This one is confusing. I have mixed feelings because while the food was above average the atmosphere and service was very lacking. Came with a friend and tried both the Labenese and Venezuelan special. Honestly the Labenese or gyro version was just average, when you consider the standout gyros offered around this area like zeko's and many middle eastern establishments. The Venezuelan special however worked surprisingly well and I can see myself craving this. It had black beans, plantains and carnitas, in this hand-held monster of an arepa. However, I could just not look past the poor service. This lady was just hanging around the line where you order talking to the employees. They carried this conversation throughout the service where you felt like you were being ignored. Sorry? Am I disturbing this get together?? She was still there even after we ate and left. Not sure if she ended up ordering anything. It's very unprofessional. I could care less how casual the service or if you bring your friends to work, but you drop everything when there are paying customers placing orders. When you are treated poorly all the ugly just surfaces. The place looks very commercial and basic. The restrooms were less than appealing. Dirty around the edges with thin walls. Order to go. read more

Are Pitas - Lebanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I've only tried the Venezuelan food that they carry, but I loved the soup, and they have decent arepas!

Great Venezuelan arepa! Crispy outside, beans, cheese, plantains, shredded beef... money sandwich. Brown sugar lemonade is really sweet, good to taste, but sweeter than I could drink a whole glass of. Would go back. Quick and friendly service. read more

Food was excellent. The best Venezuelan Arepa I have had yet. Customer service is excellent as well. Highly recommend.

Went here despite the odd mix of food styles. Would get again if in the area. I ordered shwarma and it was tasty read more

Great service, delicious food, love the diversity! Must try their arepas! Great prices.

It's My first time coming here and the food was totally delicious , one of the best restaurants in the area , I will totally be coming back , I will 100% recommend. read more

Fue muy decepsionante. Pedí el plato navideño y no me gustó, a la hallaca le faltaba sabor, la carne del pernil estaba muy seca y fria y la ensalada no tenia mucho gusto. read more

Weird name, awesome flavor. This tiny place packs a punch. I've been in and out of here a few times a year for a while (since before it expanded from Mediterranean Byblos pitas to Venezuelan/Lebanese Are pitas as it is now) and it has never disappointed. This is my falafel fix, my shawarma haven. The baba ghanuj makes my mouth water just thinking about it, and I just went through a generous pile of the stuff. Unfortunately, I can't speak for the Venezuelan portion of the menu since I can't seem to branch away from all the garlicky and vinegar and chickpea delights of their Mediterranean selections, but this place has something for everyone. They also have less culture specific options like French fries and even a happy hour for their small selection of bottled beers. Well worth a stop, especially if you're looking for something that stands out from usual quick service fare. read more

Are Pitas - 6.99 Vegetarian Lebanese entree. Two falafel, a dolma, hummus/baba ghanuj and a half eaten (I was hungry!) tzatziki soaked salad - Lebanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Some items were good most items were not. I can't think of another restaurant in the area that serves South American and Mediterranean cuisine and I was excited to try a restaurant with this cool concept. However this establishment did not attempt unique fusion or a creative take on either cuisine. Instead they portrayed both styles poorly. Here is a breakdown of each item that I sampled rated 1-5: 1. Chicken shawarma 2/5 - Served at room temperature this dish was too acidic,not seasoned, and did not resemble authentic shawarma. 2. Gyro meat 1/5 - Also served at room temperature some of the worst gyro I have tried. The texture resembled tofurkey and I would have preferred tofurkey over this. No flavor and not fresh. 3. Falafel ball - 4/5 - Unlike the other dishes mentioned this was actually served fresh and was well seasoned. 4. Babagonush - 5/5 - Excellent smokey flavor and served at the proper temperature. 5. Humus- 3/5 - Okay very basic humus I would have preferred Sabra brand humus from Publix. 6. Arapas with shredded beef 3/5 - No cheese was included and the beef was too sweet. I think this restaurant should focus on doing one type of cuisine well with fresh ingredients. They were not very busy when I visited which may have caused some of the freshness issues; however, this does not excuse meats being served at room temperature. I will not return and cannot recommend this restaurant. read more

No one working there spoke enough English to make it possible to order. We finally left.

14 dollars for a pita little meat with chips and hummus no drink. Will not make this mistake again!!!

