The Best Shawarma Near Washington DC
Slow-roasted on a vertical spit. Hand-carved to order. Stuffed into fresh pita with house-made garlic sauce. Taza serves the shawarma that DC residents cross the Potomac for.
What Sets Us Apart
Why DC Calls Taza the Best Shawarma
Good shawarma requires patience, quality ingredients, and technique. Most places skip at least one. We skip none.
Slow-Roasted on a Vertical Spit
This is not a flat grill operation. Our chicken and beef rotate on a traditional vertical spit for hours, basting in their own juices. The exterior caramelizes. The interior stays tender. That is how shawarma is supposed to work.
Certified Halal, No Exceptions
Every cut of meat at Taza is certified halal. Every single one. DC has a growing Muslim community that deserves trustworthy halal options, and we take that responsibility seriously.
House-Made Sauces, Not Bottles
Our garlic sauce is made in-house daily. Same with the tahini. Same with the hot sauce. You will not find generic squeeze bottles here. Each sauce is blended fresh every morning before we open.
Fresh Ingredients, Every Day
The pita is baked fresh. The vegetables are cut that morning. The falafel is formed and fried to order. Nothing sits in a warmer for hours. Taza means fresh in Arabic, and we mean it.
The Main Event
Our Signature Shawarma
Four ways to experience the best shawarma near Washington DC. Each one starts with the same overnight marinade, the same vertical spit, and the same hand-carved precision.
Chicken Shawarma Pita
Bone-dry chicken wraps are everywhere in DC. This is not that. Our chicken marinates overnight in a blend of seven spices, yogurt, and lemon. It roasts on the spit until the edges crisp and the center stays juicy. Hand-carved to order, stuffed into warm pita with garlic sauce, pickled turnips, and fresh vegetables. This is the sandwich that turned first-time visitors into regulars.
$9.95
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Beef Shawarma Pita
Thinly stacked layers of seasoned beef, pressed onto the spit with fat ribbons between each layer. As it rotates, the fat renders down, keeping the meat impossibly moist. Sliced thin, piled into fresh pita, finished with tahini and a sharp hit of pickled turnip. Rich and savory without being heavy.
$9.95
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Chicken Shawarma Bowl
Everything great about our chicken shawarma, deconstructed over a bed of fluffy basmati rice or mixed greens. Topped with Arabic salad, pickled turnips, garlic sauce, and fresh herbs. For the DC lunch crowd that wants protein, volume, and real flavor without the bread.
$12.45
View DetailsBeef Shawarma Shrak Wrap
Our beef shawarma rolled in shrak -- a paper-thin traditional flatbread baked on a convex dome. Lighter than pita, with a subtle chew. Layered with tahini, garlic sauce, sumac, pickled vegetables, and fresh greens. This is the wrap that people drive from Georgetown, Capitol Hill, and Dupont Circle to get.
$11.45
View DetailsCraft, Not Shortcuts
How We Make Our Shawarma
Every shawarma at Taza goes through a four-stage process. It takes longer. It costs more. The result speaks for itself.
The Marinade
Every batch of chicken and beef soaks overnight. The marinade is a proprietary blend: yogurt for tenderness, lemon juice for brightness, and a seven-spice mix that includes cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, coriander, and cumin. Twelve hours minimum. No shortcuts.
The Spit
Meat is stacked in tight layers on a vertical rotisserie. Chicken thighs layered with fat. Beef slices pressed with fat ribbons. The spit rotates slowly next to a wall of flame. The outside caramelizes first. The fat renders down through the stack, basting every layer beneath it.
The Carve
A sharp blade. A steady hand. Each serving is carved to order -- thin, crispy-edged slices shaved directly off the rotating spit. Not pre-sliced. Not pulled from a pan. The moment the knife touches the meat, you hear the sizzle. That sound is the difference between real shawarma and an imitation.
The Build
Warm pita, fresh from the oven. Garlic sauce spread edge to edge. Pickled turnips for acid. Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce for crunch. Then the shawarma goes on top, still hot from the spit. Wrapped tight. Handed to you within seconds of being carved. That is the Taza standard.
12+ Hours
Marinade Time
Beyond Shawarma
More from the Taza Menu
Shawarma is our headliner. But the supporting cast is just as strong. Hand-formed falafel, stone-oven manaeesh, velvety hummus, and fresh smoothies round out a menu built for variety.
Falafel Pita
Crispy chickpea falafel, herb-green inside, tucked into warm pita with tahini and fresh vegetables.
Za'atar Manaeesh
Traditional flatbread brushed with za'atar, sesame, and olive oil. Baked in our stone oven until fragrant.
Lahm Bil Ajin
Lebanese meat flatbread with seasoned ground beef, onion, parsley. Baked golden in the stone oven.
