Been wanting to try Desert Rose for a while - so we went for lunch. My spouse has a bunch of dietary restrictions and we let the individual at the counter know - and he said quite directly that was their specialty. And he was right. He and my wife talked and she ended up with hummus with mushrooms, slaw and cucumber slices while I had the chicken Shawarma sandwich. Both were delicious and the portions were large enough we made 2 meals out of the food. I asked for a drink with a cup of ice cream- they don't have ice cream- so he left the restaurant and came back with a cup of ice. They couldn't have been more friendly and knowledgeable. My spouse takes to the chef about the ingredients in the slaw and hummus and was very pleasantly surprised that there is no mayo in the restaurant and no oils in the hummus. Everything is made fresh. Prices were appropriate. We will be back! read more

Desert Rose - Hummus with mushrooms, slaw and cucumber slices - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

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The food smell hits you as soon as you walk in (not a bad smell though!). Ordered the grilled beef kebab platter and the chicken shawarma. The grilled beef was good at first, but then when it cooled, it tasted really dry, almost even rubbery. Even though the hummus surrounding it was flavorful, it was tough to eat. The chicken was a little overcooked on the shawarma, but the shawarma was a good large portion, which is always a plus. Service was friendly! You have to lowkey walk through the kitchen to get to the single bathroom which is interesting. read more

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On my way home from work yesterday I decided to give a local restaurant a try. It was well worth judging through the rain. I'm still drooling thinking about the incredible chicken shawarma and falafel..... I devoured it. The chicken was so tender and the hummus is delicious. The flavors were out of this world. I did take out and it was fantastic service from the friendly staff, especially the young person at the counter. read more

I made the mistake of thinking a Mediterranean restaurant wouldn't make a great steak sandwich, let alone chicken. I was beyond surprised when we got both steak and chicken sandwiches. So much flavor!! I got the buffalo chicken cheeesesteak and devoured every bite! Just the right amount of kick and the chicken was so tender! Keep doing what you're doing! read more

Ok, I have to admit that my rating has gone up and down for the Desert Rose. We walked into this COUNTER SERVICE ONLY LIMITED SEATING TAKE OUT joint in the midst of Media on one of the hottest days of the year! It felt like we were in a desert but the reviews were appealing so our group, which included my 88 year old mother-in-law made a collective decision that the menu had plenty of appeal. And, then as we walked in it was as if we were in a heat reversal chamber because the DESERT ROSE true to its name was not air conditioned with the limited comfort gently breezing down at us from ceiling fans. If you made a decision to not move a muscle you were comfortable sort of in the midst of this desert where there is NO TABLE SERVICE ... LIMITED SEATING ... and NO AIR CONDITIONING. I know I kept glancing across the street at a new restaurant that clearly had plenty of seating and I would guess it also had enough air conditioning to keep the five of us cool, which these ceiling fans were challenged to do. Frankly, I have a problem with any establishment that insists on charging people for water. You have a tap ... your very presence in the food business implies you care about your customers and I am sure that you know how to open the tap to pour out cold water. Our group went for the bottled water and a couple of us chose the sparkling water, which by the way was priced extremely reasonably perhaps making up for insisting that the water drinkers pay for a bottle that is not only bad for the environment but a slap in every customer's direction. But, you may have noticed the number of stars for this review. SURPRISED after all of my criticism? I know I am ... I do admit this came close to slipping to THREE STARS but the food was soooooooooooooooooo good and those pita-based sandwiches were soooooooooooooo large and yummy with plenty of flavor (Not sure what that other reviewer had to eat because each of us commented on how flavorful our choices were.). We had one order of CHICKEN SHAWARMA (After being allowed to take a bite I wish there had been two orders not that I wasn't happy with my choice but the chicken danced on the palette with various spices sending happy signals.); three orders of the SABICH that resulted in thumbs up from all diners amidst their sweat (Did I mention the lack of air conditioning but then again this is Middle Eastern/desert eating and it's hot there too.), and I went for the Red Falafel that I absolutely enjoyed. HUGE SANDWICHES on homemade pita ... get a fork and napkins (Good sandwiches always require napkins after all.) and you don't really need a side dish but you will get messy. Service was what you would expect from COUNTER SERVICE ONLY but our food was brought to the table so perhaps that's the bonus half star that raised the review to a FOUR. So, DO NOT PLAN TO EAT INSIDE the DESERT ROSE. If you are coming from the theatre like we were but unlike us you are wearing theatre clothing ... well, skip this place because you will get messy. On any hot hot day definitely don't eat inside. But, if you are looking for superb TAKE OUT in Media PA this is definitely one of the best choices you can make!! My 88 year old mother-in-law enjoyed herself and since she is from Florida ... she didn't mind the heat like we did. Oh, by the way, it's great when you are honored by magazines and outside organizations. The Desert Rose truly is special but when the honors were given a decade or so ago perhaps it's time to stop making out like you have just been honored. The BEST of PHILLY in 2013 has little or actually no relevance to diners in 2022 and even receiving the BEST of the BEST honor from County Lines Magazine in 2015 only tells us that 7 years ago someone noticed. We are glad we noticed the DESERT ROSE but next time we will plan an OUTDOOR picnic rather than considering eating in what is truly a COUNTER SERVICE location with limited seating and no air conditioning! read more

