Middle Eastern Desserts in Northern Virginia
End your meal the way it was meant to be ended -- with authentic Middle Eastern sweets. From our flaky, honey-drenched baklava to our creamy, rose-water-perfumed rice pudding, Taza serves desserts made with real ingredients and traditional recipes. Available individually or by the tray for your next gathering.
Our Dessert Menu
Authentic Arabic Sweets
Every dessert at Taza is made with authentic ingredients and traditional methods. No shortcuts, no artificial flavors -- just the real thing.
Baklava
Exquisite layers of paper-thin phyllo pastry, brushed with butter, filled with a mixture of finely chopped pistachios and walnuts, and drenched in fragrant rose-water honey syrup. A centuries-old Middle Eastern confection that is pure indulgence.
- Layers of hand-stretched phyllo pastry
- Filled with pistachios and walnuts
- Soaked in rose-water honey syrup
- Buttery, flaky, and irresistibly sweet
Rice Pudding
A comforting bowl of creamy rice pudding, slowly cooked with whole milk, sweetened with sugar, and perfumed with rose water and a dusting of cinnamon. A traditional Middle Eastern dessert that is the perfect ending to any meal.
- Slow-cooked with whole milk for creaminess
- Perfumed with rose water
- Dusted with cinnamon
- Comforting, smooth, and lightly sweet
The Art of Baklava
How Our Baklava Is Made
Baklava is not a quick dessert. It is a labor of love that requires patience, skill, and the finest ingredients. Here is our process.
Layer the Phyllo
We start by carefully layering sheets of paper-thin phyllo pastry, brushing each layer with melted butter. This painstaking process creates the signature flaky, crispy texture that shatters with every bite.
Fill with Nuts
Between the layers, we spread a generous mixture of finely chopped pistachios and walnuts. The nuts add a rich, earthy crunch that balances the sweetness of the syrup perfectly.
Bake to Golden Perfection
The assembled baklava goes into the oven and bakes until every layer is deeply golden, crispy, and fragrant. The butter and nuts create an incredible aroma that fills the kitchen.
Drench in Honey Syrup
While still hot from the oven, we pour our house-made rose-water honey syrup over the baklava. The hot pastry absorbs the syrup, becoming sticky, sweet, and impossibly delicious.
What Sets Us Apart
Why Our Desserts Are Different
Authentic Recipes
Our baklava and rice pudding are made using recipes passed down through generations of Middle Eastern cooking. No shortcuts, no modern substitutes -- just the real thing.
Made with Love
Every batch of baklava is assembled by hand -- layering phyllo, spreading nuts, brushing butter. Our rice pudding is stirred slowly until perfectly creamy. These are not mass-produced desserts.
Halal & Vegetarian
Both our baklava and rice pudding are vegetarian-friendly. They contain no meat products, no gelatin, and no alcohol. Suitable for the whole family.
Premium Ingredients
We use real butter, real honey, quality pistachios and walnuts, pure rose water, and whole milk. The ingredients matter -- you can taste the difference.
Perfect Pairings
What to Pair with Your Dessert
The right pairing elevates the experience. Here are our recommendations for getting the most out of your Taza dessert.
The bright, zesty lemon-mint cuts through the rich sweetness of the baklava perfectly. A refreshing contrast that cleanses the palate between bites.
The traditional pairing. The bitterness of strong Arabic coffee balances the honey-soaked sweetness. If you prefer tea, a cup of mint tea works beautifully.
Two creamy textures that complement each other surprisingly well. The avocado smoothie's subtle sweetness pairs naturally with the rose water in the rice pudding.
The creamy, lightly sweet rice pudding is the ideal follow-up to a savory, protein-packed shawarma bowl. It cleanses the palate and leaves you satisfied.
A Sweet History
The Story Behind the Sweets
Baklava: A Sweet History
Baklava is one of the oldest desserts in the world, with roots tracing back to the Assyrian empire around 8th century BCE. The version we know today was perfected in the kitchens of the Ottoman Empire's Topkapi Palace, where chefs layered paper-thin phyllo with nuts and honey syrup. Every country in the Middle East has its own variation -- some use pistachios, others walnuts or cashews. Some drench in simple syrup, others in honey. At Taza, we honor the Levantine tradition with a pistachio-walnut blend and rose-water honey syrup.
Rice Pudding: Comfort Across Cultures
Known as muhallabiyeh or roz b-halib across the Arab world, rice pudding is one of the most universal comfort desserts in Middle Eastern cuisine. Unlike Western versions that can be heavy, the Middle Eastern style is lighter, perfumed with rose water or orange blossom water, and served chilled. It has been served at celebrations, as a soothing treat for children, and as the traditional dessert course at family dinners for centuries. At Taza, our rice pudding follows this tradition -- creamy, lightly sweet, and delicately fragrant.
Dessert Catering
Dessert Trays for Your Event
Hosting a party, Eid celebration, or office event? Our dessert trays are the sweet finishing touch that guests remember.
Baklava Party Tray
A stunning tray of our freshly made baklava, cut into diamond shapes and arranged beautifully. Perfect as a dessert table centerpiece for any celebration.
Serves 12-20 guestsRice Pudding Cups
Individual portions of our creamy rose-water rice pudding, dusted with cinnamon. Elegant, easy to serve, and loved by guests of all ages.
Minimum 10 cupsMixed Dessert Platter
A combination of our baklava and rice pudding, giving your guests the best of both worlds. The perfect sweet ending for a catered event.
Serves 15-25 guestsMiddle Eastern Desserts Near You
Visit us at 5820 Seminary Rd Ste O, Falls Church, VA 22041 for authentic baklava, rice pudding, and Arabic sweets. We serve the Falls Church area and all of Northern Virginia.
Treat Yourself to Something Sweet
Our baklava and rice pudding are the perfect sweet ending to any meal -- or a delicious treat on their own. Order online, call ahead, or stop by and treat yourself today.