Hummus
Velvety chickpea dip blended with tahini, lemon, garlic, finished with olive oil and paprika.
Falafel Bowl
Crispy falafel over rice or greens, topped with Arabic salad, tahini, and olive oil.
Baklava
Layers of phyllo pastry, crushed pistachios, walnuts, drenched in rose-water honey syrup.
Baba Ghanouj
Fire-roasted eggplant blended with tahini, lemon, and garlic. Smoky, creamy, addictive.
Avocado Boost Smoothie
Creamy avocado blended with milk, honey, and mixed nuts. Packed with healthy fats.
Find Us
Shawarma Delivery Across the DC Metro
Taza is located on Seminary Road in Falls Church, VA -- a straight shot from DC via I-395. Most DC neighborhoods are 15-25 minutes away. We deliver through DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. For catering, we deliver directly.
Address
5820 Seminary Rd Ste O, Falls Church, VA 22041
Hours
11:00 AM - 12:00 AM -- Open 7 Days a Week
Phone
(703) 340-1014Online Pickup
Order on our website, skip the line, and pick up your shawarma hot and ready. Easy parking at our Seminary Road location.
DoorDash
Get Taza shawarma delivered to your DC address. Our pitas, bowls, and wraps travel well and arrive hot.
Uber Eats
Order through Uber Eats for delivery across the DC metro. Mediterranean food at your door in under 35 minutes.
Distance from DC Neighborhoods
Common Questions
Shawarma FAQs for DC Customers
Does Taza deliver shawarma to Washington DC?
Yes. Taza delivers to the DC metro area through DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. We also deliver catering orders directly to DC offices, event venues, and residences. Our Falls Church location is just across the Potomac, so delivery times to most DC neighborhoods are 25-35 minutes.
Is the shawarma at Taza halal?
100%. Every cut of meat at Taza -- chicken, beef, and lamb -- is certified halal. This applies to dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering orders. We are one of the most trusted halal restaurants serving the DC metro area.
What is the best shawarma to order near the National Mall?
Taza is about 20 minutes from the National Mall via I-395. Our most popular order is the Chicken Shawarma Pita ($9.95) -- marinated overnight, slow-roasted, hand-carved, and served in fresh pita with garlic sauce. For a bigger meal, the Chicken Shawarma Bowl ($12.45) gives you the same great shawarma over rice or greens.
How far is Taza from downtown Washington DC?
Taza is located at 5820 Seminary Rd in Falls Church, VA -- approximately 15-25 minutes from downtown DC depending on traffic and your starting point. Georgetown is about 18 minutes, Capitol Hill is about 22 minutes, and the Pentagon area is just 10 minutes away.
Does Taza offer catering for DC offices and events?
Yes. We cater to offices, events, and private parties throughout the DC metro area. Shawarma platters, falafel trays, hummus spreads, and full Mediterranean buffets are all available. Contact us at (703) 340-1014 or order through our website to arrange catering delivery to any DC address.
Finding Great Shawarma in the Washington DC Area
The DC dining scene has no shortage of options. Mediterranean restaurants line the blocks of Adams Morgan. Halal carts work the downtown lunch rush. But finding shawarma that is genuinely slow-roasted -- not reheated from a steam tray, not grilled flat on a plancha -- requires knowing where to look.
Taza Shawarma & Falafel operates out of Falls Church, VA, on Seminary Road just off I-395. The location puts it 15-25 minutes from most DC neighborhoods: 18 minutes from Georgetown, 20 minutes from Dupont Circle, 22 minutes from Capitol Hill. That is close enough for a lunch run and well within delivery range.
What makes Taza different from the average DC-area shawarma spot is the process. The chicken marinates overnight in yogurt, lemon, and a seven-spice blend. It stacks onto a vertical spit with layers of fat to keep everything moist during the slow roast. When you order, the meat is carved directly off the spit -- not pulled from a holding bin. That difference in freshness is immediately obvious.
The beef follows the same principle. Thin slices layered with fat ribbons, rotating next to open flame for hours. The exterior develops a crust while the interior stays tender. It is available in pita, shrak wrap, or as a bowl over rice or greens.
For DC residents who keep halal, Taza is a reliable option. All meats are certified halal. The menu also includes strong vegetarian choices: hand-formed falafel fried to order, creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanouj, and za'atar manaeesh from the stone oven.
Delivery to DC is available through DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Catering deliveries go directly to DC offices and event spaces -- shawarma platters, falafel trays, and full Mediterranean spreads for groups of any size.
DC, Your Shawarma Is Ready
Slow-roasted. Hand-carved. Made fresh. Order online for pickup or delivery, or make the drive to Seminary Road. Open every day until midnight.