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An oval plate with falafel, a salad, a mound of brown grains, and hummus.
A falafel plate from MezzeMe.
MezzeMe/Facebook

20 Great Mediterranean Restaurants in Austin

Where to find succulent gyros and fluffy pita

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A falafel plate from MezzeMe.
| MezzeMe/Facebook

Austin might not immediately be thought of as a great place to grab some Mediterranean food, but there are a ton of delicious eateries all over town (but mostly up north — sorry South Austin dwellers) to indulge in fluffy pitas and succulent gyros.

There are so many different ways to enjoy the bounty of the Mediterranean cuisine, from fast-casual Turkish restaurant MezzeMe, Almarah Mediterranean Cuisine with Jerusalem recipes, Persian restaurant Caspian Grill, Greek restaurant Santorini Cafe, and many more.

As with all businesses, be sure to call ahead to make sure each restaurant/truck is still open or if there are updates on current offerings and service models, as things are changing constantly. Wear a mask, tip well, and if you’re ordering delivery, try to order directly from the restaurants/trucks themselves.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Almarah Mediterranean Cuisine

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This restaurant off 620 dishes up family recipes from Jerusalem, like slow-cooked leg of lamb and roasted chicken. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A bowl of falafels and a container of a light green sauce.
Almarah’s falafels.
Almarah/Facebook

Caspian Grill

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Indulge in Persian food off of Research Boulevard. Inside the strip mall restaurant, find tasty classic dishes, like beef koobideh (kebabs), ash reshteh (Persian herb and noodle stew), and akbar joojeh (fried cornish hen). The restaurant also caters to vegetarians and vegans with options like biryani or the vegan mirza ghasemi (smoky eggplant). Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Tino’s Greek Cafe

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With three Austin locations, the Greek mini-chain restaurant offers diners huge portions. The make-your-own plates with three of their wonderful sides, including rice pilaf, spanakopita, and moussaka, and mains like gyro, chicken, or vegetables. Takeout and Uber Eats delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Balkan Cafe & Grill

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Enjoy traditional Serbian fare from owner Živojin Zekic and his family at this North Lamar restaurant. Heads up, carnivores: the ćevapi — grilled sausages made of beef and veal — are excellent. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services, plus a bonus volleyball court.

Stuffed red peppers.
Stuffed peppers from Balkan Cafe & Grill.
Balkan Cafe & Grill/Facebook

Santorini Cafe

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Head up North Lamar until you see the blue-and-white-colored building signaling you’re in the right spot. The Greek restaurant dishes up gyros, hummus, moussaka, and loukumades (Greek doughnuts).  The spacious patio meant for kids and four-legged friends is a welcome dining spot for enjoying traditional Greek fare. The inside dining room offers a friendly family vibe. Takeout orders can be placed over the phone or online.

Peace Bakery

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The North Austin Middle Eastern bakery serves all the classics, from falafel to shawarma, but it’s the house-baked sweets here that reign supreme. Pick up bird’s nest baklava or an assortment of cookies. Takeout orders can be placed in person or over the phone; there are indoor dine-in services.

Many nest-like desserts with nuts in the middle.
Bird’s nest baklava from Peace Bakery.
Peace Bakery-Deli/Facebook

Sip Turkish black tea and order the Troy mix plate with all of the meats at the Turkish restaurant near Balcones Hills. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

A board of dips in round bowls with triangle slices of pita.
Mezze from Troy.
Troy Restaurant/Facebook

Arpeggio Grill

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This Airport Boulevard Greek spot’s sandwich combination special — either beef or falafel wrap plus fries, tzatziki, and a drink — is a good deal at under $12. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Phoenicia Bakery & Deli

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More grocery store than a restaurant, this shop sadly closes at 7 p.m., so get your pita fix earlier in the day. Pick up homemade Persian sweets and don’t skip the zaatar bread. To-go orders can be placed in person.

A plate of yellow rice, stuffed grape leaves, falafels, green salad, and hummus.
A plate from Phoenicia.
Phoenicia Bakery/Facebook

MezzeMe

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The Turkish fast-casual restaurant in the Triangle switched to focus on well-rounded Mediterranean plates with entrees (beef and lamb döner, shrimp, vegetable skewers, falafel), vegetables, rice, and salads. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A bowl of meats, vegetables, and grains.
Meats and grains and vegetables from MezzeMe.
Ashlyn Allison

Kismet Cafe

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The Middle Eastern restaurant known for its Jordanian cuisine reopened in Mueller with the same excellent Jordanian-skewing cuisine. The grilled lamb mashawi is great, and there are Arabic-style wraps. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are ChowNow deliveries; and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Halal Bros

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The Middle Eastern restaurant with three physical locations plus a food truck offers halal cuts of meat on the Drag. Bonus: they grind their own garbanzo beans in-house for a gorgeous falafel. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are third-party deliveries; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Abo Youssef

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The Mediterranean food truck is slinging enormous platters of shawarma, gyros, and falafel. Make sure to order the superb lemon mint tea. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are tables for outdoor dine-in.

