Originating in the Middle East, shawarma is a crowd-favourite known for its aromatic, tangy and warm flavours.

Traditionally, shawarma is filled with pieces of lamb, chicken or beef, or a mix of these meats, and flavoured with garlic, lime and a range of spices, wrapped together in a large flatbread. The filling dish is often topped with tahini or hummus.

When the hunger pangs strike, sometimes the only dish that will fix it is a delicious and flavour-packed shawarma.

The Mother City is home to a few restaurants, delis, food stalls and the like offering shawarma.

Nish Nush (City Bowl)

Nish Nush is a casual dining spot in Bree Street that offers curbside outdoor seating from its “hummus hatch” and specialises in authentic Middle Eastern street food. With the tagline “no drama just shawarma”, patrons can rest assured that they will be able to grab a delicious shawarma bowl or pita. For plant-based diners, there is a range of falafel dishes on offer, including a falafel plate and pita. Nish Nush is open on Tuesday to Thursday from 11am to 9pm, and Fridays and Saturdays till 11pm.

 

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Johnny Shawarma (Sea Point)

Located in the heart of bustling Sea Point, Johnny Shwarma is a vibrant dining spot offering shawarma in a pita and a deconstructed shawarma version in fresh salad bowls. The options include chicken, lamb and schnitzel. With Middle Eastern dishes at the helm of the menu offering, Johnny Shwarma also offers hummus bowls and takeout snack boxes. Plant-based shawarma offerings feature falafel and Yemenite cauliflower as a meat-free alternative for both salad bowls and pita options. The restaurant offers sit-down and takeaway dining options. Johnny Shwarma is open Monday to Sunday from 11.30am to 10pm.

 

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Syriana Restaurant (Sea Point)

Syriana in Sea Point offers cuisine that pays ode to both Middle Eastern and Syrian culture, offering traditional dishes from fattoush, a traditional Syrian salad, to Arabian chicken shawarma. The restaurant is fully halaal and open from Monday to Sunday from 12 to 11pm.

 

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Ari’s Souvlaki (Sea Point)

Located along a main road in Sea Point, Ari’s Souvlaki is a Greek restaurant in a laid-back dining setting. The menu boasts a range of Greek dishes such as spanakopita, souvlaki, moussaka and shawarma. The shawarma dishes are offered with either beef or chicken rolled in a pita with hummus, tzaziki and fresh tomato. “Open shawarmas” are available to order and are not rolled in pita. Ari’s Souvlaki is open from Monday to Sunday. On Mondays, the restaurant is open from 10am till 11pm and for the rest of the week operational hours are from 11am to 11pm.

The Falafel Guy (Sea Point)

Arguably one of Cape Town’s most-talked-about falafel spots, the Falafel Guy, located on the sunny and picturesque Sea Point Promenade, is a food stall that aims to offer authentic Middle Eastern dishes and flavours. The Middle Eastern Streatery offers grab-and-go falafel and shawarma options stuffed in freshly made pita bread. The spot is open seven days a week from 9.30am to 9pm.

 

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Shawarma Express (Sea Point, Table View and Rondebosch)

Located in Sea Point, Table View and, most recently, Rondebosch, Shawarma Express is known for offering traditional Middle Eastern cuisine with both shawarma and falafel available. While the restaurant is well-known for its traditional shawarma and falafel offering, the menu also has a range of other options such as burgers and pizzas.

Shawarma House (City Bowl)

Located along Long Street, Shawarma House offers a range of shawarma menu options with a twist – unlike traditional shawarmas, the ones on offer are available wrapped up in a roti, naan, the traditional pita or a wrap. With meat at the centre of every shawarma dish, the restaurant offers steak and chicken shawarma options. For plant-based diners, a meat-free option of falafel is available. The restaurant is open from 11am to 9pm.