This was my first time trying Mediterranean food and it did not disappoint!!…read more I love the meat mazza bowl, and the baklava. The staff was so friendly and the inside was very clean and inviting. I'm happy I finally got to check this place out!

For mall food this was the best option here I think. My chicken Shawarmabowl was tastey. Lots of…read moresauce ans flavor. People here were super nice too. The place was clean. Lots of seating. I might again.

Great little hole in the wall! I read about Mazzat a while ago and finally made my way there. This…read moretiny Middle Eastern eatery is a hidden gem located in Portland's busy Forest Ave neighborhood. My falafel wrap may be one of the best meals I've gotten in Portland, solely based on food-to-price ratio. The falafel was perfectly cooked, and the wrap was quite yummy. It came with these deep-fried "chips" (I'm sure they are something else) and a side of delicious hummus. I paid about $10 for the whole thing, including a soda. You just can't beat that. The menu was extensive and included a mix of sandwiches, salads, and plates. Would I go back to Mazzat? If I'm in the area, yes, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to make it there! In my opinion, this is more of a takeout spot. I did dine in, but the vibe is pretty much nonexistent -- a mix of about eight tables inside without much going on. All in all, I'm glad I tried it!

A hidden gem, I'd had cookies around the corner before and hadn't realized this was here. My…read morehusband brought home takeout items to snack on once and we realized we needed to make a point to come back and give it a proper try. Service was very polite and patient, and the food was awesome. They've got two vertical spits going for shawarma. The kebabs are displayed in the fridge and then cooked, so flavorful and interesting. There are several tables to sit and dine in if that's your vibe. It was torture driving home with the delicious smells. Don't skip eating the pickled veggies, they're unique and delicious! The portions pack a punch for the price. Next time I'll dine in and enjoy everything hot and fresh without the wait. The desserts also looked really good, next time!

Still the best falafel in Portland: slightly crunchy golden-brown exterior, bright green when you…read morebite into it, fluffy and moist and so delicious. If you're craving falafel in the city, THIS is going to be the place you want to get it from (why are all the other places serving up such dry options?)! I like the Falafel Salad (which is both plant-based and gluten-free): it comes with four or five falafel balls, a generous dollop of hummus, local greens mixed with radish and cucumbers and mint, and two small plastic containers of tahini sauce and lime vinaigrette. It's not a very big salad; I usually end up supplementing it with additional greens at home. The french fries are a miss for me: from here, they always seem quite soggy even after only a few minutes. The shawarma flavor is amazing, but there's just something unappetizing (for me, anyway) about a limp fry. At lunch it seems they prioritize their online orders more than their in person orders, so expect a wait (or have the forethought to order ahead of time online).

First thing's first: Get. The. Fries. It's like a fresh batch of McDonald's fries dusted generously…read morewith shawarma seasoning. I could have just eaten a bag of those and been completely content. Second: a falafel sandwich will fill you right up. I opted for the Nura Falafel Pocket, and it was a mighty fine choice. I loved the pillowy pita; the falafel reminded me of NYC; and I appreciated Nura's twists with the pickled beets, garlic yogurt, and cucumber dill salad. After the fact I saw that I could have added spicy harissa for an additional charge, and I wish I had seen that when I placed my order. This pocket would have benefited from some heat, as it did have a sweet note from the beets. My only gripe was that I didn't get any hummus until the very end. That was too long to wait! Nura was 2/2 overall, so I'm giving them 5/5 stars. Come here for lunch, Yelpers, and you'll be pleased!

This is such a great spot in downtown Biddeford. I think a lot of people would overlook it like I…read moredid for many years but wow I will be back again and again now that i've finally tried it. Love space is actually quite lovely and very clean and welcoming. I was greeted right when i came in and was helped with all my questions by the nice gentleman. He recommended some dishes and he did not steer me wrong! I opted for the feta fries, the chicken rice bowl with pita, the dolmades, and the baklava. Everything was delicious and so fresh tasting. Get all the side sauces (tzatziki, hummus, garlic dip) they are so good and you can tell they are made in house. The chicken in the bowl i got was cooked perfectly and so fresh. The feta fries are such a fun addition as well as the dolmades since i had been wanting to try those! The baklava is a perfect sweet end to the meal you can't miss. What a great experience - it's worth noting how fast the can put together your order as well. I would also love to mention that a delivery driver came in and the man made him food to take with him which was extremely sweet. As someone who works in a similar industry i know how rare it is when you come across someone who thanks their delivery drivers like this man did. This is a must try spot!!!!

