Looking for a delicious Mediterranean meal near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Mediterranean restaurants around New Orleans, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to fill the bill.
1. Shawarma On-The-Go
Topping the list is Shawarma On-The-Go. Located at 3720 Magazine St. (inside the JETGO gas station), the restaurant is the highest-rated cheap Mediterranean spot in New Orleans, boasting 4.5 stars out of 136 reviews on Yelp.
Fill up on traditional items like chicken shawarma with French fries, pickles, and garlic sauce, wrapped inside a flour tortilla ($9.99); gyro meat with onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, provolone cheese, and homemade garlic mayo ($7.95); and falafel patties with lettuce, onions, pickles, tomatoes, hummus and tahini ($9.99).
2. Kebab
Stroll over to 2315 St. Claude Ave. and check out Kebab. Not only does the establishment serve Mediterranean fare, it also houses a pinball parlor featuring a rotating mix of pinball machines. And as a member of the St. Claude Arts District, the business encourages local artists to display their work in the Skewer Gallery.
With four stars out of 206 reviews on Yelp, the Greek and Middle Eastern spot offering sandwiches and more, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an inexpensive option. Get ready for falafel sandwiches with hummus and Spanish garlic sauce ($7.50); gyros with tzatziki and schug sauce ($9.50); and chicken thighs dressed with pickled cucumbers, cabbage and red onions ($8.50).
3. Mona's Cafe
Located inside the Riverwalk at 500 Port of New Orleans Place, Mona's Cafe is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the affordable Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spot, which offers sandwiches and more, four stars out of 11 reviews.
Mona's serves standard gyros and offers a selection of vegetarian items. Yelpers were excited about the gyro combo plate with salad and freshly made hummus — while items like chicken shawarma, baba ganoush, falafel, and tabouli received honorable mentions as well. Reid K. noted, "Amazing food, great service and very cozy."
4. The Holy Grill
The Holy Grill Mediterranean food truck is another much-loved, cheap go-to, with five stars out of two Yelp reviews. Head over to 3340 Canal St. to see for yourself.
Inside an old 1998 Chevrolet Grumman Olsen, the Holy Grill is serving up fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients in dishes like Tarik’s falafel sliders (2 for $8); Elijah's Mediterranean po’boy, with fresh leg of lamb, tabouli, romaine, tomatoes, grilled onions and hummus aioli ($12); Cairo's gyro burrito, with saffron rice, tabouli, feta and hummus ($8 with chicken or $7 with veggies). And don't forget to sample the Bethlehem bread pudding for dessert ($5).
