Food Near Mark Center
Mark Center at 4800 Mark Center Drive in Alexandria is roughly 10 minutes from Taza Shawarma & Falafel on Seminary Road. Defense workers drive to us for fresh shawarma, stone-oven pies starting at $2.95, and made-to-order Mediterranean food.
Thousands of DoD employees, military personnel, and defense contractors work at the BRAC-133 building. When the cafeteria does not cut it, they head west on Seminary Road to Taza. Halal certified, open until midnight, seven days a week.
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Seminary Road Corridor
Mark Center and Taza: A Straight Shot on Seminary Road
The Mark Center complex at 4800 Mark Center Drive in Alexandria is one of the Department of Defense's largest office facilities outside the Pentagon. The BRAC-133 building was constructed as part of the Base Realignment and Closure process to consolidate thousands of DoD employees from leased office space across the National Capital Region. Today, the campus houses military personnel, civilian employees, and defense contractors who commute daily via Seminary Road and I-395.
Taza Shawarma & Falafel sits at 5820 Seminary Road in Falls Church -- a direct drive west from Mark Center on the same road. No highway merges, no complicated turns. You exit the Mark Center campus, head west on Seminary Road, pass Beauregard Street and the Skyline complex, and Taza is in the Seminary Crossing shopping center on the right. Ten minutes in normal traffic. Free parking directly in front.
For defense workers facing limited on-site dining options, Taza provides something the Mark Center cafeteria cannot: shawarma slow-roasted on a vertical spit for hours, falafel formed from raw chickpeas and fried to order, hummus made fresh multiple times per day, and stone-oven pies baked to order. The food is 100 percent halal certified, the prices start at $2.95, and the restaurant stays open until midnight every day of the week -- including weekends and holidays.
Mark Center employees have become a significant and growing part of Taza's customer base. Individual lunch orders, group catering for department meetings, and late-night dinners for workers pulling extended shifts. The Seminary Road corridor connects the two locations so directly that many workers pass Taza during their daily commute without realizing it. Once they stop in for the first time, the quality of the food makes them regulars.
Defense Worker Lunch Spot
Why Mark Center Workers Choose Taza
Thousands of DoD employees, military personnel, and contractors work at BRAC-133. Here is why Taza has become their go-to lunch destination on Seminary Road.
About 10 Minutes from Mark Center via Seminary Rd
Mark Center sits at 4800 Mark Center Drive in Alexandria, just off Seminary Road and I-395. Taza is located at 5820 Seminary Road in Falls Church -- a straight shot west on Seminary Road. No complicated turns, no highway merges required. The drive takes roughly 10 minutes depending on traffic. Pentagon overflow staff who already commute along Seminary Road pass right by our front door.
Fast Service for a Tight Lunch Break
Defense workers at Mark Center operate on structured schedules with limited lunch windows. Most Taza orders are ready in under 10 minutes. Order online before you leave the building and your food will be waiting when you pull into the parking lot. Shawarma carved from the spit, falafel fried fresh, pita assembled the moment your order comes through. No waiting, no wasted time.
100% Halal Certified -- Every Item
The Mark Center workforce reflects the diversity of the Department of Defense. A significant number of employees follow halal dietary guidelines. Every protein at Taza comes from certified halal suppliers. No pork is stored or served on the premises. No alcohol-based ingredients in any recipe. Muslim employees from Mark Center eat here with complete confidence.
Fresh, Scratch-Made, Nothing Reheated
Taza means fresh in Arabic, and the kitchen runs on that principle. Pita comes out of the oven fresh throughout the day. Garlic sauce is blended in-house every morning. Falafel is formed from scratch and fried to order. Vegetables are chopped the same day you eat them. After a morning of classified briefings and defense planning, you deserve a lunch that was not pulled from a freezer.
Real Prices, No Pentagon-Area Markup
Stone-oven pies start at $2.95. A full pita sandwich runs under $10. Bowls with generous protein portions start at $10.45. Taza does not charge the premium prices that restaurants closer to the Pentagon and Crystal City demand. Mark Center employees get substantially more food for less money -- without sacrificing quality. The value is obvious after one visit.
Open Until Midnight, Seven Days a Week
Defense work does not end at five o'clock. Late briefings, after-hours meetings, emergency response operations, and extended shifts are routine at Mark Center. Taza is open from 11:00 AM to midnight every single day -- including weekends and holidays. When you finally leave the building, a fresh-made dinner is still available on Seminary Road.
