Golden Pockets

First of all, the shawarma is pretty good! It was juicy and the chicken and the beef were tasty. He…read moreallowed me to taste both the meat before placing the order it was exactly how a shawarma would taste. It was saucy and crispy all at the same time and the flavors just mixed in really well The owner of the restaurant is really friendly and even provided me with some baklava's at the end. I forgot to get my receipt and the owner was kind enough to just send it over to me next day after a phone call. Really top notch customer service in that aspect. They've been in the block for 7 years now and I can see why. The ratings on this place definitely did not disappoint. Suggestions would be to have provide fries or even have the option of fries.

Rating: 4.5 Came to…read morestop by for dinner on the way back from Vermont. The place has good reviews so decided to try it. It's a middle eastern restaurant primarily serves shawarma and other middle eastern cuisines. It's located next to a college building. Parkings are street only. Once we parked on the street we walked over to the restaurant. Inside is spacious pretty clean and there are quite a bit of tables and chairs. We went up to the counter to place orders. I got mixed shawarma plate and baklava. I wanted to try their mango lassi but they were out. The shawarma plate came with choice of rice or mujadara which is a lentil mixed with other vegetables. I got rice with it and it comes with chicken and beef shawarma, rice, salad, pita bread, hummus, garlic sauce and baba ghanoush. The salad, rice, pita bread, and shawarma were ok. Shawarma may have been better if it was earlier during the day as they would be fresher. The stars of the show were the sauces. Hummus, baba ghanoush and garlic sauce were all excellent. Mixing the sauce elevated the shawarma to the next level. Baklava was delicious as well. Not too sweet and that nutty flavor comes out strong. Service was good and staffs were friendly. The dish came out within about 10 minutes or so Overall it's a pretty good shawarma spot. If i were to come back i would see if they would allow substitution with salad for more rice and sauces on top instead of side so that i can have more rice and meat. I've had better quality shawarma but sauces were excellent.

Meats nomnom

Mezze Platter for 1 and a lime chicken soup

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Wow! ...Every time I eat here the food is amazing. This is the chicken and beef shawarma plate.

Afia’s Kitchen

5.0(2 reviews)

0.1 mi

We love Afia's kitchen. Their hummus is delicious! We often get their falafel platter, and it's big…read moreenough for two people. Some things we love are their grape leaves and their rice and meatballs. We get their food at least once a week. The woman at the stand is always so kind and welcoming. The place is clean and gloves are always used when handling food. I highly recommend you try this place for some delicious middle eastern food!

Delicious meal! The stuffed grape leaves, baba ganoush and hummus were exceptional. So excited this…read morerestaurant opened in Worcester Public Market. Can't wait to go back.

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Aladdin

4.4(40 reviews)

1.0 mi

One of the most authentic and tasty places. They are truly Iraqi style fast food and cuisine. What…read morethat means is that the concept of Mediterranean cuisine is a universal flavor or style. Each nation has their own way of creating amazing dishes and this place knocks it out of the ball park when it comes to Iraqi Mediterranean food. The bread is made fresh, everything is cooked on the spot and sometime they do run out of stuff, that's how good this place is!

Aladdin is one of the few places in the area that serves mediterranean food, as far as I know. I…read morefelt like going against the grain of our usual asian vs italian vs american food delivery that we usually do and try to spice things up a little with some falafel and hummus. Enter Aladdin. Their menu includes appetizers, sandwiches, and platters. The appetizer menu has the usuals like fries and wings with some ethnic extras like samosas and hummus. Sandwich menu has many kebabs, shawarma, with vegetarian options like falafel and veggie mix. They also have a menu where you can get most of the sandwiches in platter form. I ordered the Iraqi famous veggie mix meal and Tina threw down a falafel sandwich. We added an order of fries and samosas. Their hummus is amazing. Closest I've had to authentic hummus in a long time. I didn't order a side order and I deeply regret it. Tempted to order delivery from here again just so I can order that hummus and bathe in it. The falafel is also very good. I have come across a wide variety of falafel textures and this one is more along the lines of floury rather than chickpea/grainy. They were crisp on the outside and hearty on the inside. They tasted excellent. Regarding the Iraqi famous veggie mix meal, the menu states "falafel, hand cut fried potatoes, eggplant, and samosa, comes with hummus, baba ganoush, and amba". What I actually received was a bunch of falafel, eggplant, a little container of hummus, iceberg lettuce, tomato, pickles, and banana peppers. There were zero "hand cut fried potatoes", no samosas, no baba ganoush, and no amba. Disappointing. Tina's falafel sandwich was also supposed to have "special sauce and amba or hummus". There was no sauce. Otherwise, the sandwich looked amazing. The samosas we received with our order of the appetizer were really good and stuffed with potato filling. They also included a few pieces of their Iraqi bread which was HUGE, soft, warm, and perfect to dip into the hummus. If you're in need of bread, I'd order their side of this bread which comes with 10 pieces. The prices were very reasonable but I wish they were more accurate with the menu.

