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The Guide · Shawarma

Best Shawarma in Columbus (2026)

Twelve restaurants across Columbus. Compare neighborhoods, price tiers and what to order, then read the full reviews.

Amina Warsame
By Amina Warsame Staff Writer · Top of Columbus · Updated October 2026 · How the score is built
Best Shawarma in Columbus (2026)
THE COLUMBUS DINING GUIDES 12 restaurants
Compare all 12 restaurantsNeighborhood · price · score · first order
In the same order as the guide. Scores are out of 10; dollar symbols show the listed price tier.
RestaurantNeighborhoodPriceScoreWhat to order
01 Sababa Mediterranean GrillColumbus$Salad with kalamata olives and harissa
02 Mazah Mediterranean EateryGrandview Heights$$Hummus
03 Pita HouseBexley$Chicken shawarma plate
04 Pita Hut GrillColumbus$Hummus
05 Agape MediterraneanColumbusGreek salad
06 Lavash CafeColumbus$$9.0Shrimp kabob
07 Brassica in the Short NorthColumbus$$Customizable sandwich
08 Olive & Lime CafeColumbus$$Hummus
09 Sumac Mediterranean GrillColumbusHummus
10 Shawerma BiteColumbusChicken shawarma
11 Cafe Istanbul EastonColumbus$$Kebab
12 Z Cucina di SpiritoColumbus$$Short rib

12 restaurants · In guide order

1 Sababa Mediterranean Grill Yelp

Sababa Mediterranean Grill

Mediterranean · Columbus · $

The rice bowl and the salad built on kalamata olives and harissa are the reasons regulars keep ordering delivery from this Columbus counter. The house dressing gets called out often enough to matter, and the room stays clean and low-key. A dependable weeknight order rather than a special occasion, which is exactly its job.

What to orderSalad with kalamata olives and harissaRice bowlGrilled kebab Call Directions Scored from the full review record 6280 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43213 · (614) 321-2476
2 Mazah Mediterranean Eatery Yelp

Mazah Mediterranean Eatery

Mediterranean · Grandview Heights · $$

Hummus, falafel, and kebab anchor a menu built for groups and coworker lunches, and the value case is strong: past restaurant-week deals ran four dishes for twenty dollars. Service moves efficiently even with a full table, which makes this a solid pick for a Columbus office outing that needs no debate over where to eat.

What to orderHummusFalafelKebab Call Directions Scored from the full review record 1453 Grandview Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 · (614) 488-3633
3 Pita House Yelp

Pita House

Mediterranean · Bexley · $

Hummus made daily and gyros with a wide range of fresh add-ons have kept this Columbus counter in steady rotation for over a decade. The chicken shawarma plate comes with two sides and pita, a straightforward format that has not needed updating. Counter service, friendly staff, and consistency are the whole pitch here.

What to orderChicken shawarma plateGyrosHummus Call Directions Scored from the full review record 2996 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43209 · (614) 236-0000
4 Pita Hut Grill Yelp

Pita Hut Grill

Mediterranean · Columbus · $

Wedged between a bar and a cigarette shop, this Columbus storefront trades on food quality over decor, and the hummus, shawarma, and falafel back that up. Regulars who wandered off to newer spots keep finding their way back, reporting the kitchen hasn't slipped. The interior is plain; the plates are not.

What to orderHummusShawarmaFalafel Call Directions Scored from the full review record 4965 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214 · (614) 433-0996
5 Agape Mediterranean Yelp

Agape Mediterranean

Mediterranean · Columbus

A bowls format built around Greek salad and souvlaki draws comparisons to fast-casual chains, but the ingredient quality is the differentiator diners keep citing. Portions run generous for the price point, and the Grandview Heights location has quietly built its own following. Quick counter service suits a lunch break or a hungry drop-in.