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Phenomenal every time. Our favorite takeout spot thanks to the pita sandwiches and hummus.

Food is outstanding. I have been coming here for years and the food is consistently great. If you enjoy Mediterranean or middle eastern food, don't miss this restaurant. I work in downtown Media and ever since I discovered Desert Rose, I have not eaten anywhere else in Media when I need to buy lunch. I grew up on middle eastern food and have been hard pressed to find really tasty middle eastern food in the US unless I make it myself. So it was a real joy to find Desert Rose. read more

Haven't been there in several years as don't get into Media. Big mistake. Food is tasty, attractive, good portions. The Desert Rose Chicken Shawarma was excellent. The owner and server were very friendly, enthusiastic about their menu and the Cuisine. Were on point for making sure we were ok. Will now make every effort to return and explore the menu. read more

Love Love Love this place!!! The food and service is always amazing!!! I must say you have the coziest bathroom! And I Love the new Look!!!

Different cheesesteak #1094 in the last five years. I was watching my video and remembering how much I loved this cheesesteak. Then I saw my receipt, $15.95. 9' inch cheesesteak. Now if I was with someone that really wanted to have dinner in Media, this would be my place. It is BYOB so I could save a few bucks there. As far as a cheesesteak, it was very good. It was very well made. All the pieces worked well together. Something gave it a flavor boost. Guest eater Spunky D thought it was the fried onions. read more

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Do not come here in a rush! Everything is cooked to order and you must allow extra time - which for us was worth it. 2 pita sandwiches (One Sabich and One Falafel) to go took 25 minutes and ran close to $27. Nothing is cheap these days - but the quality here is wonderful. Big stuffed pitas with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage slaw and amba. Luscious char-grilled eggplant. Classic Sabich and so tasty! Again - slow service but worth the wait. read more

Needs flavor. Not worth the money! I had the chicken shawarma and it was not good. Not going back here

Wow. Just, wow. We found ourselves in Media and relied on reviews to find somewhere for lunch. We totally lucked out!. This is a wonderful place. The environment is relaxing. The staff is accommodating and professional. The food was incredible. I am a huge fan of felafel. Desert Rose offers both traditional and red felafel, with added red pepper and harissa. We tried both and were quiet impressed. The chicken shawarma was very good as well. For an appetizer we had the muhammara which was excellent. The pita was the best I've ever had. We finished with baklava, which they ship in from a killer bakery in Michigan, Masri. Needless to say, we have now added this place to our list of favorites. We will be visiting again and again. read more

