3 Chain Restaurants With the Best Chicken Shawarma, According to Chefs
People love chicken shawarma for its mix of flavors, textures, and cultural appeal, making it one of the most popular street-food and casual-dining choices around the world. Whether you love bold spices, crave juicy roasted meat, or want a satisfying, hand-held meal, shawarma checks all those boxes — which is why it’s globally beloved. Since it’s a fan favorite, it’s not hard to find, but if you want the best, it helps to know where chefs themselves go when the craving hits. To narrow it down, Eat This, Not That! asked Chef Andrew Owens, a Michelin-trained private chef in California, to share his top three picks.
Naf Naf Grill
Naf Naf Grill has 37 locations across a few states and is expanding. It’s one spot Chef Andrew says doesn’t disappoint. “Naf Naf’s chicken shawarma is a meal that’s flavorful, customizable, and satisfying, making it feel both like a comfort favorite and a reliably tasty choice,” he says. “Chefs and food lovers can’t stop gushing about how the bold seasonings and fresh pita make every forkful an adventure; it’s hands down one of the best in the country!”
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Zankou Chicken
At Zankou Chicken, the menu isn’t overly complicated — it focuses on doing a few things really well, like chicken shawarma, which is known as the Chicken Tarna® Plate. “The balance of juicy chicken, creamy sauce, warm pita, and tangy pickles hits all the right notes without feeling fussy,” says Chef Andrew. Zankou’s chicken shawarma is bold, garlicky, satisfying, and reliably delicious — the kind of craveable meal that keeps you coming back.”
Mezeh Mediterranean Grill
Mezeh Mediterranean Grill effortlessly blends fresh ingredients, bold flavors, healthy Mediterranean choices, and a flexible ordering style in a way that other chains don’t. “Mezeh is my obsession for building your own bliss that lets your inner food artist shine,” says Chef Andrew. He explains, “The chicken shawarma wrap is packed with veggies, hummus, tzatziki sauce and pickled onions. The flavors complement one another, and it’s the perfect balanced wrap that will ignite your palate like fireworks.”