Devil May Care

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For late-night bites, this West Sixth Street restaurant lounge is dishing up Mediterranean-ish plates in a dark, moody setting complete with cocktails. Choose from the swanky turf-covered terrace or the subterranean vibes while dining on a mezze platter, lamb pita panini, or mahi-mahi gyro. There are indoor dine-in services.

Austin's Habibi

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Head to this food truck on West Fifth Street (next to the Tiniest Bar in Texas) to enjoy traditional grilled meats and vegetable-centric plates (zucchini to cauliflower to eggplant). Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; host site features outdoor dining areas.

Two foil trays of meats, salads, and rice.
Dishes from Austin’s Habibi.
Austin’s Habibi/Facebook

The Peacock

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Nestled into the bottom of the Austin Proper Hotel is the Mediterranean restaurant focused on family-style meals from the McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality group. Dine alfresco on the patio to take in views of Shoal Creek or in the beautifully decorated dining room. The harissa marinated beef tenderloin is a highlight, and do yourself a favor by ordering the cheese saganaki, an appetizer of fried cheese.

Kebabalicious

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The beloved food truck slash East Seventh Street restaurant is known for its namesake items, especially when doused in the spicy ka-baam sauce. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

Enjoy a taste of Tel Aviv in the heart of downtown at the Fareground food hall. The Israeli street food stand is helmed by born-and-raised Israeli chef Berty Richter, who previously ran the food truck Hummus Among Us. So, whatever you do, do not skip the hummus. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person, there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

While known for its gorgeous aesthetics — especially the patio situated around a behemoth heritage oak tree — the food more than matches the vibes at the Chicago-based Mediterranean restaurant. Grab friends and order all the dips to enjoy warm seasoned pitas (don’t miss the whipped feta), or enjoy a night out with beautiful raw seafood and heavenly desserts. Takeout orders can be placed online.

Cafe Malta

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The casual William Cannon bistro takes inspiration from all the countries touching the Mediterranean Sea — Italy, Spain, Morocco, Lebanon, and Southern France — so expect everything from hummus to gnocchi. Takeout orders can be placed over the phone; there are indoor dine-in services.

Shrimp from Cafe Malta.
Shrimp from Cafe Malta.
Cafe Malta/Facebook

Almarah Mediterranean Cuisine

This restaurant off 620 dishes up family recipes from Jerusalem, like slow-cooked leg of lamb and roasted chicken. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A bowl of falafels and a container of a light green sauce.
Almarah’s falafels.
Almarah/Facebook

Caspian Grill

Indulge in Persian food off of Research Boulevard. Inside the strip mall restaurant, find tasty classic dishes, like beef koobideh (kebabs), ash reshteh (Persian herb and noodle stew), and akbar joojeh (fried cornish hen). The restaurant also caters to vegetarians and vegans with options like biryani or the vegan mirza ghasemi (smoky eggplant). Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Tino’s Greek Cafe

With three Austin locations, the Greek mini-chain restaurant offers diners huge portions. The make-your-own plates with three of their wonderful sides, including rice pilaf, spanakopita, and moussaka, and mains like gyro, chicken, or vegetables. Takeout and Uber Eats delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Balkan Cafe & Grill

Enjoy traditional Serbian fare from owner Živojin Zekic and his family at this North Lamar restaurant. Heads up, carnivores: the ćevapi — grilled sausages made of beef and veal — are excellent. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services, plus a bonus volleyball court.

Stuffed red peppers.
Stuffed peppers from Balkan Cafe & Grill.
Balkan Cafe & Grill/Facebook

Santorini Cafe

Head up North Lamar until you see the blue-and-white-colored building signaling you’re in the right spot. The Greek restaurant dishes up gyros, hummus, moussaka, and loukumades (Greek doughnuts).  The spacious patio meant for kids and four-legged friends is a welcome dining spot for enjoying traditional Greek fare. The inside dining room offers a friendly family vibe. Takeout orders can be placed over the phone or online.