Fresh Kebabs over the grill, served with tomato.

Chicken Kebab Platter served with bread and hummus.

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Fresh out the oven! Ready to be on your plate.

Bahnan's Bakery

4.5(97 reviews)

1.1 mi

First time visitor and YUM! We had the beef-lamb shawarma and the chicken shawarma and damn do the…read moreflavors pop! So juicy and tasty then you add the garlic sauce and it's out of this world. Super nice people too. Highly recommended.

Stopped by for a quick treat and ended up leaving with more than i planned. Everything looked…read moreamazing and tasted just as good:)

Portions are plentiful and the food is super fresh and delicious.

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AAAAAAMAZING COOKIES

Baystate Cafe & Market

4.1(131 reviews)

0.1 mi

The ingredients tasted fresh and everything looked well prepared. I also appreciated how welcoming…read morethe staff were when we came in. You can tell they care about the food and customer experience. Great place for a quick breakfast or brunch with friends.

Quality is terrible. This place used to be called baystate shawarma it was sold in early 2025 and…read moreit's awful. The flavors of the meats & rice are bland I'll never go back.

Family dining area

1/2 Za'atar & 1/2 Cheese Pie

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Groceries

Fattoush Grill & Bakery

4.5(146 reviews)

9.2 mi

I'd never really had Syrian food before, and I was blown away by the flavors and portion sizes. I…read moreordered both the whole chicken plate and a muhmmara pie, and I had enough food for probably 3 meals! Keep in mind that if you order the whole chicken plate, you need to place your order at least 45 minutes in advance for them to prepare it, but it's 1000% worth it. Whole Chicken Plate - I think this is actually a Cornish game hen rather than a really small chicken, and it was so perfectly juicy and fresh tasting. Ordering takeout chicken is especially risky of being dry, but this was juicy and cooked to perfection. The spices on the chicken had just the right amount of kick, and the nuts and the rice were seasoned perfectly. I'd eat just the rice without the meat too - it was that good! Side of Mutabal - I had never had this before, but it was so so so so good! It had a sort of creamy texture to it (maybe yogurt?) and it was so rich and satisfying. I'm also a fan of baba ganoush but this takes eggplant to another level - I'm going to have to order this again and again and even look up a recipe to make at home. Absolutely recommend this gem of a side! Muhmmara pie - This was the one dish that was just okay - the pepper paste was good, but I was expecting a different kind of carb wrapping - the photos I'd seen look a bit different - this was more of a pita with the pepper spread on it and folded in half. I'd like to try again to see if it's the same thing as the other pictures on yelp or if perhaps the "pie" part of this was just different this particular day. All in all though, this was a solid 5/5. The whole chicken plate was perfect and I'd get it again with the mutabal any day!

I had a truly memorable meal at Fattoush many years ago and I was very excited to return for some…read moretake-out. Unfortunately, this latest meal was simply terrible. I remembered previously ordering a Chicken Shawarma Plate. That is now in the "Specialties" section of the menu and that's what I ordered expecting to get the same plate of delicious chicken, rice, salad and hummus. I was shocked that this $20 "Specialty" consisted of a dry chicken wrap, french fries, some sort of yogurt dip and AWFUL, salty pickled vegetables. The fries were good but you don't go to a specialty Mediterranean place to get fries with a meal described as a plate. Apparently, you can no longer get a true plate of chicken shawarma with rice here. I do plan to return again some day and try the Kofta Kebab or Mixed Grill Plate from the "Entree" section since these still come with rice but everyone should be avoiding the "Specialties" plates as these are poorly executed and severely overpriced. Regardless of what you are ordering, I would highly recommend calling in your order to confirm exactly what you are going to get with your order since the online menus have no details whatsoever.

