Eaters Gotta Eat: Tamam Fine Palestinian Cuisine Chef Tamam Qanembou-Zobaid’s Top Eats Around Town

“We represent cuisine from every space in Palestine,” says chef Tamam Qanembou-Zobaid, who grew up in the Old City of Jerusalem before moving to Canada and opening up Tamam Fine Palestinian Cuisine with her husband in Hastings-Sunrise in 2012. Just as she loves sharing her culture through food, so too does the African-Palestinian chef enjoy supporting other local eateries, often during lunchtime before heading into work and starting dinner prep for their loyal clientele. After 14 years in business, Qanembou-Zobaid recalls seeing people meet for first dates at Tamam, then return over the years and get married. “Now they bring their kids in for dinner! It makes me feel old, but it also warms my heart.” Here’s where the chef is eating around town.

Ay Chihuahua!

2767 Commercial Dr.
“This place is heaven,” says Qanembou-Zobaid of the tiny family-run Mexican place on The Drive. “There’s two ladies working there and they have the best burritos and tortilla soup—really, really good. At lunch we go half-and-half on the chicken and beef burritos.”

Two Rivers Meats

180 Donaghy Ave., N. Vancouver
This North Vancouver butcher shop and eatery is her go-to for bison burgers and a hazy IPA beer. “I usually leave with a little bit of salami and some beef hot dogs to take home.”

Prince Restaurant

2881 Grandview Hwy.
Known for its peking duck and dim sum, she loves to visit this spot for their “to die for” black truffle and wild mushroom dumplings. “I don’t eat pork, so I order the dumplings off the menu and get mixed roast eggplant, sweet and sour soup, vegetarian noodles with onions and mushrooms, and a cup of jasmine tea.”

Cioffi’s

4142 Hastings St., Burnaby
“While in Burnaby we’ll go to Cioffi’s. I like that they let me come into the back and choose my cuts. They have a lot of quail in the freezer, which we buy for the restaurant, plus they’ve even got noodles, spices, everything.”

READ MORE: The Best Places to Eat in Burnaby Heights

Kook Korean BBQ

2800 East 1st Ave., #211A
“My kids like Korean BBQ and the beauty of Kook is in the sides. They have so many tiny sides—from eggplant, to pickles, onions, and cucumbers. So many flavours, from citrus to sour, and they just keep bringing them out.”

CHÉN Vietnamese Restaurant

4280 Hastings St, Burnaby
Tucked away in North Burnaby is this fairly new Northern Vietnamese spot with “really beautiful lemongrass grilled chicken.” Qanembou-Zobaid often gets the chicken soup, her husband the beef brisket meatball, and they share. “With a nice cup of tea, it’s a great lunch.”

Parallel 49

1950 Triumph St.
Not far from her restaurant, the big and boisterous Parallel 49 is another go-to. “We usually get chicken wings and a glass of beer, but they also do a beautiful braised chicken sandwich.”

Sula Indian Restaurant

1128 Commercial Dr.
The Drive location of this fan-fave Indian joint is a wintertime lunch go-to. (It did win Best Indian in the 2025 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, after all.) The order? “Coconut rice, chicken curry, and naan bread.”

Tamam Fine Palestinian Cuisine

2616 E. Hastings St.
We had to ask: what’s Tamam eating most often at her own restaurant? “Mujaddarah. It’s one of my favourite dishes and is a quintessential in Palestinian cuisine. It’s made with rice, lentils, caramelized onions and olive oil. It is vegan and gluten-free, and it is so versatile that it can be eaten just by itself, or with salad, or yogurt, or meat or fish.” Say no more, we’re on our way!