This just became my favorite restaurant in Tampa area. Food and services are great. If you are looking for casual good and fresh food, this is the place. They have a good variety of Venezuelan and Lebanese food. The Cachapas are amazing, the arepas to, the Tequenos...the best. read more

Delicious! Empanadas, cachapas, tequeños with green sauce wow! Very very good. I recomend you. Good prices. It is attendance by the owner Mrs. Carmen too sweet read more

Are Pitas - You need try the empanadas and tequeños with green sauce! Awesome The onion soup is deliciuos! 100% guarantee. I recomend - Lebanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Arepas are not all made equal. I've had some really good ones, usually they're the sweet kind, and others not so good. I have to say I was not the greatest fan of the arepas here. They were kinda bland actually, and definitely were not made fresh to order. I ordered the Venezuelan arepa, mainly because I was craving plantains which were probably the best part of the meal. The beef was not that flavorful either. Service was pretty quick though. Although the portion size may not seem that big, it's pretty filing. read more

Are Pitas - Venezuelan arepa with pulled beef, black beans, plantains and white cheese - Lebanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I have been comin to this small latin restaurant for about 4 months since it's by usf -I would always order the same dish the with a 2 things added and the light skin female would tell me in Spanish "your order is too complicated but I'll make it or can u jus order something less complicated cause I can't today" I thought she was being humorous n I laughed n even went with whatever she suggested I try next -since I'm new to their menu --cool .. anyway I would always order the same dish that's under 14$ I would tip 2-3$ =16-17$ the pale lady starts making my "complicated" order wit a attitude n when it was ready she would yell in Spanish "heyy girl! ur food is ready!" I'm clearly a man -_- she misgendered me. Cool haha. Went home open my order -she still managed to mess it up (n I had already left a 3$ tip smh) Then I noticed that some days I would be charged 11-12$ for my order n then other days I would b charged 18- 20$ for the same exact dish. the price total was never consistent although the order was the same I respectfully brought this up to the pale lady when I came in the following week -She explained to me, when paying with credit cards the computer automatically charges 3-4$ in fees n that's before tax -that it's best to come in with cash to avoid the 3-4$ card fees. N they even have a paper by the register that reads "Cash Discounts " ok cool so I went in with 20$ bill the next visit N even Mentioned that I have CASH- (clearly paying with cash so that I can avoid the 3-4$ card fees) So I kno that my dish will b maybe 11-12$ for sure under 14$ since it's in cash (literally it's what SHE has charged me before i jus never noticed the difference between randomly paying with cash n then most of the time paying using card) I hand her my 20$ bill She charged me 18-19$ for my order -- she hands me my change n I look at her n asked her to explain to me the "cash discounts" offer again cause I'm a bit confused since I paid using CASH n she nervously looks down n tells me in Spanish "Oh the machine charged u 3-4$ in card fees but next Time come in with cash instead n to let me know that ur payin with CASH to avoid the card fees" -_- (mind U I handed her a 20$ bill (CASH)) I said ok that's fine cool- I give her 2-3$ tip although she completely messed my order up -again -despite her telling me- previously in Spanish that-"u don't have to keep tellin me ur Order all the time I already know what U goin to order" N I always tip them 2-3$ even when they charge me basically 20$ for a 10$ dish n I never sat n ate there or had food delivered to my place so I don't need to tip them at all because I wasn't serviced at their hot as balls restaurant no waitress=no reason for a tip but did it to support a small Latino restaurant I even recommended people on my Snapchat to come dine with them ( although the food isn't always consistently good or fresh) but I jus wanted to b supportive n for what? The pale white passing lady is extremely condescendingly RUDE n the older gentleman who pulls up with a negative demeanor always gave me the strangest looks when he would see me come in to his business to spend my hard earned money on preheated plantains n overly priced stale pitas Never again They really have days where the food is WORTH IT but it's not consistent n the averagely - for the most part it's never fresh or worth it. read more

This family owned restaurant is phenomenal. Being a Venezuelan and Lebanese fusion restaurant, I was nervous at first and avoided trying it for a while. But as I became more and more desperate for a place that serves good Lebanese nearby, I decided to try it. It has now become my go-to place for a fast falafel sandwich and have been many times already. The set-up of the restaurant is similar to that of a Subway or Moe's. You order a base dish and put toppings on it. Being vegetarian, I always go for the falafel and have yet to be disappointed. It is extremely flavorful and fresh. In addition, I love to add their sauces like tahini and tzatziki. Lastly, their mocha tres leches was amazing combination of flavors. The regular tres leches was not as good though. Finally, the service is always impeccable. They are always running specials, for example this time they were offering $4 falafel sandwiches and on Valentines they had a buy one get one free for some menu items. It's quick, inexpensive, and a tasty meal. I definitely would recommend trying this place! read more

Are Pitas - Le menu - Lebanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The food was really good!! But can someone ask the one woman preparing peoples food without a mask on to please not talk while she's standing over peoples food spraying spit all over it?? Or else Wear a damn mask. Everyone else there is! read more

