Walking into a Mediterranean restaurant for the first time can feel like reading a menu in another language. This guide to Mediterranean food for beginners covers what every dish is, what to order first, and what to come back for. Shawarma? Falafel? Baba ghanouge? Foul? If you are not sure what any of that means, this guide is for you.
Most people who try Mediterranean food for the first time end up loving it. The spices are bold without being spicy-hot. The food is filling without being heavy. And the variety — dips, grilled meats, salads, flatbreads — means there is almost always something for everyone.
Start Here: The Safe Bets
If you want to play it safe on your first visit, these three items work for almost everyone:
Chicken Shawarma Pita ($9.99) — Thinly sliced marinated chicken off a rotating spit, stuffed in warm pita with garlic sauce, pickles, and fresh vegetables. If you like chicken sandwiches, you will like this. It is our most popular item and the best gateway into Mediterranean food.
Hummus with Pita Bread — Add a small hummus ($7.99) to your order and try it before your sandwich arrives. Fresh hummus tastes nothing like the grocery store version. One taste and you will understand the difference.
Chicken Shawarma Bowl ($14.99) — If you prefer a bowl format over a sandwich, this is the equivalent of a burrito bowl but with Mediterranean flavors. Same chicken, over rice, with toppings and garlic sauce.
The Menu Decoder
Shawarma: Marinated meat stacked on a vertical rotating spit and slow-roasted for hours. The meat is shaved off in thin layers — juicy inside, slightly crispy on the edges.
Falafel: Deep-fried balls made from ground chickpeas and herbs. Crispy outside, bright green inside. Vegetarian and vegan. Our falafel is hand-rolled from scratch.
Gyro: Seasoned ground beef and lamb cooked on a vertical spit, similar to shawarma but with a different flavor and texture. The word is pronounced YEE-ro.
Hummus: Creamy dip made from chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), lemon, and garlic. Eat with pita bread. Ours is made fresh every morning.
Baba Ghanouge: Similar to hummus in texture but made from roasted eggplant. Smoky, rich flavor.
Foul: Slow-cooked fava beans with lemon, garlic, and olive oil. A Palestinian breakfast staple. Hearty and earthy. Try it if you want to go beyond the familiar.
Kafta Kabab: Ground beef formed into long kabobs with parsley, onion, and spices, then charcoal-grilled. Rich and savory.
Tahini: Sauce made from ground sesame seeds. Nutty, slightly bitter, pairs well with everything. Used as a dressing and dip.
What to Avoid on Your First Visit
Nothing on our menu is offensive or difficult, but if you are cautious: skip the chicken liver on your first visit (it is an acquired taste), and if you are sensitive to strong flavors, start with the chicken shawarma rather than the beef or the kafta.
For Your Second Visit
Once you have tried the chicken shawarma, come back for a platter. The Mix Grill ($23.99) gives you three different charcoal-grilled proteins and is the best way to experience the full range of our kitchen. Or try the Mediterranean Delight section — the foul, mfatakeh, and kalaya are authentic Palestinian dishes that you will not find anywhere else in Cedar Rapids.
