E30 Immigrants' Table | Some People Don’t Expect Us: A Yemeni Family’s Grill in Alabama | Makarios Kabob & Grill

Send us Fan Mail Some people don't expect a Yemeni family behind a Middle Eastern grill in Birmingham, Alabama. Noor explains why his family belongs here, and why no one who walks in is ever just a customer. Immigrants' Table is a series from From Where to Here shining a light on immigrant-owned restaurants in Birmingham, Alabama, the people behind the food, and the stories that travel with every plate. We sit down with Noor of Makarios Kabob and Grill, a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant. Noor was born in the United States, and his family's roots are in Yemen. His father arrived in 1997, worked in Michigan, then left Detroit when the economy turned and bet on Birmingham, a city with very few Middle Eastern restaurants at the time. Along the way, you will hear about the dish that tastes like home, the one ingredient no Arabic kitchen can live without, the truth about pouring Arabic tea from up high, and a lamb dish with a secret ingredient. You will also find out why some Yemeni dishes rarely make the menu. If you are searching for Middle Eastern food in Birmingham, Yemeni food, or immigrant-owned restaurants in Birmingham, Alabama, this conversation is a good place to start. It is an immigrant restaurant owner story, a family business story, and a story for any Birmingham Alabama foodie who loves food and culture. Find Makarios Kabob and Grill 940 20th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 Website: https://www.makarioskabob.com/ Instagram: @makarioskabobgrill Own or know an immigrant-owned food business? Part 2 is coming soon, and I would love your help shaping it. Apply or nominate here: https://forms.gle/D9SQNcZ8Mw6p7F9V9 Subscribe so you don't miss the next stop at the table. Every plate has a story. Let's find the next one together. ---------- 🏆 You can help From Where to Here win a Signal Award Voting is open until October 15th and takes 30 seconds. If this show has ever made you feel a little less alone, cast your vote at https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/ (Can't find the show? Search "From Where to Here" in the search bar) 📩 Let’s stay connected. Join my email list list for thoughtful reflections, resources, and behind-the-scenes moments I only share there. ✨ Get My Latest Free Resource Do you live between cultures, languages, or versions of yourself? Take the free In-Between Index quiz and find out exactly where you land. → quiz.fromwheretoherepod.com 🎧 Subscribe & Follow Follow From Where to Here on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen so you don’t miss a conversation. 📱 More language & culture, daily. Find me on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @fromwheretoherepod 🤎 If this episode meant something to you… Leave a review or share it with someone who’d love it too.