What to orderGreek saladSouvlakiMezze platter Call Directions Scored from the full review record 855 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 · (614) 407-1266
6 Lavash Cafe Yelp

Lavash Cafe

Mediterranean · Columbus · $$ · № 6 on the List
Insider Score9.0

The shrimp kabob draws repeat orders on its own, and the lavash hot sauce gets a specific, deliberate ask from regulars who know to request it. This Columbus room has held steady for years on flavor and seasoning rather than novelty. Takeout runs reliably, and the staff consistency shows up across visits.

What to orderShrimp kabobLavashHummus Call Directions
Full review & visiting detailsRead the full review & visiting details

Mediterranean Fundamentals Done Consistently Right

Shrimp kabob

The shrimp kabob gives the grill menu a lighter option alongside the usual lamb and chicken skewers.

Lavash

Fresh lavash, the bread the restaurant is named for, sets the tone for everything else on the table.

Hummus

Hummus works as the standard starter here, the dish to gauge the kitchen's basics before ordering further.

Lavash Cafe runs on fundamentals, not flourishes. The kitchen's shrimp kabob comes up again and again as the order to trust, grilled straight and served without fuss alongside rice or salad. That kind of dish either works or it doesn't, and the consistency of the reports here says this kitchen has its grill work down to a routine it can repeat night after night. The lavash itself, the flatbread the room is named for, gets used as it should be: a base for dips, a wrap for grilled meats, a utility player rather than a garnish. Hummus rounds out the table, smooth rather than showy, the kind of dish that either anchors a Mediterranean menu or exposes it.

Together those three items say this is a kitchen more interested in getting the basics right on repeat than chasing a signature stunt plate. That approach fits its role in the city's Mediterranean lane, which runs alongside Columbus's deeper Middle Eastern and Mediterranean threads without needing to compete for novelty. The room reads as a neighborhood option built for regular rotation: moderate prices, a menu that reads clean rather than sprawling, and a floor plan suited to groups who want to order a spread and split it. That combination, casual service and shareable format, points toward families and coworker lunches more than date-night plans. The value proposition here is repeatability.

Nobody is describing a transformative plate; they are describing a shrimp kabob that is good the fifth time the way it was the first, a hummus that doesn't vary, a flatbread that does its job. For a moderately priced Mediterranean spot serving a casual, group-friendly crowd, that is exactly the promise worth keeping. It's the kind of place that earns repeat business through predictability rather than spectacle, which is its own kind of discipline in a restaurant landscape crowded with places chasing the opposite.

Map showing Lavash Cafe© OpenStreetMap
HoursMon: ClosedTue - Sat: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PMSun: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Address2985 N High St
Columbus, OH 43202
Insider tip

Order the shrimp kabob with a side of hummus and extra lavash for the table. It is built for sharing among a group rather than a solo plate.

7 Brassica in the Short North Yelp

Brassica in the Short North

Mediterranean · Columbus · $$

Customizable sandwiches, salads, and hummus define this fast-casual counter, and the Short North location draws a lunch crowd heavy enough to fill the bar seats. Visitors passing through the district treat it as a dependable stop when the bigger market nearby is too crowded. Busy, efficient, and built for a fast turnaround.

What to orderCustomizable sandwichSaladHummus Call Directions Scored from the full review record 680 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215 · (614) 867-5885
8 Olive & Lime Cafe Yelp

Olive & Lime Cafe

Mediterranean · Columbus · $$

The pita bread gets singled out as the standout on a platter that easily stretches to feed three, and baklava closes the counter-service format on a sweet note. This Columbus spot runs order-at-the-counter with ample dining room seating, making it a solid choice for carryout or a low-key group meal without reservations.

What to orderHummusPita breadBaklava Call Directions Scored from the full review record 4519 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214 · (614) 826-3020
9 Sumac Mediterranean Grill Yelp

Sumac Mediterranean Grill

Mediterranean · Columbus

Grilled lamb skewers, falafel, and hummus come out fresh in portions sized for the price, run by a small team that greets diners directly at the door. One diner who rarely eats out called it the best option available during a power outage, and the praise for freshness and portion size shows up consistently across this Columbus room.