Peace Bakery

The North Austin Middle Eastern bakery serves all the classics, from falafel to shawarma, but it’s the house-baked sweets here that reign supreme. Pick up bird’s nest baklava or an assortment of cookies. Takeout orders can be placed in person or over the phone; there are indoor dine-in services.

Many nest-like desserts with nuts in the middle.
Bird’s nest baklava from Peace Bakery.
Peace Bakery-Deli/Facebook

Troy

Sip Turkish black tea and order the Troy mix plate with all of the meats at the Turkish restaurant near Balcones Hills. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

A board of dips in round bowls with triangle slices of pita.
Mezze from Troy.
Troy Restaurant/Facebook

Arpeggio Grill

This Airport Boulevard Greek spot’s sandwich combination special — either beef or falafel wrap plus fries, tzatziki, and a drink — is a good deal at under $12. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Phoenicia Bakery & Deli

More grocery store than a restaurant, this shop sadly closes at 7 p.m., so get your pita fix earlier in the day. Pick up homemade Persian sweets and don’t skip the zaatar bread. To-go orders can be placed in person.

A plate of yellow rice, stuffed grape leaves, falafels, green salad, and hummus.
A plate from Phoenicia.
Phoenicia Bakery/Facebook

MezzeMe

The Turkish fast-casual restaurant in the Triangle switched to focus on well-rounded Mediterranean plates with entrees (beef and lamb döner, shrimp, vegetable skewers, falafel), vegetables, rice, and salads. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A bowl of meats, vegetables, and grains.
Meats and grains and vegetables from MezzeMe.
Ashlyn Allison

Kismet Cafe

The Middle Eastern restaurant known for its Jordanian cuisine reopened in Mueller with the same excellent Jordanian-skewing cuisine. The grilled lamb mashawi is great, and there are Arabic-style wraps. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are ChowNow deliveries; and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Halal Bros

The Middle Eastern restaurant with three physical locations plus a food truck offers halal cuts of meat on the Drag. Bonus: they grind their own garbanzo beans in-house for a gorgeous falafel. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are third-party deliveries; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Abo Youssef

The Mediterranean food truck is slinging enormous platters of shawarma, gyros, and falafel. Make sure to order the superb lemon mint tea. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are tables for outdoor dine-in.

Devil May Care

For late-night bites, this West Sixth Street restaurant lounge is dishing up Mediterranean-ish plates in a dark, moody setting complete with cocktails. Choose from the swanky turf-covered terrace or the subterranean vibes while dining on a mezze platter, lamb pita panini, or mahi-mahi gyro. There are indoor dine-in services.

Austin's Habibi

Head to this food truck on West Fifth Street (next to the Tiniest Bar in Texas) to enjoy traditional grilled meats and vegetable-centric plates (zucchini to cauliflower to eggplant). Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; host site features outdoor dining areas.

Two foil trays of meats, salads, and rice.
Dishes from Austin’s Habibi.
Austin’s Habibi/Facebook

Related Maps

The Peacock

Nestled into the bottom of the Austin Proper Hotel is the Mediterranean restaurant focused on family-style meals from the McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality group. Dine alfresco on the patio to take in views of Shoal Creek or in the beautifully decorated dining room. The harissa marinated beef tenderloin is a highlight, and do yourself a favor by ordering the cheese saganaki, an appetizer of fried cheese.

Kebabalicious

The beloved food truck slash East Seventh Street restaurant is known for its namesake items, especially when doused in the spicy ka-baam sauce. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

TLV

Enjoy a taste of Tel Aviv in the heart of downtown at the Fareground food hall. The Israeli street food stand is helmed by born-and-raised Israeli chef Berty Richter, who previously ran the food truck Hummus Among Us. So, whatever you do, do not skip the hummus. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person, there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

Aba

While known for its gorgeous aesthetics — especially the patio situated around a behemoth heritage oak tree — the food more than matches the vibes at the Chicago-based Mediterranean restaurant. Grab friends and order all the dips to enjoy warm seasoned pitas (don’t miss the whipped feta), or enjoy a night out with beautiful raw seafood and heavenly desserts. Takeout orders can be placed online.

Cafe Malta

The casual William Cannon bistro takes inspiration from all the countries touching the Mediterranean Sea — Italy, Spain, Morocco, Lebanon, and Southern France — so expect everything from hummus to gnocchi. Takeout orders can be placed over the phone; there are indoor dine-in services.

Shrimp from Cafe Malta.
Shrimp from Cafe Malta.
Cafe Malta/Facebook

Related Maps