Bay State has long been a favorite local favorite of mine. They have grown from a small bakery with some food items into a nice bakery, store, and restaurant with a hookah bar in the works.
After picking up some grocery ingredients and Items from the bakery and store I decided to place my food order. I ordered a Beef Shawarma Plate and added a Kefta Kabob to the plate. The plates here typically come with rice pilaf and side salad mixed with salad dressing that includes middle eastern spices and sumac, garlic spread, hummus, brined pickles and vegetables and pita bread. The beef is shaved off the Shawarma Grill and placed on top of the pilaf and then drizzled with a tahini based sauce. I added the Kefta Kabob which was a perfectly seasoned and gilled meat skewer that was delicious as well. The flavors and smells are a wonderful sensory experience here. The tahini, hummus, sumac flavors, grilled meats, pickled vegetables, labne, all make for a flavorful meal that is a delight to the eat. Sandwiches and plates are an exceptional value.
Bay State is a great place for a flavorful inexpensive great meal. The people are always friendly and helpful and willing to customize a order for you. The baked pita bread, spinach and meat pies, Zatar bread, and other items from the bakery are also wonderful. Searching through the market I always pick up a spice or ingredient home to the kitchen to add to the cooking items. Bay State is a great hidden treasure for Worcester that should not be missed. The one area I would love to see them expand is the homemade dessert items. Bay State Shawarma and Grill has become a weekly stop for me that would be hard to replace.