Mark Center Favorites
What Defense Workers Order Most
These are the items Mark Center employees order most frequently. Every one is made fresh, served fast, halal certified, and priced honestly.
Chicken Shawarma Pita
The top order from defense workers driving over from Mark Center. Chicken marinates overnight in yogurt, lemon, garlic, and a seven-spice blend, then slow-roasts on a vertical spit for hours. Sliced fresh into warm pita with house garlic sauce, pickled turnips, lettuce, and tomato. Ready in minutes -- fits easily into a Mark Center lunch break.
Beef Shawarma Pita
Premium halal beef, slow-roasted on a vertical spit until the exterior caramelizes while the interior stays tender. Served in warm pita with tahini, garlic sauce, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs. A substantial, protein-packed lunch for DoD professionals who need fuel for a demanding afternoon back at BRAC-133.
Falafel Pita
Hand-formed from ground chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, and cumin, fried to a golden crust while the interior stays bright green. Loaded into warm pita with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, and tahini. Naturally halal and vegetarian. Mark Center teams with mixed dietary needs order this alongside shawarma so everyone eats well.
Chicken Shawarma Bowl
Generous chicken shawarma over your choice of basmati rice, mixed greens, or hummus base. Topped with Arabic salad, pickled turnips, garlic sauce, and herbs. Available gluten-free on rice or greens. Health-conscious Mark Center employees order this for a high-protein lunch that keeps them sharp through afternoon briefings.
Hummus
Premium chickpeas blended with tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and finished with olive oil and paprika. Made fresh multiple times per day -- never from a container, never from yesterday. Served with warm pita bread. Mark Center catering orders always include hummus because it satisfies every dietary preference at the table.
Zaatar Manaeesh
Warm flatbread brushed with dried thyme (za'atar), toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and extra-virgin olive oil, baked in our stone oven until golden and aromatic. Under five dollars. One of the highest-value items on the menu and a quick option when you need to eat fast and get back to the Mark Center campus.
Lahm Bi Ajin Manaeesh
Thin, crispy flatbread topped with seasoned halal ground beef, diced onion, parsley, and Middle Eastern spices, baked in our stone oven until the edges crackle. Often called Lebanese pizza. At this price, Mark Center office managers order them by the dozen for team lunches and department meetings inside BRAC-133.
Lemon Mint
Fresh-squeezed lemon juice blended with muddled mint leaves, a touch of sugar, and ice. Cold, bright, and revitalizing. Mark Center workers who skip the afternoon coffee run order a lemon mint instead -- a natural pick-me-up that pairs with any meal on the menu.
Every Work Occasion
From Quick Lunch to Late-Night Dinner
Mark Center employees work demanding schedules with limited dining options on campus. Taza handles every scenario -- from a 30-minute lunch break to a midnight dinner after an extended shift.
The 30-Minute Lunch Break
Order online before leaving Mark Center. Drive 10 minutes on Seminary Road. Your food is ready when you arrive -- shawarma sliced from the spit, falafel crispy from the fryer, pita warm from the oven. Eat in or take it back to the office. The round trip, including eating, fits inside 30 minutes if you order ahead.
Team Lunch for the Department
Feeding a conference room of 15 analysts? Call Taza at (703) 340-1014 and order catering platters. Mixed shawarma platters, lahm bil ajin by the dozen, hummus and pita spreads, falafel trays, and baklava for dessert. We handle group orders from 10 to 100+ people. Many Mark Center offices have standing weekly orders.
The Working Lunch Pickup
When you cannot leave your desk for long, order online for pickup. A chicken shawarma bowl or beef shawarma pita travels well and tastes just as good at your desk 15 minutes later. The containers seal properly, the sauces do not leak, and the pita stays warm. Designed for people who eat where they work.
After-Hours Dinner on Seminary Road
The BRAC-133 building keeps late hours. When the evening shift finally ends and you are driving home on Seminary Road, Taza is still open -- until midnight, seven days a week. A real dinner with vertical-spit shawarma, fresh sides, and handmade pies. Not a reheated leftover from a gas station on the way home.
The Complete Guide
Food Near Mark Center: A Guide for Defense Workers
Why Mark Center Workers Are Driving to Taza for Lunch
The Mark Center complex at 4800 Mark Center Drive in Alexandria is home to thousands of Department of Defense employees, military personnel, and defense contractors. The BRAC-133 building -- the anchor of the campus -- was built as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process to consolidate DoD agencies from scattered leased office space across Northern Virginia into a single, purpose-built facility. The result is one of the densest concentrations of federal workers outside the Pentagon itself, all arriving each morning via Seminary Road and I-395.
