Sunrise Deli & Cafe

Chelsea Sime

Citysearch

Residents recognize that the Outer Sunset is often synonymous with cheap heaping portions of delicious Asian cooking. But Sunrise Deli is the avenues' stop for some worldy cuisine outside the Far East. The bare-bones decor is accented by old-world hookah paraphernalia (not for customer use) and dusty shelves of tahini and grape leaves, but the Middle Eastern cuisine--tabouli, babaghanouj, hummus and the like--behind the glass deli case is made fresh and moves quick. Sidewalk passersby gawk at the rotating shawarma meat hanging in the front window, and those who wander in get giant sandwiches spilling with the shaved lamb or chicken. Vegetarians and carnivores alike dig into the restaurant's mainstay: freshly fried falafels in lavish or pita bread with the usual toppings plus potatoes or avocado.