The food is DELICIOUS! Service was awesome & friendly, the cashier went out of her way to help us figure out a coupon & explain the drinks. There were vegetarian options & you can even order vegan here- I got the Lebanese plate with falafel. It was super yummy & the passion fruit juice went along great. Definitely the most amazing meal I've had in awhile, can't wait to come again! read more

I love their pitas! I typically get a falafel puts with hummus, lettuce, cucumber, feta, tziki sauce, which they stuff full and roll it tight. Then they got press it! Very filling, enough for two meals and it's reasonably priced around $6.50! read more

This place usually makes good food, from someone who's been to NL and has tried authentic mediterranean cuisine, the first time I tied the pita gyro and it was top notch , 2nd time I tried the Arepa which was good too. However after just now ordering the gyro on pita and what I thought were fried plantains. In conclusion I ended up giving them there food back. Couldn't disrespect myself and the strong hold spirit of good cultured food by accepting it as the truth. It was a lie, they must have been tired. The onions were definitely NOT fresh, the meat was lukewarm. The actual wrap was messy, It fell over in my lap as I tried to eat it. The whole pita was thrown together so quickly I should have known it wasn't going to turn out well. The fried plantains were definitely NOT fresh and slightly overcooked, so I gave those back as well. The only thing I did eat and would lightly recommend from Are Pitas is their guava and cheese empanadas. The only reason I'm shedding light on this is due to how chastising and criticizing the two women , I confronted the issue with, were to me. I was hoping they would at least apologize and make me another one, a genuine one. All I got was disrespect smh,they did offer me a refund but I'll never eat here again. Only because Ik there's better elsewhere. She tried to tell me " Nothing here is old" bro I'm not the type to lie to myself all I want is good food. If the food wasn't old the why wasn't it in my stomach? No, I really want Are Pitas to know that what they just made for me is subpar at best, its essentially a bad example of the type of food they're selling. There's definitely better and you should seek them out so you can learn from them. So yea. Thanks Very Respectfully, Diamond read more

The service was so slow that I actually watched my sandwich go cold. Though I was second in line, it took them five minutes *after* preparing my sandwich before my eyes to let me pay. I was starving. The cold sandwich was devastating. The "Lebanese gyro" is more or less a step above Taco Bell. My sandwich consisted of prefabricated strips of rectangular meat that are questionably savory, onion and lettuce (hold the tomato) slathered in generic tzaziki sauce. I got the arepa, which I enjoyed, but I've only had one once before so I can't speak fully to authenticity. The corn flatbread was thick and chewy, almost as if it were leavened. I ordered a side of "yuca fries" that are not, in fact, yuca fries. Yuca fries are chunks of yuca, often soaked in some sort of delicious garlic sauce. These...things...resembled the kind of junk you'd find at Burger King. For $2.50 I received sticks with a crumbly fried exterior and a mushy, greasy, flavorless interior. Perhaps they ground yuca into a powder, mixed that with water, coated it in crumbs and fried it? Do not come here for quick service. Do not come here for yuca fries. Do not come here for a sandwich to write home about. If you do come here, come for a cheap sandwich ($6) that may or may not be room temperature by the time you pay for it. read more

Wow! truly authentic Venezuelan and Lebanese food under one one roof? what's not to like! The casual atmosphere, quality homemade preparation, and the variety of options make Are Pitas a must in Tampa. It's very affordable for the quality and authenticity you'll find here and you'll receive a very very complete meal. The pabellon (shredded meat, plantains, rice, and black beans) plate is just like back home in Venezuela, the tequeños are some of the best I've tried, but the empanadas definitely take the prize as the 'must order.' Also, remember to order one of their natural pressed juices. It's very casual and has the USF crowd in and out all the time but the place seems large enough and they seem pretty well equipped to handle large crowds. read more

DELICIOUS! Very affordable menu items with a majority of options under 10 bucks! I had the falafel and it was delicious with tons of topping options. The staff were so nice and friendly and the food tasted so fresh. Best falafel i have ever had! read more

Are Pitas - Falafel - Lebanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Great food and service! The best authentic Venezuelan food in Tampa. It is a must try if your in the area

Really delicious food, great options and multiple combo options. Area is what it is, parking can be difficult depending on the time of day. Prices are reasonable. When I visited there was only 2 people in front of me but it took about 15-20 mins for them to complete my order. I could see staff on the back but am unsure if they were completing to go orders or maybe on break. By the time my order was complete there was a line of 8 customers and I was done eating before the last costumer had even ordered. Be prepared to wait a bit or maybe order to go if you're in a crunch. read more