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Best Salad I've had in a while (and I'm from California) I was on my way home from work and needed a quick bite to eat and found Desert Rose doing a quick Google search and was NOT disappointed in fact I was THOROUGHLY impressed. I got a pear walnut feta salad added chicken and it was one of the best salads I've ever had. The meat is VERY high quality and the flavor is incredible and the portions are HUGE. The service is fantastic and the pita was the softest most delicious pita I've ever had. I wish I could give them 6 stars. If you're looking for great takeout Mediterranean in a perfect location in downtown Media.... GO HERE!!!!!!! A+ read more

Desert Rose - Salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

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Great food and service. Love the owner. Always fresh and delicious. I highly recommend Desert Rose. Make sure to bring your favorite beverage since it's BYOB. read more

Did takeout. Food was excellent. I was still eating my Greek salad three days later and it was still great! Humus was the best ever. Desert Rose chicken huge and delicious. read more

I have been to desert rose in media several times and I love it. Admittedly I have only ever ordered the spicy chicken shawarma over hummus with cucumber/tomato salad and pita. It is a fantastic dish! For $17 you get a meal that could feed 2 people, it is a huge portion. Definitely a place worth checking out. read more

Desert Rose - Spicy Shawarma Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

Went for Valentines 2024 and it was an unbelievably unique, fantastic, savory experience. The Prix Fix was super. Service was excellent as always. read more

Desert Rose - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

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No ambiance, the floors were filthy, not Sure why we stayed just looking at the place. Slow service and not friendly, aggressive actually. The food was mundane. Ordered warm Hummus, it wasn't warm. Ordered a sprite, it was a warm can with a glass and no ice. The worst part was the cook's fowl language, they were so loud it was offensive. Not a good vibe at all and the food was nothing special. read more

Delicious food!!! Had the portobello sandwich and it was the best sandwich I've had in years. So fresh and cooked to order. I had half for lunch and took the rest home for dinner. Great friendly staff and owner. Don't miss this place. read more

Fresh and delicious hummus and falafel. The stuffed grape leaves were some of the best I've ever had in the U.S. I'm excited to go back.

We tried with this place twice but each time they prioritize mobile orders to the point where there were the last time we went there were three parties in the restaurant TOTAL and we didn't get a waiter to come by in the first 25 minutes! We just walked out as they continued to take carry out orders on the phone. Great food once you get it an hour later lol read more

My husband and I were celebrating our anniversary in media and decided to try this Mediterranean restaurant due to all the positive reviews. I was surprised when we received our food. To be honest, it was very disappointing. All the food was underwhelming, bland, and had little flavor including the pita, cucumber tomato salad, hummus and chicken. I was looking forward to the usual garlicky Mediterranean flavors with herbs and spices... Unfortunately the salad and the hummus had almost zero taste. It definitely needed more spices, and some basics of salt and pepper. I will not come here again. The only thing that was good was the customer service. The young man who took the orders and packed the food was very nice and friendly. read more

Desert Rose - Tomato Cucumber Salad, Chicken Shawarma Platter, pita - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

We ordered takeout from here... You know that feeling of buyer's remorse? Yeah we had it that night, considering how bad the food was and how expensive it was. Restaurants are always over-priced in Media - a lot of wealthy people in the neighborhood and I really don't think they have a high standard for international food. I seriously need to abandon ordering from Media restaurants. The chicken was so dry, I thought I was eating chicken flavored jasmine rice. The lamb was just a little bit better, but for god's sake, that's lamb! It's supposed to be tender and full of animal fat! Flavor wise, I couldn't even remember the flavor, plain was probably the word for it. read more

Starving I grabbed desert rose I said I have 10 mins to eat I have a meeting he brought food out in 30 seconds lol. Incredibly fresh and crisp schwarma platter, A+++++++ service read more

Came in here on a Wednesday afternoon because the wonderful aroma had caught my attention as I was walking pass by. Greeted by a possitively energetic server immediately and I had the option of being seated anywhere I wanted to. Decisions... Decisions... I was recommended the chicken shwarma platter & the mint tea. OMG! The settled flavors had somehow become very overwhelming for me. "Got my eyes rolling to the back of my head" kind of good. I will be returning again due to the wonderful service and awesomely delightful food. read more

