Mediterranean Deli in Chapel Hill is outstanding. This is one of the best restaurants in the Triangle. It's certainly one of my favorite Mediterranean restaurants anywhere. The food is phenomenal and a good value. Chapel Hill is lucky to have this place.
"Med Deli" has been a Chapel Hill institution since 1991. Street-park on Franklin or one of the nearby streets. If it's Monday-Saturday, use the ParkMobile app to pay for and monitor your parking meter. Street parking is free on Sunday.
The restaurant is spacious. There are three separate counters - deli, bakery, market - and a banquet room in the back. In terms of ambiance, this isn't a nice restaurant, but a bustling, casual joint. It's showing its age. When the weather is nice, they'll roll up the wide, retractable storefront windows to create an al fresco (open air) dining experience. There's plenty of outdoor patio seating as well (uncovered) on the sidewalk. Med Deli offers menus of fresh-pressed juices and espresso too, so they serve as a juice bar and cafe of sorts on top of the deli, bakery, and restaurant operations.
Med Deli's menus and display cases chockful of colorful, fresh salads and appetizing, prepared Middle Eastern food can be overwhelming, especially for first-timers. There are well over *100* by-the-pound and individual item selections. This doesn't include specials, the dessert case (20+ selections), baked goods, and the "standard" restaurant menu with things like shawarma, kebabs, and paninis.
I recommend everything below. Note the entrees come with sides. I do not recommend, generally, the non-baklava sweets.
* Lamb and Beef Gyro Platter ($12.50) - rotisserie lamb and beef gyro meat w/ lettuce, tomato, peppers, onions, tzatziki.
Med Deli's gyro is amazing in terms of both quality and quantity. They give you really large, thick, succulent slices. Most gyro I've had have been thinly-shaved in varying degrees of quality and portion size. Med Deli makes it clear their gyro is the best and biggest around, at least in platter form.
* Kofta Kebob ($12.50) - ground sirloin w/ parsley, onion, spices.
Med Deli's Kofta Kebob is solid. I'm a fan of kofta and this is one item of theirs that I'll say does not blow the competition away. It's still very good, though.
* Chicken Tagine ($12.99) - baked bone-in chicken thighs w/ onions, carrots, honey, ginger.
The tagine is nicely-seasoned, tender, and full of flavor. The chicken and veggies are served over a bed of yellow rice.
Sides:
Baba ghanoush
Eggplant squash stew
Hummus - harissa, cilantro
Baked okra
Turkish roasted beets
Turkish kisir
Israeli red cabbage salad
Tabouli salad
Palestinian orange salad
Jerusalem salad
Kale salad
With so many items in the deli cases, the 4-Item Sampler is a great way to try Med Deli's sides ($10.99). There are 2 and 3-Item Sampler options as well. The portion sizes are the most generous of any Mediterranean restaurant I've visited. Everything has been fresh and flavorful.
The baba ghanoush is top-notch in terms of smoky flavor and delectable texture. The eggplant squash stew is packed with flavor and very satisfying.
Med Deli offers eight hummus flavors which is a lot. Their hummus has great flavor and perfectly-smooth consistency. The baked okra dish used a unique type of short okra. Kisir is like couscous or quinoa. If you like beets, you can't go wrong with their version.
The salads are crisp and refreshing. Their tabouli has been a go-to for me. I also love both the Jerusalem salad and Palestinian orange salad. Med Deli uses a lot of crunchy carrot chunks in their Jerusalem salad, which is different to me (I like it). Their Palestinian orange salad is excellent. It's an uncommon item so I suggest trying it if you haven't. The orange slices are coated in yummy, savory spices, and the salad comes with ripe dates.
* Lamb Fatayer ($10.50)
The fatayers are eye-popping and delicious. They are meat pies, but remind me more of a pizza. Med Deli offers eight kinds of fatayer. The lamb fatayer is fantastic with tender, savory meat, lots of melted cheese and parsley, and tomatoes, with sesame seed atop a warm, soft bread wrapping.
* Baklava - pistachio, date, walnut ($2.99 each)
* Burma ($2.50) - shredded whole wheat stuffed with pistachios and honey
The baklava here is incredible. Again, large portions. Fresh. I enjoyed the pistachio and date equally. Walnut comes in third place for me, but it's still great. The baklava is made in-house. The other desserts are not. Of the sweets, I really only recommend the baklava.
* Turkish Coffee ($3.50)
Finely-ground and served in a traditional pot. Med Deli's Turkish coffee is fun to have after a meal with some of their baklava.
Don't forget to check out the condiments bar. It has shawarma salad, Lebanese garlic sauce (toum), tahini, green and red hot sauces, organic olive oil salad dressing, tzatziki, pepperoncini, Kalamata olives, green olives, and Lebanese pickled cucumbers and pickled turnips (lefit). read more