Chicken Shawarma Sandwich with fries, Mixed Grill Plate with hummus and garlic hummus, Fattoush Salad, Meza Sampler

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The Halal Guys

4.2(45 reviews)

2.7 mi

So I've been here before and the food is absolutely fantastic but unfortunately I have to give them…read morea low score due to the bad customer service that I received I only give a business one shot to give me bad service and after that I do not spend my money there anymore

Can always count on the Halal Guys to fill you up with tasty food for a reasonable price! There's…read moreplenty of middle eastern spots in the area but this spot is the best to get your bang for your buck. Great for takeout but there is seating available inside. There's ample parking outside as well. Service is exceptionally fast!

Interior upon entering. More seating then I expected.

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Uptowne Mediterranean Restaurant

4.5(256 reviews)

6.5 mi

This place really fell short for me…read more I was very excited to try, but I was left unsatisfied. The food is okay, the rice & meat lack flavor, and the amount of rice you get versus meat is obscured.... we paid $60 for two platters and fries. The fries were soggy and from frozen. The pita was paper thin and flavorless. I really really wanted to like this place, they seem to care about their food but I just can't get over how much flavor was lacking - I had to add my own hot sauce to save the meal. The inside of the restaurant desperately needs a revamp. The service was excellent and quick. I will not be back, there was no stand out and it was way too expensive for both the quality and quantity of food.

Wonderful owners food is excellent and ambience +++. Going there for years and never disappointedread more

Batata Harra

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Pickles, turnip, olives, garlic

Golden House Grill

3.9(15 reviews)

3.0 mi

Located in the plaza of Bob's Discount Furniture in Worcester, the Golden House Grill is an oasis…read morethat is worth discovering. It is possible that the ambiance will cause you to halt when you first come in because it is somewhat humble and bare-bones, but you should not let this discourage you. The service is always attentive and courteous, and there is plenty of space available, particularly to accommodate families near the front of the establishment. Despite the fact that it took some time to make, the chicken mandi that I ordered was served scorching hot, fresh, and well worth the wait. The chicken mandi is made with halal meat. I added some heat to it by using the sauces and spicy sauce that were provided, which really brought out the true tastes of the dish. Do not pass up the opportunity to indulge in genuine Middle Eastern cuisine in Worcester; this restaurant is not to be missed!

Food was amazing! We had the lamb kebobs. The lamb was so tender and delicious. The sides of…read morehummus, salad, rice all stood on their own as excellent. Portions are large. The space is very cool. We stumbled upon this place on a road trip. Highly recommend!

Mediterranean restaurants

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4 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Robin R.

3

53

9

3 years ago

Closed now. COVID knocked them out. Too bad for diners in the area. Table 12 is next door and from what i hear they offer a good alternative. read more

Jan N.

0

5

0

2 years ago

Best shawarma in Worcester! Their chat service is always amazing never treated rude for asking about the different menu options.

Dan D.

0

2

0

1 year ago

food was just amazing, my family and I will certainly be back. Outdoor area is pretty cool.

Félix J.

0

1

0

5 years ago

they didn't put napkins on me. but it is my favorite restaurant. it's very good..

Golden Pockets - halal - Updated September 2026

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Bahnan's Bakery

4.5

(97 reviews)

First time visitor and YUM! We had the beef-lamb shawarma and the chicken shawarma and damn do the…read moreflavors pop! So juicy and tasty then you add the garlic sauce and it's out of this world. Super nice people too. Highly recommended.

Stopped by for a quick treat and ended up leaving with more than i planned. Everything looked…read moreamazing and tasted just as good:)

Golden House Grill

3.9

(15 reviews)

Located in the plaza of Bob's Discount Furniture in Worcester, the Golden House Grill is an oasis…read morethat is worth discovering. It is possible that the ambiance will cause you to halt when you first come in because it is somewhat humble and bare-bones, but you should not let this discourage you. The service is always attentive and courteous, and there is plenty of space available, particularly to accommodate families near the front of the establishment. Despite the fact that it took some time to make, the chicken mandi that I ordered was served scorching hot, fresh, and well worth the wait. The chicken mandi is made with halal meat. I added some heat to it by using the sauces and spicy sauce that were provided, which really brought out the true tastes of the dish. Do not pass up the opportunity to indulge in genuine Middle Eastern cuisine in Worcester; this restaurant is not to be missed!

