If people know one thing about Fresno’s food scene, it’s that we have great tacos. This naturally led us to wonder: what about shawarma? With a sizable Middle Eastern and Greek population and an established tradition of eating meat cooked on a vertical spit, it would stand to reason that a thriving shawarma scene in Fresno was only a matter of time.
The taco comparison, by the way, isn’t just us being cute. There’s a fairly convincing body of evidence showing that one evolved from the other. Middle Eastern immigrants to Mexico in the late 19th and early 20th century brought with them their vertical spits, and in the 1930s started selling something called “tacos al arabes” (Arab tacos). Those spits became “trompos” (“spinning top”) and eventually evolved into tacos al pastor, which are now basically ubiquitous in these parts.
That vertical spit technique in turn (pun… intended?) is commonly credited to a 19th-century Turkish butcher named İskender, whose döner kebab, or “rolled kebab” soon spread to nearby regions, “where it came to be known in Arabic as shawārmā, a loanword from the Turkish çevirme, or ‘turn,’ and in Greece as gyro, with the same meaning.”
Basically, deboned meat turning on a wheel, where the done parts could be carved or shaved off and served to order. Pretty cool idea. Do not sleep on 19th century Turkish butcher ingenuity.
These days, whether you call it a kebab, a döner, a shawarma, or gyro, they tend to mean similar things – the precise definitions depending on where, whom, and possibly when you ask, which are always hotly debated in any case (there’s a similar thing happening with Turkish/Armenian/Balkan coffee). Shawarma is a ubiquitous street food in Australia, where they’re called “kebabs” (with the flat A from bladder, not the short one from Bob) and make an almost perfect late-night burrito replacement for homesick Americans from the Central Valley, not that we would know.
For our purposes, we’re going to define shawarma broadly, as any marinated meat served inside a flatbread or pita. According to Britannica, the spices can include (but are by no means limited to) coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, and sumac. Toppings usually include tomatoes and onions, but often include lettuce, pickles, and even french fries. Sauces can be tahini-based (more common with falafel), yogurt-based tzatziki (more common with beef and lamb), hummus (chickpea based), or a garlic sauce which may rightly be called “toum” – usually just garlic and lemon emulsified with oil until it turns fluffy, but can sometimes include eggs (like mayo) or dairy.
That’s probably too long of a history lesson, but for our money, a great shawarma should include juicy meat with some char on it, fresh crunchy toppings, a pillowy wrap, a zingy sauce, and ideally, a jolly vendor who says “bro” a lot as a term of endearment.
To answer the basic question, can you get a decent shawarma in Fresno? According to our research, the answer is a resounding “yes.”
Even aside from the best being tough to rank, even at the bottom end, most of the “worst” ones were still pretty good. There was really only one (sorry, Tofas) that we couldn’t recommend for a quick, tasty bite. And even after a week spent eating almost nothing but shawarma wraps, 20 or 30 of them, this writer still found himself craving a shawarma after the list-making was done. I created a hole in my soul that only shawarma could fill! Each new wrap seemed only to make it deeper. I’d eat two or three bites of three or four different shawarmas, then find myself going back for the leftovers a few hours later.
Which is to say… please enjoy responsibly. Shawarma can be habit forming.
1. Halal Bros
The Fresno Bee says the star of the Afghani-inspired Halal Bros’ menu (not to be confused with NYC/Bay Area chain Halal Guys) is the burger, but for our money, the chicken shawarma wrap is pretty good too. While its kitschy, black-and-white-decorated small storefront across from Valley Childrens’ Stadium seems designed to cater to college students, the quality of food should make it a solid option for all ages. That being said, college kids wouldn’t be disappointed with the portions. Where many shawarmas can feel like a healthy snack, this one is decidedly a meal. It’s huge, and delicious. But hey, no rules against saving half for later. Owned by a Vietnamese American and an Afghani-American, and run by an Emirati chef, it’s hard to pin Halal Bros to a single nationality, but so it goes with most shawarma.