Lebonese Venezuelan what. You got pitas and hummus on one side of the menu... and then you got arepas and empanadas on the other. What a brilliant combination! Tons of options. I ordered food for 5, and it was ready for pickup 20min later without a single issue. The layout is neat but manufactured, however the friendliness of staff seemed alot more mom n pop. The food was pretty good. Everyone enjoyed their custom pita or arepas, the plaintains looked amazing and the empanadas tasted great. Fried but not dripping in oil. My cachapa was huge. The cheese was delicious, although falafel was not the best combination. I prefer them more... hashbrowny than pancakey so I've had better. The entire order was less than $50 for a ridiculous amount of food... and that wasn't even with the Yelp check-in discount. Great deal for lots of variety. read more

Not impressed here we stopped in and got 3 ground beef empanadas and 2 guava empanadas. We waited and waited for them. The sauce with the beef empanadas wasn't very good. Maybe I am not used to Venezuelan food. The empanadas seem to be made from masa mix very thick and heavy. The guava was just sweet masa hardly any of the delicious guava flavor. They tasted like sweet tamales. I am used to flour empanadas. Well I just don't care for them. I watched them make many sandwiches out of pita Bread, because we waited so long the people seem nice. I don't think I will be back, I may try something else there. read more

Read the good reviews and wanted to come in because I love Lebanese. I had the Lebanese special and my friend had the Venezuelan. The gyro was fresh and tasty and so was the pulled beef. The sandwiches were approx. 7 dollars each which is a steal for the quality they give you. Only reason I gave four and not five stars is because there was only one person making the sandwiches and so it took some 10 minutes to take our order even though there was no line read more

Simply amazing food ! Excelente costumer service ! Super fresh Venezuelan and Lebanese food

Stopped by because I had a big craving for falafel. The staff didn't really seem to know what was going on, they just stood around for several minutes waiting on something (no idea what though) before acknowledging customers. Then they sent the customer behind me to the checkout line before I went, even though my food was done first. Overall very disorganized. Most of the food was just alright. Falafel was good though. read more

They're in my rotation of quality snackeries. Highly recommend the Venezuelan pita and chicken empanadas!

Honestly, an amazing place. It's counter service with a family style touch. The staff is incredibly friendly and actually took time to talk with us after we ate. The food is the definition of home cooked with everything on the menu leaving you satisfied. If you've never eaten Venezuelan or Lebanese food, I highly encourage you to try this hidden gem!! Recommend ordering the Venezuelan Arepa! read more

Such amazing food!!! I had the falafel pita and it was one of the best things I've eaten. If you never been here, definitely try it out. I can't speak highly enough about there food! read more

These guys are the real deal!!! We order through Uber Eats exclusively when we want some yummy hummus plates and empanadas. We've gotten..ohhh I'd say...about 10 different meals etc from here and they are all fantastic! I did get the wrong empanada delivered twice, not the biggest deal but may update my review if it happens a 3rd time. Can't deny how good the food is though so I've overlooked it to this point. Today I got lunch delivered and the driver from Uber Eats forgot the pita chips with the hummus plates. (Cuz what's the point without the chips right?!) Are Pitas totally made it right...they sent someone down with the chips to right the wrong. They are sweet people that believe in quality food and service. read more

This is a great place to grab a quick bite for lunch. The Venezuelan Arepa was excellent. Passion fruit juice was really good too. Fries were just ok. Friendly staff. read more

Are Pitas - Venezuelan Arepa - 5 stars, excellent! Fries were ok. - Lebanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Arepitas is without a doubt my favorite restaurant in the USF area. I've been several times, and each time I've visited I've been impressed. The food comes out piping hot, so fresh, and perfectly seasoned. I would recommend the arepa (either with shredded beef or chicken) with tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and their special sauce. The empanadas, guava and cheese tequenos, and fries are also winners. I love you Arepitas! read more

Are Pitas - Fish Empanada - Lebanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I love this place. It's very close to where I work, and as a result I stop by very frequently for lunch or a quick cappuccino. A good choice for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. I also order the Lebanese plate with domino empanadas and yuca, but I my coworkers rave about the steak arepa. read more

This place is so slept on. Mom and Pop shop, extremely fresh foods and priced well! They have house made juices and international beverages as well! Try the green sauce! read more

okay HIDDEN GEM in Tampa if you have not been here yet and are questioning it DON'T, JUST GO!! I almost always get the falafel pita and they make them FRESH like hot out of the fryer have to wait a few minutes fresh!! and you have to get the green sauce don't ask what is in it bc it's magic!!! But also the chicken shawarma is v good too and again green sauce is crucial! Staff is also incredibly nice they are always smiling always happy makes you feel like you are coming home read more