Just before the dinner rush, Yemenat is calm. People talk over their meals, the staff joke with one another, and the dining room slowly fills with the evening crowd. By dinner, Bay Ridge has arrived.
That contrast captures something about Yemenat. It is welcoming without being casual about its food. Chef Mohannad Jaradat has built the menu around Yemeni flavors while bringing the discipline of his French culinary background into the kitchen.
“We wanted to have the authentic Yemeni flavor in an exciting way,” Jaradat told me.
If you want to experience Yemenat the way the chef does, follow his ideal order. Begin with shafoot and hummus, move into lahm sughar, choose between lamb haneeth or chicken aqdah for the main course, and finish with bint al sahn.
The shafoot is a chilled piece of bread soaked in an herbaceous yogurt. Jaradat admits it “can be a hit or miss,” but considers it refreshing. From there, the lahm sughar—tender lamb cooked with Yemeni spices and onions—is a standout. My favorite bite was bread dipped first into hummus and then into the lamb.
For the main course, the choice comes down to two very different dishes. The lamb haneeth is slow-cooked until tender and served over spiced rice. The chicken aqdah is a shredded chicken stew in a hearty tomato sauce. He describes it as a dish that gives you a “calm feeling,” and it is easy to understand why.
Then there is dessert: bint al sahn, a traditional Yemeni dish that Yemenat serves with a crème anglaise glaze to cut through its richness. But the food is only part of what makes Yemenat worth visiting.
A spread at Yemenat Photo by Resy
He estimates that about 95% of what the restaurant serves is made in-house. The kitchen blends its own spices from whole spices and makes its own ghee. Ingredients come from companies the restaurant trusts, and seasonal ingredients are incorporated whenever possible. Seasonal pomegranates, for example, allow the restaurant to use ingredients at their best while supporting the community around them.
Jaradat’s French culinary background also shapes how the kitchen operates. He approaches Yemeni cooking with the discipline of a French kitchen: standardization, consistency, and multiple checkpoints throughout the cooking process. The goal is every dish should taste the same whether you order it today or return months later.
That consistency matters for a restaurant that has received attention from both the Michelin Guide and The New York Times. Jaradat says that recognition comes with pressure. Once people are watching, he feels there is only one direction to go: up.
Still, Yemenat does not feel weighed down by its accolades. Much of that comes from the people behind it.
“We have a funny team in the back.” The staff comes from different backgrounds, and Jaradat himself is Jordanian, not Yemeni. That diversity has become part of the restaurant’s identity.
He also wishes more diners would explore Yemenat’s vegan and vegetarian dishes, particularly in the winter. He describes them as comforting, nutritious, and high in protein. And he encourages diners to approach the menu with curiosity. Even he has found himself surprised by Yemeni food. When he first heard about sanani kebab, he assumed kebab meant grilling. Instead, the Yemeni preparation is fried.That is part of the fun of eating somewhere new. Familiar words do not always mean familiar food.
“Yemenat is very welcoming. Have fun! Yemenat is all of us, front of house, back of house. It’s all teamwork.” That spirit is easy to recognize in the dining room. People arrive after work and school, meet friends and family, and settle in for dinner. It feels less like a restaurant trying to impress you and more like one hoping you will return.
Ultimately, Yemenat succeeds because the care extends from the kitchen to the dining room. The spices are blended in-house, the cooking is carefully standardized, and the menu balances tradition with creativity. Whether you are discovering shafoot for the first time, sharing a plate of lamb haneeth, or finishing with bint al sahn, there is a clear sense that every part of the experience is intentional. Yemenat is not simply serving Yemeni food—it is building a restaurant around food, teamwork and hospitality.
And as Jaradat puts it: “Come as a guest and leave as family.”
Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth? Enjoy 15% off with your student ID!
By Sameena Saudah
Sameena Saudah is a student at NYU studying Nutrition and Dietetics. Outside of calculating macronutrients you can find her enjoying a good book or trying to fulfill her lifetime goal of trying out a new restaurant every week.
For over 25 years, the Campus Clipper has helped college students in New York City—and later in Boston and Philadelphia—save money and succeed in city life. We offer a digital coupon booklet with discounts on food, clothing, and services, plus an Official Student Guidebook with real advice on how to navigate college life in a big city. Our internship program lets students build skills, earn money, and publish their own e-books. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @CampusClipper, and sign up for our newsletter to get deals straight to your inbox. To access the digital coupons, scan the QR code on our printed card—available in dorms, student centers, and around campus.
