Al Amir Bakery

Spell it “Al Amir”or “Alamir,” call it “Al Amir Bakery” or “Alamir Flatbreads” – the meaning is the same. As this restaurant’s crown logo hints, the Arabic meaning of “Al Amir” is “prince,” “royal,” or “ruler,” and the message is clear: This Anaheim bakery specializes in truly royal-level Arabic flatbreads; ignore or miss them at your peril.

Located in one of Little Arabia’s many plazas, Al Amir’s dining room surrounds its open kitchen, which prominently features a large wood-burning oven that ripples with flames as flatbread discs go in and out. They look like pizzas, but aren’t in the sense that they aren’t necessarily bound to the Italian dough-tomato-cheese formula. It’s easy to get distracted from the fact that these aren’t meant to be pizzas by the menu’s inclusion of an item or two labeled “pizza.” Skip the pizza, and think twice before you order calzones or cheese triangles. You’re here for royal Arabian flatbreads, not common Italian food

We’d recommend you follow the sage advice of the friend who recommended Al Amir to us (hi, Bassil!): Go straight for the traditional Palestinian flatbreads, either Mana’eesh (full-sized pizza) or Mini Mana’eesh (one slice-equivalent) sized, depending on your appetite and interest in sharing with others. You can easily eat a Mini Mana’eesh without a knife, fork, or significantly dirtying your hands, while the Mana’eesh is typically sliced.