Y’all, I love Mediterranean food so much. It comes from my Greek/Italian/Lebanese background, and I can’t get enough. But as much as I love it, it’s not something I eat super often in Charlotte. Probably just a lack of effort on my part. But I found a spot in South CLT that revived my craving for this amazing food.

Zeitouni Mediterranean Grill (zey-toon-ee, which means “olive”) is located in Ballantyne, tucked away on Toringdon Way near the Earth Fare. They’re cooking up authentic Mediterranean food including all the favorites, like falafel, grape leaves, potato harra, and shawarma, and they’re doing it so right.

Zeitouni is super casual. You walk in, place your order at the counter, and have a seat. We tried several things, so the food came out as it was ready.

I couldn’t resist trying their gyro meat (my favorite), and I’m glad I did because it is delicious (and you get a great portion.) This was my first time trying zataar, and I’d order it again. It’s kind of like a mini Greek pizza.

The dish above was unbelievable. I’m not sure if it’s available daily, as it’s not on the menu, but WHOA. Make sure you ask about it when you go.

As good as the meat is, Mediterranean cuisine includes lots of vegetarian options. Falafel is popular, but my personal favorite are grape leaves. So we tried both! I also ate every last one of those pickled veggies…

We finished the meal off with dessert, which included a piece of pistachio baklava. Tasty.

And there ya have it. I left very happy and pleasantly full. Be sure to check out Zeitouni for amazing food and quick, friendly service, even if you live on the other side of town. It’s worth the trip.

This post was created after a complimentary meal from Zeitouni. All opinions are my own.