Short answer
Shawarma is marinated meat, usually chicken, beef or lamb, stacked on a vertical spit, roasted slowly and shaved into thin slices. It is served in pita or flatbread with sauces and pickles, or on a plate with rice and salad.
Shawarma is marinated meat, usually chicken, beef or lamb, stacked on a vertical rotating spit, roasted slowly and shaved off in thin slices. Shawarma is then served in pita or flatbread with pickles and sauce, or on a plate with rice and salad. It comes from the Ottoman-era Middle East, and the name means turning.
What is shawarma?
Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish of thinly sliced spit-roasted meat, rolled in flatbread or served on a plate. The Arabic word comes from the Turkish cevirme, which means turning, and refers to the rotating spit.
The dish is found across the Levant, Egypt, the Gulf, Turkey and cities around the world. It is part of a wider family of spit-roasted meats that includes the Turkish doner kebab and the Greek gyro. Most food historians trace the vertical spit to the Ottoman Empire, though the details of who first made it are not settled.
How is shawarma made?
Shawarma is made by marinating thin slices of meat, stacking them tightly on a vertical spit, and roasting them as the spit turns in front of a heat source. The outer layer is shaved off as it browns.
- The meat is sliced thin, often thigh for chicken, and marinated in spices, garlic, oil and an acid.
- The slices are stacked on a spit, sometimes with layers of fat between them for beef and lamb.
- The stack rotates slowly next to gas flame or electric heat for hours.
- A cook shaves the browned outside in thin strips with a long knife.
- The meat is tucked into bread or arranged on a plate and topped with sauce.
Cooks at home copy this on a sheet pan: marinate sliced meat, roast it hot, and crisp the edges under the broiler.
What does shawarma taste like?
Shawarma tastes savory, warmly spiced and slightly tangy, with crisp browned edges and juicy centers. The spices lean toward cumin, coriander and paprika, and the garlic and lemon in the marinade add brightness.
The finished wrap adds contrast: sharp pickles, fresh tomato and cucumber, and a creamy garlic or tahini sauce. Chicken shawarma tastes milder and lighter, and beef and lamb taste richer and deeper.
Chicken or beef shawarma: what is the difference?
Chicken shawarma is milder, softer and quicker to cook, while beef shawarma is richer, firmer and more robust in flavor. Lamb shawarma is stronger again, with a pronounced taste.
| Chicken shawarma | Beef shawarma | |
|---|---|---|
| Usual cut | Boneless thigh | Thin-sliced steak or layered beef |
| Flavor | Mild, garlicky | Rich, meaty |
| Texture | Soft, juicy | Chewy-tender |
| Typical sauce | Garlic sauce | Tahini sauce |
| Common spices | Paprika, turmeric, cumin | Cumin, coriander, allspice |
Neither is the correct version. Many shops carry both, and regional cooks have their own preferences.
What is the difference between shawarma, gyro and doner?
Shawarma, gyro and doner kebab are all meat roasted on a vertical spit, and they differ mainly in the seasoning, the bread and the sauce. Shawarma is Levantine, doner is Turkish and gyro is Greek.
| Dish | Origin | Usual meat | Bread | Typical sauce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawarma | Levant | Chicken, beef or lamb | Thin pita or saj | Garlic or tahini sauce |
| Doner kebab | Turkey | Beef or lamb, or chicken | Pide or lavash | Yogurt or chili sauce |
| Gyro | Greece | Lamb and beef, or chicken | Thick pita | Tzatziki |
What sauces go with shawarma?
The usual shawarma sauces are garlic sauce (toum), tahini sauce, yogurt sauce and chili sauce. Chicken usually pairs with garlic sauce, and beef and lamb with tahini sauce.
Pickled turnips, cucumbers and sliced onions with sumac go in the wrap as well. A full guide to the sauces covers each one in more detail.
How is shawarma served?
