Brookline Lunch

Brookline Lunch is on Brookline Street in Cambridge’s Central Square, where the Abu-Rubieh family has run the diner since 1989. Breakfast brings together American diner dishes and Palestinian and broader Middle Eastern flavors. Baklava pancakes are a reason to arrive hungry; shakshuka or a za’atar egg bowl takes the meal in a savory direction. Turkish coffee and fresh juice sit alongside the food, and lunch choices include kebabs. The room is small, so leave time for a wait rather than building a tight schedule around brunch. Despite older advice you may find online, the restaurant now accepts cards. Come for a sit-down breakfast with enough time to enjoy what you ordered.