and parts of the chicken. Overall, the takeout from this restaurant is surprisingly good and of good quality. We'll definitely order again in the future. read more
Business owner information
Rebecca M.
thanks, alan!
2 years ago
Amba, named after a Jewish-iraqi hot sauce that migrated with the jews expelled from Iraq to Israel, has pretty good Middle Eastern food. I especially liked the Hummus (a close version to the Israeli one), the pita (again, Israeli style, which is thick and delicious), and the Sabich (an Israeli dish. The name is a Hebrew acronym for salad, egg, and eggplant). While the food was delicious, I was disappointed by the employees refusing to "admit" that a lot of the food as well as the name were Israeli. Maybe it isn't "cool" to be associated with Israel these days... the "Mediterranean style food " isn't cutting it for me. read more
4 months ago
What a gem! This quick casual restaurant is such a great spot for lunch or dinner when you're looking for something healthy yet filling. This restaurant is tucked away behind Cambridgeside mall, so it is easy to drive by without noticing. There are some street parking spots nearby, so finding a parking spot close to the restaurant is not a pain. The ambience is quite nice. There is a ordering station and a food runner, so all you have to do is order and sit down and wait for your food. My wife and I opted for the chicken tenders, chicken, Shawarma, pita, and three different spreads. The food was absolutely delicious. Everything tasted fresh. What was surprising to us was that even though it was billed as a healthy fried chicken, the dish still had a delicious crisp and juicy chicken bite. Definitely check them out when you're in the area! read more
Wow. The food at Amba really impresses me! Take out rotisserie chicken is DELICIOUS and a great deal. Dining in, the Hummus Bowl with Lamb Kofte is AMAZING, as is the Frozen Halva Shake (with decaf espresso added, it tastes a lot like an Italian Affogato but is dairy-free). Location is super convenient on First St across from the mall. Internet is good and the ambiance is quiet - a great place to work with copious electric outlets. Service is upscale cafeteria style. You can order from polite and friendly people or from a kiosk. If you dine in they do bring you the food to your table. Overall this place is just very surprisingly good all around! read more
1 year ago
New sleek and modern Mediterranean place in Kendall! There's so much space inside Worker there was super friendly and kind Got the chicken pita and friend got hummus bowl with mushrooms and she loved the mushrooms! The portion size is pretty good for the pita! There was a lot of chicken stuffed in. The hummus bowl is definitely on the lighter side. The hummus has a very light flavor w a slight hint of lemon Felt like an overall lighter Mediterranean meal. Slightly pricey but pretty convenient so would come back eventually! read more
1 year ago
The arayes is listed as a small shareable but I ordered it as my main. It's a small portion for $13, but I was full after (for a little while anyways)!. The tomato jam that came with it was icy cold, but the sweet paired well the saltiness of the arayes. I enjoyed my latte and the overall ambiance. I would return. read more
3 months ago
7 months ago
Business owner information
Jared S.
Hi H - Thank you for letting us know, and we're sorry to hear you…
Flavors - 4.1/5 Textures - 4/5 Presentation - 4/5 Value for Money - 4.5/5 I loved this place! Had the breakfast pita and the breakfast wrap. Breakfast pita - I added bacon which I think is key. The eggs were overcooked and the pita is not that fresh, but flavors are awesome, borderline addictive. The hashbrown inside is super crispy and the bacon as well, which goes great with the soft bread. The parsley sauce was AWESOME. Breakfast wrap - good flavors as well! I added lamb which was spicy and the highlight. The problem for me here was the mess. It's more like a taco than a wrap, the bread (malawach) is greasy and the lamb as well, the eggs were not scrambled but more like an omelet, and everything fell as I ate it. Hard to grab a decent bite. read more
1 year ago
This place is soooooo good. Everything is delicious. Drinks, entrees, sides, sauces and desserts. 10/10! Incredible ambiance and amazing food. A hard combo to find in Cambridge! read more
Been here twice and both times the food was so fresh and tasty! The place is so clean and spacious and the service is quick. I have tried the falafel pita, chicken shawarma pita and the shawarma fries! I could those fries every day if I could read more
3 months ago
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1 year ago
The food was great! I got a chicken shawarma pita and it was a great bang for your buck. Service was great and the place is really nice for a counter service restaurant. read more
2 years ago
I got take out twice so only rating the food Wings, zataar tenders and garlic tehina are great! Cauliflower side is the next best thing. The only reason I wouldn't make it 5-stars is 7 instead of 8 wings as stated (twice) Meager ranch dressing pour (see pic) read more
1 year ago
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2 years ago
Amba in Boston offers a delightful dining experience with a gorgeous aesthetic and ambiance, flavorful dishes that you will remember. The chicken and saffron rice were perfect for the two of us to split, it was a tender, well-seasoned chicken matching perfectly with the aromatic saffron-infused rice. We also ordered some hummus and pita that paired well with our meal. The combination is both satisfying and memorable, making Amba a must-visit for those seeking quality cuisine in the area. It's a walk up and order then bring to the table try or of service which was quick & easy & affordable for the quality you are getting! read more
2 years ago
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More info about Amba
57-59 First St
Cambridge, MA 02141
East Cambridge
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(857) 706-1962
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http://www.ambacambridge.com
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2 years ago