Shawarma is served as a wrap in pita or flatbread, as a plate with rice and salad, or over a salad. Wraps are often pressed on a grill so the bread crisps and the filling stays together.
- Sandwich: thin pita or flatbread rolled around the meat, pickles and sauce
- Plate: meat over rice, with salad, hummus and bread
- Bowl or salad: meat over greens, with tahini or yogurt dressing
- Fries and rice combinations are common in some cities
What shawarma does Heights Falafel list?
Heights Falafel lists chicken shawarma and beef shawarma, each as a sandwich and as a plate. The menu describes the chicken as marinated boneless chicken and the beef as marinated, thinly sliced beef.
On the online ordering page as of November 2026, the Chicken Shawarma Sandwich is $10 and the Beef Shawarma Sandwich is $11. The Chicken Shawarma Plate is $14 and the Beef Shawarma Plate is $16. The Chicken Shawarma Plate is one of the items marked popular. Most plates come with rice, a side salad and hummus. The menu does not describe how the meat is cooked or which sauces come with it. Check the menu and prices page, and see hours and location before going.
How do you reheat leftover shawarma?
Leftover shawarma meat reheats best in a hot skillet for a few minutes, which brings back the crisp edges. A microwave heats it quickly but softens the browned bits.
Keep the meat, bread and sauces separate in the fridge, and eat leftovers within three days. Warm the pita briefly in a dry pan or oven, then assemble fresh with cold sauce and pickles.
What is the best bread for shawarma?
Shawarma is served in thin, soft pita or flatbread that can be rolled, and a thin saj or lavash style wrap is common in the Levant. The bread must fold without cracking, so thick pocket pita is a poor fit for a tight roll.
- Thin pita or lavash: rolled tightly around the filling and often pressed on a grill
- Saj bread: a very thin, large bread baked on a domed griddle, common in Lebanon
- Pocket pita: opened and stuffed, which gives a more sandwich-like result
- Laffa: a larger, chewier flatbread used in some shops
At home, warm the bread briefly in a dry pan so it stays supple, then roll it with the filling slightly off-center so the ends can be folded in.
How do you make shawarma at home?
Shawarma at home is made by marinating thin slices of chicken thigh for several hours in spices, garlic, lemon and oil, then roasting them on a hot sheet pan. It takes about 30 minutes of cooking.
- Mix 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, salt, pepper, 4 crushed garlic cloves, the juice of one lemon and 3 tablespoons oil.
- Coat 2 pounds of sliced boneless chicken thighs and marinate for at least 4 hours.
- Spread the meat on a sheet pan in a thin layer.
- Roast at 450°F for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until the edges brown.
- Slice thinly and serve in warm pita with sauce and pickles.
Chicken is done at an internal temperature of 165°F.
Common questions
What does the word shawarma mean?
Shawarma comes from the Arabic pronunciation of the Turkish word cevirme, meaning turning, which describes the rotating spit. It is also spelled shawerma, shwarma and shawurma, depending on the country and the transliteration.
What spices are in shawarma?
Common shawarma spices include cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice and black pepper, mixed with garlic and an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar. Blends vary by cook and country.
Can you make shawarma at home without a spit?
Yes. Marinate thin slices of chicken thigh or beef, then roast them on a hot sheet pan or sear them in a skillet. You miss the slow spit browning, but the spices and sauces still deliver the flavor.
Is shawarma served hot or cold?
Shawarma meat is served hot, freshly carved from the spit. The wrap itself usually includes cool, crisp extras such as pickles, tomato, cucumber and a cold garlic or tahini sauce for contrast.
What do you eat with shawarma?
Shawarma is eaten with pita or flatbread, pickled turnips and cucumbers, tomato, onion, parsley and sauce. On a plate it comes with rice, salad, hummus or fries, depending on the restaurant.
This page is part of the independent guide to Heights Falafel, which has the address, hours and menu.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Heights Falafel itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.