At Shawarma House SD, we cook a specific kind of Mediterranean food: Iraqi-Mediterranean. The recipes come from family — passed down through generations — and they sit at the crossroads of Mesopotamian and Levantine cooking traditions. If you’ve eaten Lebanese, Turkish, or Greek shawarma before and walked away thinking it all tastes the same, our food is going to surprise you.
What makes Iraqi-Mediterranean different
Iraqi cuisine is one of the oldest continuously practiced food cultures in the world — recipes traced to ancient Mesopotamia, refined across centuries, and cross-pollinated with the broader Mediterranean and Levantine traditions of Syria, Lebanon, and the Gulf. The result is a flavor profile that’s deeper, earthier, and more spice-forward than the typical Greek or Lebanese plate you’ll find on a strip mall menu.
Iraqi-Mediterranean vs. Lebanese
Lebanese Mediterranean leans heavily on lemon, garlic, and parsley — bright, herbal, and acidic. Iraqi cooking carries those notes but layers in baharat (a warm spice blend of cinnamon, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cloves, cardamom, paprika, and nutmeg) and dried lime. Where Lebanese shawarma might be marinated in yogurt and lemon, ours leans into cumin, sumac, and slow-roasting on a vertical spit until the edges caramelize.
beef shawarma over yellow rice with side salad, hummus, and pita — Iraqi-Mediterranean restaurant in Ocean Beach, San Diego.” loading=”lazy” style=”display:block;max-width:700px;width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px;margin:0 auto;”>Iraqi-Mediterranean vs. Greek
Greek gyro is typically cone-shaped layered meat with oregano, lemon, and tzatziki. Our shawarma is hand-shaved off the spit to order, served with toum (Levantine garlic sauce) or tahini, and built around basmati rice rather than pita. The cuisine, the sauces, and the heat treatment are all distinct.
Iraqi-Mediterranean vs. Turkish
Turkish döner is shawarma’s cousin — same vertical spit technique, different seasoning. Turkish leans into smoked paprika and dried mint. Ours uses a more complex baharat blend with the dried-lime brightness that’s characteristic of Iraqi cooking.
The dishes
- Chicken shawarma — halal chicken thigh, marinated in yogurt and Iraqi baharat, layered onto a vertical spit and slow-roasted until the outside crackles. Hand-shaved to order.
- Beef shawarma — halal beef stacked on the spit, seasoned with cumin, sumac, and dried lime. Heavier and earthier than the chicken.
- Kebabs — ground or skewered, grilled over open flame, the seasoning carries the Iraqi spice profile.
- Falafel — chickpea-and-herb fritters, fried to order, paired with tahini or toum.
- Toum — emulsified raw garlic, lemon, and oil. Bright, sharp, vegan, and the unsung hero of every plate.
- Tahini — sesame paste loosened with lemon and a touch of garlic. Nutty and rich.
- House hot sauce — vinegar-forward, Iraqi-style, made in-house.
How we cook it
Halal-sourced from day one. Slow-roasted on a traditional vertical spit. Hand-shaved to order — no flat-top shortcuts, no pre-pulled meat held under a heat lamp. Sauces made in-house, every day. Vegan and vegetarian options that aren’t afterthoughts (Vegan Shawarma, Vegan Cream Chop, Falafel — all from the same kitchen, same care).
Where to try it
We’re at 4884 Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach, San Diego, open 11 AM to 8 PM every day. Order direct via our Toast page, or grab a table for dine-in. Catering across San Diego — corporate lunches, weddings, holiday parties — through our ezCater page.
If you’re searching for Iraqi food in San Diego, see our full menu, read the FAQ, or just stop by — we’d love to feed you.
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