Food was amazing! We had the lamb kebobs. The lamb was so tender and delicious. The sides of…read morehummus, salad, rice all stood on their own as excellent. Portions are large. The space is very cool. We stumbled upon this place on a road trip. Highly recommend!

Baystate Cafe & Market

4.1

(131 reviews)

The ingredients tasted fresh and everything looked well prepared. I also appreciated how welcoming…read morethe staff were when we came in. You can tell they care about the food and customer experience. Great place for a quick breakfast or brunch with friends.

Quality is terrible. This place used to be called baystate shawarma it was sold in early 2025 and…read moreit's awful. The flavors of the meats & rice are bland I'll never go back.

Shawarma Palace

4.7

(532 reviews)

First of all, the shawarma is pretty good! It was juicy and the chicken and the beef were tasty. He…read moreallowed me to taste both the meat before placing the order it was exactly how a shawarma would taste. It was saucy and crispy all at the same time and the flavors just mixed in really well The owner of the restaurant is really friendly and even provided me with some baklava's at the end. I forgot to get my receipt and the owner was kind enough to just send it over to me next day after a phone call. Really top notch customer service in that aspect. They've been in the block for 7 years now and I can see why. The ratings on this place definitely did not disappoint. Suggestions would be to have provide fries or even have the option of fries.

Rating: 4.5 Came to…read morestop by for dinner on the way back from Vermont. The place has good reviews so decided to try it. It's a middle eastern restaurant primarily serves shawarma and other middle eastern cuisines. It's located next to a college building. Parkings are street only. Once we parked on the street we walked over to the restaurant. Inside is spacious pretty clean and there are quite a bit of tables and chairs. We went up to the counter to place orders. I got mixed shawarma plate and baklava. I wanted to try their mango lassi but they were out. The shawarma plate came with choice of rice or mujadara which is a lentil mixed with other vegetables. I got rice with it and it comes with chicken and beef shawarma, rice, salad, pita bread, hummus, garlic sauce and baba ghanoush. The salad, rice, pita bread, and shawarma were ok. Shawarma may have been better if it was earlier during the day as they would be fresher. The stars of the show were the sauces. Hummus, baba ghanoush and garlic sauce were all excellent. Mixing the sauce elevated the shawarma to the next level. Baklava was delicious as well. Not too sweet and that nutty flavor comes out strong. Service was good and staffs were friendly. The dish came out within about 10 minutes or so Overall it's a pretty good shawarma spot. If i were to come back i would see if they would allow substitution with salad for more rice and sauces on top instead of side so that i can have more rice and meat. I've had better quality shawarma but sauces were excellent.

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I've been going to El Basha for over three decades. They have expanded to many locations now, but…read morethe Belmont Street location is still my favorite. The space had a huge upgrade over the years, but it's still a warm, family-run restaurant with great service and delicious food. The menu is extensive, but there are a few dishes I keep coming back to. The fassoulia is comforting and flavorful, the falafel is perfectly crisp on the outside and soft inside, and the chicken port saiid (sautéed with mushrooms in a bright garlic lemon sauce) is a standout. Everything tastes fresh and thoughtfully prepared; it has that homestyle touch you don't find elsewhere. Then there is the dessert... the pistachio baklava is truly something special. Knowing it's still made by the family's matriarch makes it even better, and you can taste the tradition in every bite. If you're looking for authentic, consistently great, Lebanese food with a personal touch, El Basha is a staple that never disappoints.

Worcester Restaurant Week is wrapping up, so we headed to El Basha - Worcester, MA on Route 9. We…read morebegan with hummus & lamb sambusik. He chose the $29.95 deal, featuring a Greek salad & beef port saiid, while I had a salad with kofta. The rice pudding dessert was delightful. Great food & service from Natalie!

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Awesome food, very authentic, and great service. Everything is made fresh when you order it.read more

I ordered takeout- 2 entrees and few side items. There was enough for dinner for two plus…read moreleftovers. I really appreciated the labeling- items that are vegan were clearly labeled. The food was amazing; fresh, flavorful and the staff was super helpful and kind. Portions were perfect, on the generous side without being ridiculous. Definitely a new favorite place!

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