Desert Rose - Chicken shwarma platter & the mint tea was absolutely delicious and refreshing. - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

the shawarma was completely dry and tasteless. the hummus had literally no flavor. it had the consistency of some sort of baby food mushed beans and the lack of flavor to match. the pita seemed like the wonder bread of pitas. i've never had worse mediterranean food in my life. never again. read more

This unfortunately will be a mixed review. We're very familiar with Media, PA., but we were driving through, wanted to have a late lunch & saw this place on Yelp, with decent reviews. We pulled up in front of what looked almost closed. We had problems with new parking meters & we were met by a nearby buisness owner who helped out & when we asked, said "the food is great here". So I poked my head inside, no one around, but a lady from behind a curtain said "yes, we're open". I really was very hesitant to pursue, but we did. We were the only 2 customers. I have to be honest, the place looked very run down & not well maintained. We were obviously seated quickly by the owner who was absolutely friendly & pleasant. We asked for water, which she brought us an open carafe of water that after seeing greasy hand/finger marks all over carafe we decided not to drink the water. I did a scan of my surroundings & I asked my wife not look look around too much. There was heavy dust & cobwebs on all the wall decor, fans, etc. I asked where restrooms were, I was told "go thru the curtain, straight back, door on the right. Omg! I actually walked through the blue curtains strung across midway of dining area with rope, walked right through the small kitchen, food prep areas, to a small door & into a dark little room (bathroom). I found & flipped the light switch , but no light, like a little cave. I called out to I guy cooking for light, he says, "she told me there's push lights on shelf". As I turned back in, I used my cell ph. flashlight to find...several of those cheap, little round push button closet lights lying on wood shelf & on sink. After leaving creepy bathroom, walking back thru the area that they prep & cook the food, I could only hope & pray it wouldn't get any worse. After getting back to our table, we asked for another beverage, we chose a can of Pellegrino. The cans she brought had chunks of dirt & dust on tops, so I politely asked her to please wash the cans. The whole time I'm replaying what the person outside told us. "Oh my goodness please let us get sick"! Ok, we ordered Muhammara that was very fresh & delicious. We then had 1 Chicken Shawarma Platter & 1 Spicy Chicken Shawarma Platter w/hummus, that was also very good. You get a lot on your plate. Their house pita are very fresh & fluffy. Yes...the food here was very good, but, if you don't mind the untidiness & the obviously run down conditions, I would recommended, probably takeout. If this place was cleaner & fixed up, I would've given 4 stars easily. read more

Desert Rose is a Delco/Media treasure that consistently serves up supremely fresh, tasty middle eastern food. During Covid, this has become one our staples for high quality and healthy takeout. Family-owned and run, you can't go wrong here, but our faves are the spicy chicken shawarma and eggplant hummus (wonderfully smoky slightly charred with a perfect poached egg atop creamy hummus) platters. We love the spicy carrot slaw and beet salad sides too!!! Thx Desert Rose!! read more