Mother's Day Dinner - We wanted to celebrate Mother's Day by going to dinner at Papous Pita. The…read moreonly problem was we had to celebrate on Monday instead of Sunday. Well, Papous Pita isn't open on Mondays, so we went to Taj India. Boy, were we glad we did. As usual, the food was delicious, the atmosphere genuine and the waitstaff very courteous and friendly. We still want to try Papous Pita, but we truly enjoyed Taj India! ps. The "Five Stars" are really for Taj India, so we'll rate Papous Pita after we go there.

Went here for brunch the other day and was impressed. The service was super friendly and they even…read moregave us a couple free mocktails. So refreshing and needed. They have a wide open space with lots of tables, and a big bar. It would be a great space for a big party as they have lots of room and a lot of the Old Port spots don't have much seating. We got brunch food and it was great as well. The waitress, kitchen staff and service were amazing! I will be back.

Picked up takeout from Tiqa a few nights ago and unfortunately it was just okay…read more Portions are tiny for the prices and the food itself was basically thrown into containers with no forethought. Maybe food is better if you eat in the restaurant...but I definitely don't recommend take out.

Stella is awesome- so is the food. We had Moussaka, grape…read moreleaves, an eggplant dish that I forgot it 's name. & bougassa(sp) not sure if I said it properly or spelled it properly all I can say is this dessert is OMG delicious. Everything we had was exceptional. The only thing I would do differently is keep the Tsasiki in a separate container from the the dolmades. The dolmades are best cold.

This hole in the wall is tucked away in the corner of Vineyard and Liliha. Parking entrance is on…read moreLiliha St. The Bougatsa is my favorite, so far. Made with ground meat, tomatoes and onions, and baked in phyllo sheets. So delicious! The flaky phyllo absorbs the delicious juices. Forget about utensils. This one is surely best eaten with clean hands! I wish I bought two! Next time, I will! And I shall inhale them just as I did today. The Mount Olympus Souvlaki is fit for a HUGE appetite! I don't think Konishki could finish this in one sitting. It's huge! It's like a gigantic pita burger with your choice of pork, chicken or lamb. Loaded with round white and red onions, which is lovely with the meat. They ran out of lamb so we tried it with pork. Delicious! Order extra yogurt sauce with this because you will need it! The Spanakopita was not so good. I prefer mine using phyllo sheets, but this was made using flour, I think. It's a far cry from the traditional ones with phyllo sheets. Texture was way too hard and the filling was not so tasty. I'll skip this the next time I go there. Order door is from the parking lot side (not on Vineyard). Take out only. Many pre-ordered so that's what I'll do next time, but it wasn't a long wait either. Kitchen area looked clean. You can scan the QR code at the door or they have a menu with photos inside the shop. Overall, great experience. The food is reasonably priced given today's inflation. Supporting small local businesses is a must! Eating real food vs fast food is better for good health. I am sure to update this after trying more menu options, especially the lamb. Update: The bougatsa remains my favorite! I love the beef, but it's still a bit too greasy for me. I will air fry it today hoping the phyllo that sopped up all the grease will turn out crispy. The dessert bougatsa is very delicious. The custard is not too sweet and I love the flaky phyllo. Highly recommend. I would order a pan of this! I would bring this to a potluck party. I could eat this daily. Yes, it's that good! The dolmates are GIGANTIC! Almost the size of lumpia!!! 4 dolmas per serving. It was delicious but didn't have the pine nuts that I am accustomed to. The feta sauce complimented the dolma filling. The gel galaktobuprek (spelling) was way too sweet and thick for me. Reminds me of a thick coconut pie. Perhaps it would be ok as a 1/2 tsp serving size. If you crave for sweets, then this is the dessert for you. Suggest you place an order EARLY on Friday because they do run out.

First time here. Third in line and was told it would be about 15 min. One dish cane out about 20…read moremin wait and almost finished before the second dish arrived. Waited 35 min for chicken shawarma and lentil soup? The food was mediocre and definitely not worth that kind of wait...we wont be back.

