Best Mediterranean Restaurants in Cedar Rapids
Ray Aqel has been preparing Mediterranean and Palestinian cuisine for over 15 years. He opened Pita Kabab in Cedar Rapids in 2025 to share family recipes passed down through generations. Ray is also the owner of Captain's Fish and Chicken in Cedar Rapids.
Reviewed by Ray Aqel, Owner
TL;DR
Cedar Rapids has a growing Mediterranean food scene. Pita Kabab at 3100 6th St SW offers authentic Palestinian dishes including fresh daily hummus, charcoal-grilled platters ($14.99-$29.99), and traditional dishes like foul and mfatakeh not found elsewhere in Iowa.
Written by the Pita Kabab team. We’re obviously biased — but we also know this dining scene well and want to give you a genuinely useful guide.
Cedar Rapids has a growing appetite for the best Mediterranean restaurants in the area. Whether you’re craving shawarma after a long work week, hunting for a halal lunch downtown, or planning a catered office event, the city’s Mediterranean dining options have expanded meaningfully in recent years. This guide covers what to expect from the local scene, what separates a great Mediterranean restaurant from a mediocre one, and what Pita Kabab specifically brings to the table.
This article is written by the Pita Kabab team for Cedar Rapids residents and visitors exploring Mediterranean dining options. We focus on what to look for in a quality Mediterranean restaurant and what Pita Kabab specifically offers. We do not review or rank other individual restaurants by name.
The Cedar Rapids Mediterranean Food Scene
Mediterranean cuisine covers a wide geographic arc — from Lebanon and Syria to Turkey, Greece, and North Africa — but it shares a common DNA: fresh vegetables, legumes, olive oil, charcoal-grilled meats, and bold spice profiles built on cumin, sumac, turmeric, and fresh herbs. The Mediterranean diet has long been recognized for its health benefits, but beyond the dietary science, it is simply one of the most satisfying ways to eat. For a mid-sized Midwestern city, Cedar Rapids supports a respectable variety of options.
Most Mediterranean food in Cedar Rapids skews toward familiar categories: shawarma wraps, falafel sandwiches, and gyro-style platters. These are great entry points. But the scene is evolving. More restaurants are offering full platter meals with rice and salad, house-made sauces, and dishes that go beyond the standard menu.
What’s still relatively rare in Cedar Rapids: authentic Palestinian home cooking, halal-certified kitchens, and dishes you won’t find anywhere else in the state. That’s the gap Pita Kabab was opened to fill.
What to Look for in a Mediterranean Restaurant
Not all Mediterranean restaurants are created equal. Here’s what separates a standout experience from a forgettable one:
Fresh, Daily-Made Staples
Hummus and falafel should be made in-house, daily. Pre-packaged hummus or frozen falafel patties are a shortcut that shows up immediately in texture and flavor. Fresh hummus should be silky and slightly warm; fresh falafel should be crisp outside and herb-green inside.
Halal Certification
For Muslim diners and many others who prioritize ethical sourcing, halal certification matters. It’s not just about religious observance — halal standards require clean, carefully handled meat. Not every Mediterranean restaurant in Cedar Rapids can confirm halal sourcing, so this is worth asking about directly.
Variety for Non-Meat Eaters
A well-rounded Mediterranean menu should have strong vegetarian and vegan options. Falafel, hummus, fattoush, tabbouleh, lentil soup, and stuffed grape leaves are all naturally meat-free and deeply satisfying. If a restaurant’s vegetarian section is an afterthought, the kitchen isn’t thinking broadly enough.
Authenticity Beyond the Mainstream
The best Mediterranean restaurants offer at least a few dishes you can’t find at a chain restaurant or a generic wrap counter. Dishes like foul (a slow-cooked fava bean stew eaten at breakfast across the Levant), mfatakeh (a comforting dish of diced potatoes and eggs, seasoned and pan-fried), or mansaf (Jordan’s national celebration dish, slow-cooked lamb over saffron rice) signal a kitchen that takes the cuisine seriously.
Pita Kabab: Cedar Rapids’s Newest Mediterranean Option
Pita Kabab opened in 2025 at 3100 6th St SW, Cedar Rapids — in southwest Cedar Rapids, just off Highway 380 with free parking. Owner Ray Aqel brought Palestinian family recipes and a commitment to halal, fresh, made-daily cooking. Here’s what you’ll find.
The Menu at a Glance
Sandwiches ($6.99 – $12.99): All sandwiches are built to order in warm pita or wrapped flatbread. Options include chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, falafel, and kofta. Prices are some of the most competitive for sit-down Mediterranean dining in Cedar Rapids.
