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Holy Land Cafe is a family-owned, halal Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant in a 87th Street Parkway strip center in Lenexa, Kansas, serving Greek, Turkish, and Arabic fare — hummus, falafel, shawarma, gyros, and baklava — since the Azzeh family opened it in early 2001.123

Description

Holy Land Cafe is a casual, family-oriented Mediterranean restaurant occupying a storefront in a retail strip center at 12275 W 87th Street Parkway in Lenexa, Kansas (66215).23 It serves a broad Middle Eastern and Mediterranean menu spanning Greek, Turkish, and Arabic dishes — hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, spanakopita/boereks, kifta, shish kabob, gyro sandwiches, moussaka, beef shawarma, lamb biryani, and baklava — alongside American children’s options.1 The restaurant markets itself on “warmhearted hospitality the Middle East is famous for” in a relaxing family environment.4

All meat at Holy Land Cafe is certified halal — the restaurant sources from a supplier that slaughters according to Islamic principles — and it is listed as a halal Middle Eastern destination on Zabihah.5 The restaurant offers dine-in, takeout, delivery, and online ordering.6

Ownership and history

Holy Land Cafe opened in early 2001 (roughly January 2001), founded by the Azzeh family: Jamil Azzeh, his son Miles Azzeh, and cousin Sami Azzeh.1 Sami Azzeh is Palestinian; a contemporaneous review noted one of the kitchen cooks was Syrian.1 The Azzehs had previously worked at a midtown Kansas City Greek restaurant before opening their own place in Lenexa.1 The Pitch reviewed the restaurant in April 2001, describing it as about three months old at the time.1

The business is incorporated as Holy Land Cafe, Inc. and is a member of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce; the chamber listing names Khaled Chehardy as Vice President.2 for confirmation of current day-to-day ownership/operation in 2026 (whether the founding Azzeh family still owns and operates the restaurant, or whether ownership has passed to the Chehardy name listed on the chamber profile).

Sources

Disputes

  • Disambiguation: This is the independent, Azzeh-family Holy Land Cafe in Lenexa, KS. It is unrelated to “Holy Land Brand” (a deli/bakery/grocery business founded by Wajdi Wadi in Minneapolis, MN), which uses a similar name. The Lenexa restaurant is a separate, family-owned operation.
  • Hours discrepancy: Some third-party listings state seven-day-a-week hours (Mon–Sun 11–9). The official website lists Mon–Sat 11–8 (dining room to 7:30), closed Sunday; the official hours are treated as authoritative.4

Footnotes

  1. https://www.thepitchkc.com/mideast-piece/ — The Pitch, “Mideast Piece” (review, April 12, 2001). asserts: owners Jamil Azzeh, his son Miles, and cousin Sami Azzeh; Sami is Palestinian; a kitchen cook is Syrian; owners previously worked at a midtown KC Greek restaurant; restaurant ~three months old at time of review (opening ~January 2001); cuisine Mediterranean / Middle Eastern (Greek, Turkish, Arabic) plus American kids’ options; signature dishes falafel, hummus, baba ghanoush, spanakopita/boereks, tabbouleh, kifta, shish kabob, gyro, moussaka, baklava, Egyptian rice pudding with rose water; located in a Lenexa strip-center storefront. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  2. https://cca.lenexa.org/holy-land-cafe-inc-_5005397_3_1_5008842_memberprofile2.aspx — Lenexa Chamber of Commerce member profile. asserts: legal name Holy Land Cafe, Inc.; address 12275 W. 87th Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66215; phone 913-310-9911; fax 913-310-9922; website www.holylandcafe.com; contact Khaled Chehardy, Vice President; Restaurants category. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. https://www.yelp.com/biz/holy-land-cafe-lenexa — Yelp listing. asserts: “Updated May 2026,” 215 photos, 490 reviews; 12275 W 87th St Pkwy, Lenexa, Kansas; category Middle Eastern; currently open / actively reviewed. ↩ ↩2

  4. https://holylandcafe.com/ — Official website. asserts: name “Holy Land Cafe Mediterranean Restaurant”; cuisine Mediterranean / Middle Eastern; highlights hummus, falafel, tabbouleh salad, gyro dinners; hours Mon–Sat 11:00 AM–8:00 PM (dining room to 7:30 PM), closed Sunday; “warmhearted hospitality the Middle East is famous for,” relaxing family environment. ↩ ↩2

  5. https://www.zabihah.com/restaurants/c9dbecef-7767-11ef-95ae-6045bdeb9f57/holy-land-caf-lenexa-ks — Zabihah. asserts: Holy Land Café listed as halal Middle Eastern restaurant in Lenexa, KS; meat sourced from a supplier slaughtering per Islamic principles. ↩

  6. https://www.holylandcafetogo.com/ — Online ordering (Holy Land - Lenexa, KS 66215). asserts: active online ordering / menu; Lenexa, KS 66215. ↩

See also

  • Registry
  • Owner-And-History-Research-Toolchain
Categories
  • Kansas City–owned
  • Mediterranean
  • Middle Eastern
  • Lenexa