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Despite its tiny, awkward set-up, this unassuming takeout counter is covertly serving some of the best Middle Eastern food this side of Astoria. Falafel and a succulent lamb shwarma rival the finest in the city, thanks to an obsessive devotion to fresh, homemade ingredients; hummus is given an extra kick of garlic and left chunky, baba ghannouj is pureed to a luxurious silky texture, and the lamb is juicy, even after a brief char on the grill. In addition to Middle Eastern staples, Pyramida also has a flair for Egyptian food, like refreshing foul medammas, a popular street food in Cairo made from fava beans mashed with tahini and enhanced with a lemon zing. The crowning touch is the house lemonade; made from both the zest and fruit of the lemon, it's whipped to a foamy, frothy consistency that explodes with pure citrus flavor. — Benjamin Kneen

Pyramida caters anywhere in the five boroughs and the tri-state area.

Falafel, $4.75; baba ghannouj, $4.75; kamb shwarma, $5.75; foul medammas, $8.95; lemonade, $4.50

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