Cafe Lili has been run by the Bejjani family out of a Westheimer Road address near the Galleria since 1991. It operates on a counter-service format: you order up front, then find a seat, and the kitchen tends to have the food out fast, whether you're ordering for one or a table.
The special hummus, topped with tender chuck beef, is a dish worth seeking out, and kabob platters are built for sharing across a table. The restaurant also bottles and sells its own olive oil, and runs a catering arm that handles both small office orders and larger events out of the same kitchen.
Regulars keep coming back, and the service and atmosphere draw consistent praise. Opinions are more split on specific dishes — tabbouleh and kebab in particular get mixed reactions, with some longtime diners questioning how closely the cooking hews to traditional Lebanese preparation, even as others treat the place as a neighborhood fixture.
The special hummus, topped with tender chuck beef, is a dish worth seeking out, and kabob platters are built for sharing across a table. The restaurant also bottles and sells its own olive oil, and runs a catering arm that handles both small office orders and larger events out of the same kitchen.
Regulars keep coming back, and the service and atmosphere draw consistent praise. Opinions are more split on specific dishes — tabbouleh and kebab in particular get mixed reactions, with some longtime diners questioning how closely the cooking hews to traditional Lebanese preparation, even as others treat the place as a neighborhood fixture.