What to orderHummusGrilled lamb skewersFalafel Call Directions Scored from the full review record 1890 Hard Rd, Columbus, OH 43235 · (614) 376-0877
10 Shawerma Bite Yelp

Shawerma Bite

Mediterranean · Columbus

Chicken and steak shawarma built into wraps draw comparisons from diners who tried other Columbus counters afterward and came back unconvinced by the alternatives. The corn side has developed its own following, enough that running out draws real disappointment. A second Easton location exists for when this one sells through its specials.

What to orderChicken shawarmaSteak shawarmaCorn Call Directions Scored from the full review record 12 E 16th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 · (614) 456-7249
11 Cafe Istanbul Easton Yelp

Cafe Istanbul Easton

Turkish · Columbus · $$

Kebab, meze, and baklava anchor a Turkish menu built for groups, served in a dining room diners describe as consistently pleasant even on busy nights. The Easton location has pulled some regulars back into a rotation they had let slip. Service can lag when the tables fill, but the plates keep people ordering again.

What to orderKebabMezeBaklava Call Directions Scored from the full review record 3983 Worth Ave, Columbus, OH 43219 · (614) 473-9144
12 Z Cucina di Spirito Yelp

Z Cucina di Spirito

Italian · Columbus · $$

Short rib, orecchiette, and meatball headline a menu suited to celebrations as much as a casual dinner at the bar. A happy hour draws a crowd thick enough to fill every bar seat, and the staff has been known to find a workaround table for latecomers. Sports on the televisions and quick bartending round out the room.

What to orderShort ribOrecchietteMeatball Call Directions Scored from the full review record 1368 Grandview Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 · (614) 486-9200
What to know before choosing a restaurant

The top picks: Sababa Mediterranean Grill, Mazah Mediterranean Eatery, and Pita House, with all 12 rooms ranked below.

Shawarma and its Mediterranean neighbors have spread well past any single corridor in Columbus, showing up in strip-mall counters, Grandview bowls windows, and Easton dinner rooms alike. This list weighs the plate against the price and the pita against the platter, from Sullivant-adjacent storefronts to the Short North lunch rush.

Frequently asked

What is the best shawarma near me in Columbus?
It depends on the neighborhood. Pita House and Pita Hut Grill are longtime Columbus counters built around shawarma plates and wraps, while Lavash Cafe and Sumac Mediterranean Grill draw praise for kabobs and skewers rather than shawarma specifically. Check the Insider Score and cuisine tag on each listing to match the closest strong option to your area.
Are these Mediterranean spots mostly counter service?
Yes, most of the list runs on a counter-service or fast-casual format, including Sababa, Pita House, Olive & Lime Cafe, and Brassica in the Short North. A few, like Cafe Istanbul Easton and Z Cucina di Spirito, run full table service and suit a sit-down group dinner better than a quick lunch.
How is the Insider Score calculated for these restaurants?
The Insider Score reflects the pattern across a restaurant's public review record: food quality, consistency, service, and value as customers describe them. No restaurant pays for placement or for a higher score, and the ranking here reflects that data, not advertising.
Is Brassica in the Short North the same as other Brassica locations?
Brassica operates as a local multi-location concept, and this guide covers the Short North location specifically, since that is where the fast-casual sandwich and hummus format has built its neighborhood lunch following. Other locations are not folded into this ranking.
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The data first, then the verdict

We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →

About the writer
Amina Warsame
Staff Writer · Top of Columbus

Amina Warsame is a Staff Writer at Top of Columbus. Born in Mogadishu and raised in Northland, she grew up between her mother's kitchen and the grocery-cafes of the Somali malls. She writes the guides, sweeps the whole Outerbelt, and covers the Somali and East African tables as the beat she knows best.

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