What happens when a chef with an Irish surname and Israeli heritage raised in Media trains as a French Chef, works all over the world, then returns home to open a Mediterranean restaurant with his israeli born and raised wife? Magic. That's what happens. Faithful Dining Companion and I stopped in to Desert Rose after consulting once again this marvelous Yelp Community via our iPhone App (I am beginning to have, er, feelings for this app, by the way). We were a little concerned because of the "And Market" name, wondering if we were going to be eating in a mediterranean grocery store with a few tables crammed in for show. It is, in fact, the opposite. There is almost no 'market', just one small stand with potato chips and rose water and such. The space is mostly made up of about 24 two and four top tables, an open kitchen and a draped off back prep area. As we were there at an 'off time' we were the only diners there. They're BYOB and don't charge a 'corking' fee either. (NOTE: I see lots of references in other reviews to "plastic tableware" - it appears this has been remedied as we were given traditional metal table ware - just FYI for others who come after us). We ordered the Chicken Shwarma and the red Falafel platters with hummus and tomato/cucumber salad and also and entree sized Greek Salad that we split. Warning: Platters and salads are very generously sized. Come hungry or be a competitive eater if you expect to eat all of what we ordered. The Greek Salad is served very much like what I've had in the Med - lots of chopped green and red peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, small chunks of feta, and some parsley. No lettuce. Nice flavor to the salad, FDC thought it was fab, I think Emid at Aroma in Valley Forge has an edge here as his gets that salty/savory balance down just a smidge better. It still rocks the house, just failed to capture my heart. Chicken Shawarma was yum! Very good, nice balance of flavors. Again, I think Emid has a slight edge here personally. Red Falafel balls were perfectly cooked in a pot NOT DEEP FRIED which was fantastic by the way. Deep frying falafel you never get it cooked right, always turns out overcooked on the outside and mushy inside. Now, here's what sets Desert Rose apart IMHO: Fresh baked, as in not more than 15 minutes old, soft and spongy pita rounds. Chef-Owner Jason McHugh had some time (as we were the only diners right then) to chat with us. He told us he has the dough imported from a bakery in Israel once a week to NYC, where he then pays a driver to bring the shipment to his restaurant in Media. He had a special oven imported as well and bakes the pita to order. That's a Chef who loves the food he's making, people. It shows in everything we ate, and it's what creates food magic. I know there are some who read this who think pita bread should be stiffer, not soft or spongy, and I respect your view point. Pita is one of those food items that people approach differently. What I like about this pita is that it enrobes the food, enhances it, rather than demanding recognition itself. To me, that's good bread, be it pita for mediterranean, italian, french, whatever. Bread should support and enhance the meal. This pita does. Jason was lovely to speak with, and as a matter of pride and delight in our enthusiasm for what he crafts, he shared with us a sample, totally unsolicited, of his braised short ribs "To show that I really am a French-trained Chef". Yes, indeed, he is, because those short ribs are a love poem to the carnivore. Tender, falling apart on your fork, with a sweet, tangy, complex sauce. We loved lunch so much we brought takeout home so that the Rev. Dr. Steak, Pastor Baby Back Ribs and the Young Un's could enjoy as well. Everything was packed well, with careful instructions given. The short ribs were devoured with happy carnivore noises (make an awesome sandwich with that fresh pita bread by the way) as were the variety of salads and the chicken shawarma. Desert Rose, you served us a fresh, complex, delicious meal that communicated to us your love of mediterranean food. There's not much better than a chef creating what they love and serving it to others. You rock. read more

Desert Rose - Faithful Dining Companion gives the freshly baked Pita a big "Thumbs Up" - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

Owner threatened me when I asked him why my delivery didn't contain half of the items I ordered. No refund provided. He just said it wasn't his problem. Also the food is overrated and overpriced. Cheap knock off of middle eastern food made my disgusting people. read more

Great local little restaurant. I came here because its close to home and my wife and I wanted something healthy yet delicious. This place was great! They ran out of sharwma (bummer), but the rest of the menu was available. Lamb chunks platter - they cooked this perfectly. It was an amazing char to the outside, and was beyond tender on the inside. The seasoning was also very very good. The lamb didn't taste gamey, so this place definitely did it right! I ordered this with the spicey carrot slaw. I wasn't a huge fan of it. I felt it needed more spice or something. It tasted just a little too bland for me Pear Salad - I'm not a big fan of arugula, but man, did they do this salad right. They had a perfect balance of the nuts, cheese, dressing, and onions. My wife and I were only planning on eating half of it, but it was so good, we finished the whole thing. I'm sure my wife wanted to lick the plate... Overall - I will most likely be back and try their sharwma next time. read more

Just ordered early takeout for Valentine's to avoid any crowds. Also called to give feedback. One of the most uninspired meals I've had there. No flavor. No taste at all. We ordered 2 Schwarma platters. I could taste the grill burn on the chicken more than anything else. The hummus had zero flavor. It's a shame. I used to love your food read more