Platters ($14.99 – $29.99): Platters come with rice, house salad, and your choice of protein — grilled over charcoal for real smoky depth. Options include mixed grill, chicken shawarma platter, falafel platter, and lamb kofta. The charcoal grill is not a decoration; it’s how everything is cooked.
Palestinian Specialties: This is where Pita Kabab stands apart. The menu includes foul (stewed fava beans with lemon and olive oil), mfatakeh (diced potatoes and eggs, a traditional Palestinian comfort dish), and kalaya (a deeply spiced lamb and tomato stew). These dishes are not commonly found in Iowa.
Vegetarian-Friendly: Roughly one-third of the menu is vegetarian. The falafel is hand-rolled from a fresh herb-and-chickpea mixture — not from a bag. The hummus is made every morning.
Turkish Coffee: A proper finish to any meal. Thick, cardamom-scented, served in a small copper cup.
Key Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 3100 6th St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 |
| Phone | (319) 440-3709 |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 10AM–8PM, Sat 10AM–7PM, Sun Closed |
| Halal | Yes, fully certified |
| Parking | Free, on-site |
| Catering | Yes (10-person minimum, delivery within 30 miles) |
What to Order on Your First Visit
If it’s your first time at Pita Kabab, here’s a simple ordering framework:
- Start with the hummus — it’s made that morning and tells you immediately what kind of kitchen you’re in.
- Order the mixed grill platter ($23.99) if you want a full meal. It’s the best showcase of the charcoal grill.
- Try the falafel sandwich ($6.99) if you want something lighter. Hand-rolled falafel in fresh pita with tahini and vegetables.
- Finish with Turkish coffee. It takes five minutes to prepare and is worth it.
If you’re already a regular: ask about foul or mfatakeh. These are the dishes most first-timers haven’t tried yet, and they’re the ones that draw people back.
Catering for Cedar Rapids Events
Pita Kabab offers full-service Mediterranean catering for events of 10 or more people, with delivery within 30 miles of Cedar Rapids. For larger celebrations, the kitchen can prepare Mansaf (slow-cooked lamb over saffron rice, Jordan’s traditional feast dish) and Oozi (spiced rice with lamb or chicken, often served at weddings). These catering-only dishes are made to order and require advance notice.
Learn more on our Mediterranean catering in Cedar Rapids page.
How Cedar Rapids Mediterranean Options Compare
Since this post is written by Pita Kabab, we’re not going to pretend we can give an unbiased comparison of specific competitors. What we can say is this:
Most Mediterranean food in Cedar Rapids is solid but plays it safe: shawarma, gyros, falafel wraps — the familiar categories done competently. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if you’re looking for:
- A halal-certified kitchen you can trust
- Palestinian home cooking dishes you won’t find elsewhere in Iowa
- A charcoal grill (not a flat-top or oven) for your proteins
- Fresh, daily-made hummus and falafel
- A full catering operation that can handle events of any size
…then Pita Kabab was specifically built for that gap.
View our full menu or learn about Pita Kabab to get a better sense of what we’re about.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there good Mediterranean food in Cedar Rapids for vegetarians?
Yes. The Mediterranean diet is naturally vegetarian-friendly — falafel, hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush, lentil dishes, and stuffed vegetables are all plant-based. At Pita Kabab specifically, about one-third of the menu is vegetarian, and all of our falafel and hummus is made fresh daily from whole ingredients. We don’t use frozen falafel or store-bought hummus.
Where can I find halal Mediterranean food in Cedar Rapids?
Pita Kabab at 3100 6th St SW is halal-certified. If halal sourcing is important to you, we recommend calling ahead to any restaurant you’re considering and asking directly — halal certification should be something a restaurant can confirm without hesitation.
Does Pita Kabab do catering for large events in Cedar Rapids?
Yes. We cater events with a minimum of 10 people and deliver within 30 miles of Cedar Rapids. For large celebrations, we can prepare traditional Palestinian and Levantine feast dishes including Mansaf and Oozi, which aren’t on the regular menu. Reach out via our contact page or call us at (319) 440-3709 to discuss your event.
Ready to try Cedar Rapids’s newest Mediterranean restaurant? Find us in Cedar Rapids — we’re open Monday through Friday, 10AM to 8PM, and Saturdays until 7PM.
Allergen Notice: Pita Kabab uses sesame, sesame oil, wheat, eggs, milk, tree nuts, and fish in our kitchen. Dishes may contain or come into contact with these allergens. If you have a food allergy or sensitivity, please inform our staff when ordering so we can help you choose safely. For questions, call us at (319) 440-3709.