What do you actually order at a Mediterranean restaurant when you don’t know where to start?
That’s the honest question most people have pulling into the parking lot off South Cooper Street, where Taste of Mediterranean has been quietly running its kitchen for years. It sits in a strip plaza that does nothing to advertise what’s inside — a few tables, a counter where you can watch food being prepped, and a chalkboard menu that covers more ground than you’d expect from a room this size.
The short answer to the first question: start with the sampler plate. It runs around twelve to fifteen dollars and puts a reasonable portion of hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, fattoush, and a couple of stuffed grape leaves in front of you. If you’re eating alone, it’s practically a meal. If you’re splitting it, it’s the right way to figure out what you want for the main course. The hummus is smooth without being gummy, and the baba ghanoush has actual smoke behind it — not the kind that comes out of a bottle.
From there, the shawarma plate is what most regulars land on. Chicken or lamb, your call, and the lamb is the better bet if you haven’t had it before. It comes sliced thin, piled over rice, with a side of garlic sauce that is legitimately good enough to eat with a spoon. The portions are generous in a way that feels honest rather than calculated. You will probably take something home.
The falafel is worth ordering as a side even if you’re not usually a falafel person. It’s fried to order, which makes a real difference — the outside has some crunch and the inside is still green and herby rather than gray and dense. A lot of places in the area serve falafel that tastes like it’s been sitting under a heat lamp since noon. This does not.
Service is straightforward and fast. The staff knows the menu well and won’t try to upsell you on things you don’t need. Lunch on a weekday fills up with people from the nearby offices and UT Arlington, which is about a mile north. Dinner is a little calmer. Either way, expect to be in and out in under an hour unless you’re making an afternoon of it.
Pricing is reasonable for the quality — most entrees fall between ten and eighteen dollars, and the lunch specials bring that down a few dollars more. There’s no alcohol license, but they carry a few Middle Eastern soft drinks and a decent mint lemonade that works well against the heavier dishes.
The room itself is modest. You’re not going there for the ambiance — you’re going because the food is made carefully and the prices reflect that someone is actually trying to run a neighborhood restaurant rather than a concept. For Arlington, which has plenty of both, Taste of Mediterranean lands clearly in the former category, and that’s what makes it worth the stop.
If you’re coming from the entertainment district area or the Highlands, it’s about ten minutes west on Division Street. Parking is easy and free. Open for lunch and dinner most days, but worth calling ahead on Sundays since hours shift seasonally.
