After much local buzz,Hamrah’s Lebanese Food and Take Away opened in Kinderhook, New York thisOctober. Founder JulieHamrah Fels’s first week was busier than she could have imagined — she’s tired but excited by the support the community has shown for a cuisine largely absent from the area. The food is rich in flavor and quality, taking advantage of the Hamrah's family traditions and locally sourced ingredients.
Felsgrew up with Lebanese dishes prepared by her father’s side of the family, foods that were not only culturally significant but also personal. The pandemic brought about a stark realization: “I never actually thought about the lack of Lebanese food,” she says, but as family gatherings dwindled, she recognized how much the cuisine was missing in her life and, by extension, in the local community.
“I’d lived in either Dutchess County or Columbia County since I was 18,” said Fels, who attended undergrad at Bard College. “And I never actually thought about the lack of Lebanese food, because I always had access to it."But when her family could no longer gather to cook, she felt the absence keenly. This inspired her to fill that gap, offering a unique culinary experience to the community she’s called home for decades.
The most nostalgic dish for Fels are the hand pies. “When I would visit my grandmother, I would eat like six meat pies at a time as a little kid,” Fels recalls. Watching a young customer in Kinderhookenthusiastically enjoy these same pies last week struck her with emotion. “It brings me to tears to know that somebody is experiencing this food the way I did.”
Fels says what she thinks is resonating with her new customersis that Hamrah’s is highlighting the “freshness” of Lebanese cuisine. “Almost everything I make has parsley, lemon, and olive oil in it,” she explained. “People compliment our falafel, saying they love the lightness. It’s the sort of food that doesn’t make you feel weighed down.”
As much as possible, Hamrah’s is incorporating ingredients sourced locally. Fels’s meat is coming from renowned Kinderhook Farms, and she relies on local farms for in-season produce. “There’s something so special about being able to text someone and say, ‘Hey, I need 40 pounds of meat,’ and know that person is part of our community,” she says.
Fels may be new to running a restaurant but her heavily local clientele know her well. Having served as the director of the Kinderhook Library for a decade, she says she still has a strong desire to give back. She credits her small but dedicated team, including close friends, her mother, and husband Theo Fels, in helping bring her dream to life.
Fels describes her menu as “mostly Lebanese dishes," although she acknowledges that food has always been a point of connection across the Middle East. “There really is no singular ‘Lebanese cuisine’ in the traditional sense,"she explains. “There is food that is eaten throughout the geography of the Middle East with variations that have to do with location — like seafood by the coast or lamb in more mountainous regions.” She notes that this diversity creates slight but significant variations in flavor.“I love talking to people about what they grew up with and the differences," she says.
The menu features chicken shawarma ($14-$15), beef kafta kebab ($14-$15), falafel ($14-$15), or za’atar cauliflower with hummus ($15-$16) as a wrap or bowl,complemented by fresh toppings like turnip pickles, parsley, onion, and sauces. The restaurant also serves mujadara ($13), a blend of lentils, rice, and caramelized onions. Add-ons, including hummus, baba ghanouj, feta, and labneh, let guests customize their meal. There are also classic salads like fattoush ($11), tabbouleh ($11) and a seasonal chickpea and quinoa salad ($14).
Hamrah’s also offers combo plates for a taste of multiple dishes, including the aforementioned savory hand pies ($14) with spinach, beef, or lamb fillings, and the vegetarian trio ($14) with a choice of hummus, grape leaves, and more. A la carte options allow diners to add a single kafta kebab ($8), falafel ($6), or grape leaves ($4), and desserts like baklawa ($3), chocolate chip tahini cookies ($3), and ghraybeh ($2) make for a sweet finish. For drinks, guests can sip on rosewater lemonade ($5), cardamom iced tea ($3), or traditional Arabic coffee ($3).
Originally from Ohio and later Maine, Fels attended Bard College and fell in love with the area, eventually settling in the valley where she has lived for more than three decades. While Hamrah’s is new to Kinderhook, Fels'scommittment to the community is not, and it already feels like a part of the village’s cultural fabric.
Hamrah’s Lebanese Food and Take Away
3 Albany Avenue, Kinderhook, NY
(518) 610-8235
11a.m. - 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
11a.m.- 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday
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