COMING SOON: Ali Baba's Cafe

Downtown’s ethnic dining scene gets a new addition this fall in the form of Ali Baba’s Cafe, which has  set up shop at The Block building in the spot previously occupied by Tea Cozy. Slated to open late September, the family-owned and -operated restaurant will seat up to 50 diners and serve Greek and Middle Eastern dishes for lunch ($7-$10) and dinner ($15+). In the evening hours, the restaurant devotes itself entirely to hookah.

Owner Mamduh Almaaitah says he chose the location at The Block because the area sees a lot of traffic in the evenings, particularly on the weekends. “Downtown is popular at night, especially with the young 20-somethings from IUPUI,” he says. “They love to sit and smoke hookah in the evening, and they are close by.”