Looking for vegan Mediterranean food in San Diego? Shawarma House in Ocean Beach serves real, filling plant-based plates — not an afterthought side salad. Everything is made-to-order at a halal Mediterranean shop on Newport Ave, so you can build a full vegan meal from falafel, our Vegan Cream Chop, hummus, fresh salads, and warm pita.

Whether you searched “vegan shawarma near me” or “vegetarian shawarma near me,” here’s the honest version: our shawarma itself is meat, but our vegan menu stands on its own. You get crispy, fresh-made falafel and a plant-based take on our signature Cream Chop, plus rice, salads, and sauces to round it out.

Our vegan menu

Everything here is plant-based and made to order. Mix and match to build the meal you want.

  • Falafel — fried chickpea patties, vegan and made fresh to order.
  • Vegan Cream Chop — a plant-based version of our signature Cream Chop.
  • Hummus — smooth chickpea and tahini dip, great with warm pita.
  • Salads — Greek, fattoush, tabouli, and Iraqi salads.
  • Yellow basmati rice and warm pita — the base of any plate.

For dressings and dips, our house sauces menu includes tahini, lemon garlic, garlic paste (toum), and hot sauce. Ask about which sauces are plant-based when you order.

Want the full lineup? See the complete Shawarma House menu.

How to build a plant-based plate

Our plates are built the same way whether you go plant-based or not — start with a base, add a protein, pile on salads and sauce.

  • Pick your base: yellow basmati rice with warm pita, or go over fries.
  • Add your plant protein: falafel or the Vegan Cream Chop.
  • Load up on salads: Greek, fattoush, tabouli, or Iraqi salad, plus a scoop of hummus.
  • Finish with sauce: tahini, lemon garlic, or toum garlic paste.

New to falafel and want to know what you’re eating first? Read what falafel is. And if you’re comparing your options around town, here’s our take on the best Mediterranean food in San Diego.

Gluten-free note

Several of our plant-based items are naturally gluten-free-friendly — hummus, our salads, and rice-based plates without the pita. That said, our kitchen is a shared space that also handles gluten (pita, wraps, fried items), so we cannot guarantee against cross-contact. If you have celiac disease or a serious gluten allergy, please let us know and order with that in mind.

Vegan catering

Feeding a crowd? Our catering works for plant-based groups too. You can build vegan-friendly spreads around falafel, hummus, salads, rice, and pita, with disposable ware and delivery, pickup, or staffed service. Packages start at $399 and $599.

See options and get a quote on our Mediterranean catering page.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have vegan options?

Yes. Shawarma House has real, filling vegan options — falafel, our Vegan Cream Chop, hummus, and Greek, fattoush, tabouli, and Iraqi salads, all served with yellow basmati rice and warm pita. You can build a full plant-based plate here, not just a side.

What is Vegan Cream Chop?

Vegan Cream Chop is a plant-based version of our signature Cream Chop. It’s one of our made-to-order vegan menu items and a good pick if you want something more than salad. Curious about the original? Read about our Cream Chop to see what it’s based on.

Is your falafel vegan?

Yes, our falafel is vegan — fried chickpea patties, made fresh to order. Note that it’s prepared in a shared kitchen that also handles gluten, so we can’t guarantee against cross-contact for anyone with celiac disease.