Big Daddys

Popped in for lunch from this carry out restaurant because I wanted something different. They did not disappoint! The restaurant appears to be managed by a small family: mom, dad, and a cute toddler. I love supporting small business! It took about 10 – 15 minutes and my food was so fresh and tasty! I could hear the cucumbers being chopped and the falafel crouquets being dropped into the fryer in the back. My wrap was made from naan bread and the tahini inside was delicious and creamy. I couldn’t finish it for lunch, and snacked on it the rest of the day, bringing a bit home for hubby to try. He loved it, which says a lot, since he’s a burger and fries kind of guy. The dessert was a baklava type of tart with pistachios. None of that made it home for hubby to try. It was so yummy!

I am always leery of restaurants that offer too many options. I am a firm believer in doing one thing really well instead of trying to please everyone. This place offers pizza, chicken sandwiches and Mediterranean food.
I only tried this place because of the Unilocal reviews I read and I was sorely disappointed. I am only reviewing their Mediterranean offerings because that is all I tried.
First of all, they were out of falafel. We ordered some of their «pies»: Zatar (oregano/​sesame), meat, spinach and cheese. The dough was good, but we the toppings/​fillings were just okay. (These are really small appetizer size pies, fyi.)
The tabbouleh was awful. No discernable olive oil or lemon juice, minimal amount of bulgur wheat and tomatoes. It was a big, giant bowl of chopped up parsley.
The hummus and baba ghannouj were good, though. The baba ghannouj had a great, smoky flavor. I will add that it was loaded with garlic which I could still taste the next day, so if you don’t love garlic, this isn’t for you.
We waited 20 minutes for mediocre food. It did give me time to look at the floors that looked like they hadn’t been mopped in days. There was a ton of dirt/​dust/​grossness underneath the food cases.
Also, nothing in the food cases is labeled. They have lots of different pastries/​desserts, but I had no idea what anything was. Nothing was orderly. Things seemed to be tossed into the case wherever they fit.
Will be driving across the river next time I have a craving for Mediterranean food.

I’ve lived in the «good pizza» desert of Bön Air for 16 years, and to no avail, not including the small and way overpriced but excellent «designer» pizza at Tazza Kitchen, have tried to find an excellent cheese pizza, trying EVERY pizza joint including A.N.Y Slice, Franks, Zatans, LaCucina, Candelas, Joe’s, and every other place that advertises pizza on Forest Hill Avenue, Hull Street, Midlothian Turnpike, Jahnke Road and all avenues and streets in between, whose common theme, in their conception of good pizza, is sweet sauce, cheap cheese and doughy textureless crust.
Miraculously, after craving Middle Eastern food, doing a Unilocal search, and finding Big Daddy’s on Robious Road, I stumbled across the best pizza anywhere this side of the river. The crust was superb with the texture, chew and thickness I’ve been craving. The cheese was top-​notch. And the sauce was perfectly balanced; riding that wave between salty, savory, bitter and sweet.
Not only does this small takeout restaurant have the best pizza ANYWHERE in the area, their Middle Eastern food is unquestionably authentic, and without reservation the best Middle Eastern food South of the river. Everything was phenomenal.
The chicken shish kabob platter included a massive portion of tender, charred-​to-​perfection (without being dry) chicken, red and green bell peppers, red onion and tomatoes adorning the most flavorful and aromatic rice I’ve had, probably ever. ****Make sure you request the flavorful vegetable rice, not plain rice***
The Falafel platter included 7 delicious discs of formed and fried Fava; crispy on the outside, dense and creamy inside, topped with toasted sesame seeds, alongside cornichons, cucumber and tomato wedges as well as cucumber/​tomato yogurt sauce, plain fresh yogurt, and Tahini on the side that rounded out the dishes.
I also ordered a Zaatar pie, spinach pie, and meat pie. All were excellent and the dough was tender on each, and had the right amount of chew and bite– probably the same dough as the pizza which WORKS! 100% authentic and 100% gone in seconds. ***make sure you order the spinach & cheese pie, not just the plain spinach***
The hummus was perfectly seasoned and unusually creamy as hummus goes; like a down blanket in January. And gilding the Lily was fresh baked homemade pita unlike you’ll find on any grocery store self… Fantastic!
A wide array of dessert pastries and cookies as we would call them in America, were available, but I opted for none on this visit. I more than look forward to trying them on future visits.
Not only have I found my go-​to restaurant for Middle Eastern food, I have luckily and thankfully, and finally, found a pizza worthy of being labeled the best in the area.
I was curious why a Middle Eastern takeout restaurant would call themselves «Big Daddy’s,» but after this experience the moniker stands validated, as they are the South-​of– the-​river father of all pizza, and Middle Eastern Delights.
Hey pizza! Who’s your Daddy? …Yep…Big Daddy’s! :)

We just ordered one pepperoni pizza to try this place out. It was inexpensive ($ 9 for cheese $ 2 for the pepperoni). It was very good! A lot of cheese, pepperoni was cooked but not burned, crust was thin and soft but crunchy and flavorful. They apparently even have an app. Will try this place again, probably the falafel. Fast service.

Excellent food! Had a Philly Steak sub cooked to perfection. Everything is made fresh on the spot. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a good fresh made lunch.

Best falafel in Richmond! Homemade bread and very fresh. Also the sweets are made in the store by Saeda and they are great. Everytime I go, they give me something sweet to try. Today it was right out of the oven!
We are looking forward to trying the pizza, but haven’t gotten past the great falafel yet. Highly recommended and family owned. It’s the real deal.

A hidden gem! I ordered a lamb gyro that was huge and filled with generous portions of lamb, onions, peppers and a tasty sauce. It was great. I also had a chocolate flan cake that was as tasty as it was unique. I will definitely return to try other items on the menu.

The food is so delicious! Everything is handmade! From the deserts to the pizza dough! The portions are big and the prices beyond reasonable! I just had some pizza and a falafel sandwich (which came in a homemade bread Saeda makes by hand) and the freshness took me by surprise. I highly recommend this place! True, true Mediterranean food (believe me!) and the American food is just as scrumptious!

When Ricardo’s Pizza closed a couple of years ago, I wondered where I could get comparable pizza.
Imagine my surprise when the location opened under new management with the name, «Big Daddy’s Pizza». When I walked, again I was even more surprised as, while it served pizzas, it resembled more a Middle Eastern delicatessen.
This is a family operation run by Jamal and his wife, Saeda. It is at the present only take-​out but I believe they have plans to extend it into a small restaurant. Since they opened, I have not bought a pizza from anywhere else. They are very traditional New York style pizzas with a medium crust and wonderful texture.
I digress. The main reason I go there so frequently is that I love Middle Eastern food. All the appetizers I have tried have been among the best I have ever tasted — the freshest hummus, babaghanouge with pomegranate seeds and mint leaves, mujaddarah, tabbouleh and a variety of pastries, both savory and sweet. Even their tandoori chicken, unexpected, was excellent.
This is a new business and I am doing my best to spread the word. Jamal has an incredibly optimistic outlook and all I ask is that, if you like healthful freshly cooked Mediterranean food, stop by and give it a go.
I gave them four stars when they had just opened for business. They are much better organized now and I willingly give them five stars.