Facing a dozen Sterling Food Hall vendors during the lunch crush, you may feel the urge to flee for the familiarity of the closest chain. Breathe deep, then follow the aromas of toasted sesame seeds and sumac to Seedo’s Levantine Bakery, where Mutaz Abdullah explores the flavors of Palestine, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq through flatbreads, sandwiches, and pastries. Hospitality runs in his veins; his father opened Hyde Park’s Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen in 1992, and his grandfather ran a bakery in Jordan. (“Seedo” means “grandfather” in Palestinian Arabic.)

Begin with slabs of manakeesh ($5), bubbly flatbread topped with warming za’atar. Thicker bread forms the base of hearty “sandweeshes,” like one with pasterma, a bologna-esque spiced beef, and slaw ($14). Sandweesh supremacy belongs to the harissa-roasted veggies ($12), in which cauliflower mingles with tangy labneh, sweet pickles, and harissa-sesame chile crunch. Dessert is mandatory. Crackly pistachio croissants ($6.50) pack frangipane redolent of baklava, while tahini thumbprint cookies with tart raspberry jam ($4.50) are a bite out of childhood. You might emerge from nostalgic bliss to find someone impatiently hovering near your table, empty save for all the delicious crumbs.