At Filo Dessert Co., family is central to the business.  Pictured here showing off their signature offerings are family members (from left) Jude Abusham, Emtyaz Abusham, Mo Abusham, Rasha Besharat (employee) and Joulene Abusham.  “I’ve gotten a lot closer to all the family I work with,” says Jude, son of Mo, Filo’s Founder.  “We all have a stronger bond now.  They’re people I can 100 percent rely on.”

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Filo Dessert Co.

Old Towne just got a little sweeter.  Filo Dessert Co., which opened in June, is bringing Middle Eastern ice cream and pastries to the neighborhood.

“We did a lot of market research trying to figure out where a place like Filo would fit and be welcomed,” says Founder Mo Abusham.  “And then Old Towne just felt right.  It feels like a place I would want to come spend time in and be a part of the community.”

Mo is now joining the community in more ways than just becoming a local business owner —he’s also moving to Old Towne.      For years, Mo dreamed of making his mark with a restaurant that shared the rich traditions of Middle Eastern desserts with his community.  He dedicated himself to mastering the craft, training for more than a year with a friend whose family has crafted ice cream for more than a century.

“As a second-generation Arab American, I’ve always felt drawn to sharing these flavors from my heritage,” says Mo.  “I want to bring these authentic tastes to people who might never have the chance to travel to countries like Turkey and Lebanon.”

The main showstopper at Filo is “booza,” or the Arabic word for ice cream, in flavors ranging from pistachio to coffee.  The menu also features Knafeh, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert with shredded pastry dough, sweet cheese and flavored simple syrup.  Despite Mo’s initial market research suggesting limited familiarity with Knafeh, Filo customers have made it one of their most requested items.

Another specialty is the “Booza- Lava,” a homemade creation of ice cream inside of baklava.

While experimenting with new dessert offerings brings Mo joy, working alongside his family makes the business especially meaningful.  He brought his children and extended family to join Filo.

Mo’s son Jude Abusham expressed the same gratitude and loves learning both the business and kitchen elements from his father.

“It has been my dad’s dream for the longest time to open a place like this in the culinary world, and I’m so immensely proud of him,” says Jude.  “It’s also really rewarding for me to see customers enjoying the desserts we worked so hard to make for them.  I love being able to see them taste the effort and love we put into the creations.”

There’s more to be proud of ahead.  Not only is Mo opening a second Filo location in Anaheim in 2025, he’s also working with three major grocery chains to stock his ice cream.

Filo Dessert Co.
227 East Chapman Ave., Unit D, Old Towne Orange, CA 92866  /  714-440-0103