From the outside, it looks like a run-down tattoo parlor…read more When you go to the front door on Main Street, you are directed to the side door. Courage. The interior is transformative. The decor is Turkish; tables are flanked by comfortable sofas and pillows. No one was at the counter. The trick is you have to bang on the bell. The young lady who appears is cheerful, greeting, efficient. Indicate you are eating in, but stand there and order from the menu posted. The food: I dislike rice, or thought I did- their rice is sublime. What do they add to it? The baba ghanoush is the best I've tasted. My friend got chicken kabob and raved about it. My curried chicken was equally good. You won't have room for the baklava but take some home (and hide it from the family or it will disappear.) I'll be back. More of that rice for one thing.

This place is fantastic. Went here with some friends and didn't know what to expect. Our server was…read moreawesome! And super friendly and helpful. He was in such good spirit. The place is nice and open and we were one of the o lay few tables. We got the pita chips to start which were great. Then we all got the chicken and the beef gyro and I got the chicken shawarma. Everything was so great! Some of the best shawarma I've had in Portland! And everything else was packed with authentic flavors. The fried and sweet potatoe fries are also some of my favorite in all of Portland. We finished off the dinner with the pistachio ice cream and Dubai chocolate which was recommended by our server which was a good end to the meal. Definitely check this place out as soon as possible. It's fantastic and you will not be disappointed in any way.

Had a nice casual lunch at Olive Cafe a few days ago…read more We ordered a salad, shwarma, and a few sides. My husband said the brussels sprouts were the best he'd ever had. My salad was pretty good too. Prices are reasonable and location is great. Service is friendly and excellent. I'd definitely return.

We just had an excellent dinner at Magissa If you're in Portland and are looking for authentic…read moreGreek food and a warm, congenial atmosphere, this is the place. We ordered a mezze platter with tzatziki, skordalia and a cuke and tomato salad, served with pita that tasted like it was made in house. My husband enjoyed the lamb and pork ragu served over polenta and shared my entree, the evening's special - a stuffed eggplant that was the best preparation of thIs humble vegetable I can remember. Stuffed with red lentils and crispy mushrooms, it was outstanding, especially with the addition of the tzatziki. Didn't reallt have room for dessert, but we were on a roll The baklava was delicious - loaded with nuts, of course, but not dripping syrup, which meant that the filo pastry was crisp. A thoroughly wonderful meal, with friendly service in a beautiful room. We live in CT, which has a dearth of Greek restaurants. We're already talking about coming back to the city to enjoy Magissa's food and hospitality again.

Finally stopped into Magissa- we had heard good things and overall we really enjoyed it. Went into…read morethis smaller, low key and nicely decorated Greek spot for a late brunch. Easy free on street parking located near many breweries on nearby Fox street. Our waiter was super friendly and attentive . Not a lot of beers available, but both local for on tap. Had delicious IPA from Goodfire and tried the imported bottle Greek beer which was awesome and refreshening. My wife had a glass of wine which she really liked and the waiter was helpful in helping her decide based on her wine preferences. For food we ordered hash browns which were good flavor and two Gyros- tofu variety for my vegetarian wife and I had the chicken. The pita and tzatziki and all ingredients in the Gyros tasted super fresh and both tofu and chicken were well cooked. It was so good I almost ordered a second one! Will definitely be back for their daily happy hour and to try out more of what they offer. Downside is cost-is a bit more expensive at 70+ dolllars for 1 wine, 2 beers and the food above, but it was very good!

Upscale dining with a genuinely reasonable price tag - especially when it comes to the Evo…read moreexperience/chef's tasting. Worth every penny, we left absolutely stuffed. The menu experience was smaller/limited options but offered "greatest hits" so that you didn't miss out on the overall experience. With seats right up at the counter and in perfect view of the kitchen, the team whipped out a coursed/well-timed menu. We enjoyed the chickpea fries, spread + breads, moroccan carrots, falafel, halloumi and to top it all off, the lamb ribs. It was so aggressive in the best way possible. The cocktail menu is fun, inventive and pairs well with most of the dishes. Their NA drinks were thankfully, not boring either. The only drawback for me here is the counter-top/high-top dining experience is the only available seating option unless you're participating in the upstairs private area. The restaurant is clearly very sleek and modern, but I felt like it took away from the experience of making this particularly special. Would recommend this restaurant for 2 people - hard to enjoy with a larger group!

Fantastic restaurant. Service and food all excellent. We all really enjoyed our visit here. It is…read moretapas style. We ordered 12 dishes for a group of 5. Chickpea fries were the #1 highlight for everyone. I also really like the Halloumi and Moroccan carrots. Highly recommend. Gets busy, make a reservation. Food tips: Chickpea fries are a must Drink tips: Basil Martini