My friend suggested we meet in Media to try this place for lunch, and I'm glad we did. It's Middle Eastern cooking, but the menu, while it has some of the classics one expects at a place serving cuisine from this part of the world, also has "road less traveled" choices that I appreciated. The place is small and cute--to get to the bathroom, you have to pass through the edge of the kitchen area, so you can see them making things by hand (as they should be). Service is friendly and casual, though it could be a little more polished (don't clear my friend's plate while I'm still eating, and if you see that we've gone through our water pitcher, bring us another). While my friend opted for a spicy chicken shawarma (which wasn't that spicy, he said, though he liked it), I decided to try the harissa-sauced short ribs. They arrived, a generous portion of tender short ribs, atop a bed of hummus, with a salad of tomato and cucumber next to it, and two fluffy pitas completing the row of food. It was one of the more artistic looking plates of Middle Eastern cooking I've seen, especially at this moderate price point. The short ribs were tender, though they could have spent more time in the harissa BBQ sauce (which had more of a harissa-ketchup vibe to me), which would have rendered them more moist--they were so-so in that regard. Still very good, and they paired well with the hummus. The hummus itself was tasty, though I think it needed a hair more salt. The salad was delicious and refreshing and struck just the right note, and the pita was fluffy, fresh and yummy. All in all, while there are definitely some things on which they can improve, Desert Rose is definitely a big plus for Media, and I'd happily return. read more

Desert Rose - Short ribs in a harissa BBQ sauce with salad, hummus and pita. - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

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Outstanding food. My new go to for Mediterranean food. Excellent service and the staff was very accommodating.

I ordered a few dinners for take out this past weekend and everything was exceptional. I find that ordering takeout elsewhere sometimes can leave you with a bland meal or not a full portion size and that is most certainly not the case here. The quality of the food was excellent. The portions were very generous and the flavor in the food was just as good as if you were dining in. We got two short rib platters, a chicken shawarma platter, and the desert rose sandwich. We also got a side of pita and labneh. Everything was so flavorful, but the short rib was hands down the best. The service was also wonderful on the phone and upon picking up. Very friendly and happy to answer any questions we had about the menu. Everyone was wearing masks for those that are curious. read more

I'm sorry to say, but we just had a very bad experience at dinner tonight . The grill was only about 20' away from us and the person making the cheesesteaks was very loud with his tools. When me mentioned something to our waiter about the noise, because we couldn't hear each other talk, the noise got even louder with the."chef"! banging his tools on the grill to the point where we had to wrap up dinner and leave read more

Based on delivery only. Really like a 4.3 but I rounded up to boost their overall rating. Greek Salad: best ever!!!! Omg I'm addicted. It's literally perfect. Tomato Soup: was ok. A bit oily. Eggplant & warm hummus platter: very good and different! Runny egg yolk - yummmm. Chicken Shwarma: good but I was slightly disappointed (not as good as my fave place in LA- perhaps unfair to compare). But don't get me wrong it was very good. Pita: someone said in their review it's store bought - I'd like them to tell me what store I can buy pita like this at! Lol. It was very good! Beet salad: super yummy (yellow beets !) Tomato & cuke side that comes w platter - blah!! But it is April, so neither tomato nor cuke season. Tip: all those dishes ordered and only 1 pita so be sure to select or ask for extra pita. I will def be ordering again, was a bit pricey for all those things but still very yummy. read more

We had takeout from Desert Rose; it was great. Generous portions of delicious hummus and various tasty meats. I particularly liked the mixed olive appetizer. read more

Their meals always delight. I love that they have so many gluten free and dairy-free options. Their hummus bowls with falafel are delicious and very filling, and they also have cucumber slices on the side as an alternative for bread. The serving sizes are good and filling. I just wish they were open for indoor seating! Also make sure to be patient when calling; sometimes it takes quite a few rings to answer. read more