The on-site dining options at Mark Center are limited by design. A small cafeteria and a handful of vendor carts serve a population of several thousand workers all competing for the same 30-to-60-minute lunch window. The food is institutional-grade: predictable, adequate, and uninspiring. Workers who want something better -- something genuinely fresh, authentically prepared, and reasonably priced -- have to leave the campus. And the most popular off-campus option, for a growing share of Mark Center employees, is Taza Shawarma and Falafel on Seminary Road.
The drive is simple. Exit Mark Center onto Seminary Road heading west. Pass Beauregard Street. Pass the Skyline complex. Taza is in the Seminary Crossing shopping center at 5820 Seminary Road, on the right. Ten minutes door to door in normal traffic. Free parking directly in front. No garage, no meters, no circling. Order online before you leave the building and your food is ready when you walk in. The round trip fits comfortably within a standard lunch break -- and the quality of the meal justifies every minute of the drive.
The Vertical Spit Difference: Real Shawarma on Seminary Road
Authentic shawarma is cooked on a vertical rotisserie -- layers of marinated meat stacked on a spit that rotates slowly in front of a heat source for hours. As the outer layer cooks and caramelizes, it is shaved off to order, producing thin slices with a crispy exterior and juicy interior. This method creates a depth of flavor and texture that cannot be replicated by flat-grill cooking, which is what most quick-service restaurants in the Mark Center area use when they label chicken as shawarma.
At Taza, the shawarma process starts the night before. Fresh halal chicken and beef marinate overnight in a yogurt-based mixture with lemon, garlic, and a proprietary seven-spice blend: cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, coriander, and cumin. Twelve hours minimum before the spit fires up the next morning. Throughout the day, the outermost layer continuously caramelizes while the inner layers absorb heat gradually. When a Mark Center worker orders, the chef shaves the caramelized exterior directly into the pita, wrap, or bowl.
Defense professionals who have eaten real shawarma -- whether during overseas assignments, at a relative's kitchen, or at a reputable restaurant -- recognize the difference at Taza immediately. The caramelization, the spice depth, the moisture retained by the slow-cooking process. These are physical properties of vertical-spit cooking. They are not marketing claims. They are the reason Mark Center workers drive past several closer restaurants to reach Taza on Seminary Road.
Catering for Mark Center Offices: Department Lunches and Team Events
Mark Center offices represent one of Taza's fastest-growing catering segments. Department lunches, team meetings, promotion celebrations, retirement events, holiday gatherings, and Friday team-building sessions all call for food that people actually want to eat. Taza's catering menu includes mixed shawarma platters with both chicken and beef, falafel trays, hummus and pita spreads, lahm bil ajin by the dozen, fresh salads, rice, and baklava trays for dessert.
The ordering process is straightforward. Call (703) 340-1014 or visit tazava.com to discuss your group size, budget, and dietary needs. We handle groups from 10 to over 100 people. Popular configurations include a shawarma-and-falafel platter combination for teams with mixed dietary preferences, a meat-focused spread with chicken and beef for hearty appetites, or a Mediterranean mezze spread with hummus, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, and pita for a lighter option. Every item is halal certified, clearly labeled, and prepared fresh the morning of your event.
Delivery to the Mark Center area is available with advance ordering. Many offices establish recurring orders -- weekly team lunches, monthly department celebrations, or quarterly all-hands meetings. Once your preferences are on file, reordering takes a single phone call. Mark Center teams consistently report that Taza catering generates better feedback from employees than any other catering option they have tried in the Seminary Road corridor.
Beyond Mark Center: Serving the Entire Seminary Road and I-395 Corridor
While Mark Center is a major anchor, Taza serves a much broader community along the Seminary Road and I-395 corridor. The Beauregard apartment communities south of Mark Center -- home to one of Northern Virginia's most diverse populations -- order delivery and dine in multiple times per week. The Skyline complex, less than a mile west of Taza on Seminary Road, treats us as their neighborhood restaurant. Bailey's Crossroads, Seven Corners, and the Falls Church core are all within a five-minute drive.
