Middle Eastern and Shawarma Restaurants in KW

*A guide to full-service Middle Eastern dining, quick shawarma, Turkish restaurants, market food and group platters across KW.*

Last reviewed: July 20, 2026 | KW Foodies Editorial Team

Middle Eastern food in Kitchener-Waterloo runs from a quick shawarma wrap to a table full of mezze, grilled meats and fresh bread. This guide splits sit-down restaurants from quick-service shawarma shops. For other cuisines, see the Kitchener-Waterloo Cuisine Guide.

Hours, menus and ownership change often at small independent restaurants, so check the restaurant's own page or call ahead before you go. If you have an allergy or follow halal, vegan or gluten-free rules, ask the staff directly; a menu label doesn't tell you how the kitchen handles cross-contact.

On this page

• Quick picks
• Full-service Middle Eastern and Turkish dining
• Shawarma and quick-service restaurants
• Halal and dietary planning
• Quick shawarma or a shared table?
• Explore other Kitchener-Waterloo cuisine guides
• How places are chosen
• Frequently asked questions

Quick picks

• Family-style dinner: Arabesque Family Restaurant, Kitchener
• Turkish dining: Meetpoint, The Boardwalk, Waterloo
• Kitchener Market vendor: Naranj Blossom — indoor Food Hall closed during renovations
• Kitchener shawarma: 1001 Nights Shawarma
• Waterloo shawarma: Marhaba Shawarma or Mozy's Shawarma

Full-service Middle Eastern and Turkish dining

Best when the group wants mezze, grilled dishes, bread and platters, and time to share.

Arabesque Family Restaurant

869 Victoria Street North, Kitchener | Best for: halal family dining and group platters

A halal family restaurant with hummus, baba ghanoush, grape leaves, falafel, shawarma and grilled dishes. A good choice for celebrations and shared meals.

Meetpoint

1 The Boardwalk, Waterloo | Best for: Turkish food, family meals and evenings

A Turkish restaurant with kebabs, stone-oven flatbreads and mezze. It's a full Turkish menu, not just shawarma.

Naranj Blossom

Kitchener Market Food Hall vendor | Best for: Syrian-Turkish food

A Syrian-Turkish kitchen from the Kitchener Market Food Hall. The Market building and indoor Food Hall are closed to the public during renovations; some Food Hall vendors join the outdoor Saturday market, so check the Market's Food Hall notice and Saturday market page before you go.

Back to quick picks

Shawarma and quick-service restaurants

Shawarma shops differ in how they cook the meat, and in their bread, sauces, bowls, platters and late hours.

1001 Nights Shawarma

1450 Block Line Road, Kitchener | Best for: shawarma, grilled meats, wraps and platters

Focused on shawarma and grilled meats, for takeout or a casual meal in.

Marhaba Shawarma

65 University Avenue East, Waterloo | Best for: halal shawarma, bowls and family platters

A halal menu with wraps, bowls and larger platters.

Mozy's Shawarma

247 King Street North, Waterloo | Best for: long-running shawarma, casual meals

Serving the region since 2008. Popular with students and for takeout.

Shawerma Plus

160 University Avenue West, Waterloo | Best for: Syrian and Mediterranean shawarma

A Syrian and Mediterranean kitchen near the universities.

Foreign Shawarma

851 Fischer-Hallman Road, Kitchener | Best for: shawarma, kebab and falafel

A focused quick-service menu of shawarma and other staples.

Back to quick picks

Halal and dietary planning

Ask whether "halal" covers all the meat, some items or the whole kitchen. Vegetarian dishes may share grills, fryers or utensils with meat.

Quick shawarma or a shared table?

Choose a shawarma shop for a quick wrap or platter, and a full-service restaurant for mezze, bread and grilled dishes shared at the table. Late-night kitchen hours can be earlier than the posted closing time.

Explore other Kitchener-Waterloo cuisine guides

• Kitchener-Waterloo Cuisine Guide
• Italian and Mediterranean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Indian and South Asian Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Chinese Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Japanese and Sushi Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Korean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Vietnamese, Thai and Southeast Asian Restaurants in KW
• Mexican and Latin American Restaurants in KW
• Caribbean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Ethiopian and East African Restaurants in KW
• German and Central European Restaurants in KW

How places are chosen

This is an editorial list. Restaurants cannot buy inclusion or a higher position; paid content is labelled separately.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find halal restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo?

Arabesque and Marhaba both say they serve halal food. Ask what that covers before relying on it.

What's the difference between shawarma and a Middle Eastern restaurant?

Shawarma is one dish, usually served quick-service. A full restaurant adds mezze, grilled dishes, bread and regional specialties.

Are falafel and hummus always vegan?

Not always. Sauces, garnishes and shared fryers vary. Ask the restaurant.