What sets this one apart? Mostly meat that just seemed juicier and more flavorful than anywhere else. The higher spice level didn’t hurt either.
Tasting notes
Bigger and juicer, comes in a grilled tortilla wrap. Feels more like a burrito, super juicy with shredded lettuce and very marinated grilled meat. This shawarma no longer feels like health food but that’s fantastic. It tastes like a Middle Eastern chicken al pastor burrito in the best way. Something pickled in there. Spicy too, even the “mild” option has plenty of kick. 9.5/10
2. Fresno Kabob (Truck)
Carving out an oddly cozy outdoor eating space (shared with a few other food trucks) amidst a busy intersection, Fresno Kabob is a semi-permanent food truck open for lunch, dinner, and late-ish night snacks (until 11 p.m.). Probably not a great date night spot, but perfect for a quick, casual bite.
Tasting notes
Comes in a tortilla-style wrap that’s nice and soft. It even smells good. Inside, very juicy, flavorful meat, with a modest amount of lettuce and crunchy pickles. The marinade is probably the best part — lemony, peppery. As whole, very tasty and easy to eat, like a thinner burrito. 9/10
3. Yafa Grill
Yafa Grill is a clean looking storefront that looks somewhat at odds with the funky surroundings on Blackstone and Barstow, a little shawarma oasis with high-backed booths. (Nearly full, when we visited for a weekday lunch). The service easily passed the “bro” test. The menu is a little more expansive than some of the others, with tandoori chicken and even “bashka,” a type of shawarma sandwich served inside round bread that looks a little like focaccia covered in sesame seeds. We’ll have to come back for that one. They offer pita and tortilla wrap options on the shawarma; we chose pita.
Tasting notes
Served as an open-topped pita taco, with onions, tomatoes, and pickles. Tasty crunch, nice grill char on the chicken. A+ for the freshness of the tomatoes and onions, which are also sliced nice and thin. This one is the most reminiscent of shawarmas you get in Europe. Meat is a little less juicy than some of the juiciest, but very tasty, and the vegetables seem especially fresh. 8.6/10
4. House of Kebab
House of Kebab is an old-school, sit-down restaurant in a particularly shawarma-heavy part of northeast Fresno. Open since 1982, according to their website, the owners are Armenians originally from Lebanon (according to overheard conversations). The menu seems to be in the midst of a revamp, with some old favorites and new sandwiches sharing space. The interior could definitely use an update, but we ordered the chicken tawouk sandwich and weren’t disappointed.
Tasting notes
Comes double pita wrapped, then panini grilled, so it’s a long tube that’s crunchy on the outside. Very cool. Very juicy meat (looks like chunks, rather than the traditional shawarma shavings, so even including in a “shawarma” list might be controversial) with big chunky pickles. The oddest things about this one are that it has ketchup and french fries inside. The ketchup sounds weird, but the sweet, tangy note actually works pretty well. It’s like a Middle Eastern California burrito. Would come back for. 8.5/10
5. Aleppo Kabob
Aleppo Kabob soft opened in 2025 (they celebrated a grand opening in January 2026), right next door to the International Market, a Middle Eastern grocery with a great selection of breads, meats, cheeses, and ingredients. The interior (which was completely empty of customers when we visited) has booths around the perimeter, surrounding a wide open space between, suggesting that they’re either not done decorating or using it to host banquets and parties. Crying in H Mart author Michelle Zauner had a theory about the restaurants closest to the Asian market being the best, which would suggest good things for Aleppo Kebob if the theory extends to Middle Eastern food.
Tasting notes
One of the city’s many long, thin double-pita-wrapped options. This one is a bit minimalist. Tastes like it’s just chicken, garlic sauce, and pickles. The meat is notably lemony tasting. Everything in it is great, though I do wish there was slightly more going on. Meat could be juicier, and I sort of miss tomatoes. The hot sauce is very good and spicy though. 8.25/10
Do you agree with our choices? Did we miss one of your favorite shawarma spots? Send your feedback to vince@fresnoland.org.