The Pentagon itself is about 12 minutes via I-395 South. Crystal City and Pentagon City are under 15 minutes. Columbia Pike -- one of Arlington's most diverse corridors -- is 8 minutes away. Southern Towers, the massive apartment complex on Beauregard Street in Alexandria, sends a steady stream of families and young professionals. Each of these communities has discovered Taza through word of mouth, delivery apps, or the simple fact that Seminary Road connects all of them.
What connects all of these customers is the same set of priorities: authentic food prepared from scratch, halal integrity across the entire menu, generous portions at fair prices, and late-night availability until midnight every day of the week. Whether you are a DoD civilian at Mark Center, a defense contractor on Beauregard, a military family at Skyline, or a tech worker commuting home on I-395 -- Taza delivers the same quality every single visit.
Getting Here
Driving Directions from Mark Center Area
Taza is located at 5820 Seminary Rd Ste O, Falls Church, VA 22041. Here are directions from Mark Center and nearby landmarks.
Mark Center (BRAC-133)
10 minExit Mark Center onto Seminary Road heading west. Continue straight on Seminary Road through the Beauregard Street intersection and past the Skyline complex. Taza is in the Seminary Crossing shopping center on the right at 5820 Seminary Rd. Free parking directly in front. A single road, no turns required.
I-395 Southbound
8 minIf coming from the Pentagon or Crystal City on I-395 South, take exit 3A for Seminary Road. Turn right onto Seminary Road and head west. Continue past Beauregard Street to the Seminary Crossing shopping center on the right. Taza is at 5820 Seminary Rd with free parking in the lot.
Beauregard Street Corridor
5 minFrom the Beauregard apartment communities south of Mark Center, head north on Beauregard Street to Seminary Road. Turn left (west) on Seminary Road and continue to the shopping center at 5820 Seminary Rd. Under 5 minutes from most Beauregard addresses.
Skyline / Bailey's Crossroads
3 minFrom the Skyline complex or Bailey's Crossroads, head west on Seminary Road. Taza is less than a mile away in the Seminary Crossing shopping center. You can practically see the shopping center from the Skyline towers. The shortest drive on this list.
Pentagon
12 minFrom the Pentagon, take I-395 South to exit 3A for Seminary Road. Turn right and head west on Seminary Road. Continue to the Seminary Crossing shopping center at 5820 Seminary Rd. The same route many Mark Center commuters use daily. Free parking, no garage fees.
Alexandria West End / Southern Towers
8 minFrom the Alexandria West End and Southern Towers area, head north on Beauregard Street or take Seminary Road west. Both routes lead directly to Taza at 5820 Seminary Rd. Alexandria West End residents consider Taza their neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant.
Service Area
Areas We Serve Near Mark Center
Taza serves customers from across the Mark Center corridor, Seminary Road, and throughout Northern Virginia. Here is a breakdown by area with approximate drive times.
Mark Center / BRAC-133
10 minThe Mark Center complex at 4800 Mark Center Drive, including the BRAC-133 building and surrounding DoD offices. About 10 minutes west on Seminary Road. Thousands of defense workers have made Taza their go-to lunch destination -- a real meal with real ingredients, just down Seminary Road from the campus.
Beauregard Corridor
5 minThe Beauregard Street apartment communities south of Mark Center, including Foxchase, The Fern, and Halstead Square. Under 5 minutes via Beauregard to Seminary Road. One of the most diverse neighborhoods in Northern Virginia, with a large population that values halal-certified dining.
Skyline / Bailey's Crossroads
3 minSkyline Plaza, Skyline Towers, and the Bailey's Crossroads commercial district. Less than a mile from Taza on Seminary Road. Skyline residents walk or drive over in minutes. The closest neighborhood on this list.
Seminary Road Corridor
1-10 minThe entire Seminary Road corridor from Mark Center to Seven Corners. Taza sits at the heart of this corridor at 5820 Seminary Rd. Every address on Seminary Road is within a short drive or, in many cases, a walk.
Pentagon / Arlington
12 minThe Pentagon, Pentagon City, and central Arlington via I-395 South to the Seminary Road exit. Pentagon employees who already commute along I-395 to Mark Center pass the Seminary Road exit daily. A quick detour for a dramatically better lunch.
Southern Towers / Alexandria West End
8 minThe Southern Towers apartment complex and the broader Alexandria West End community along Beauregard Street and Duke Street. About 8 minutes north on Beauregard to Seminary Road. A large, diverse population with strong demand for halal and Mediterranean food.
5820 Seminary Rd Ste O, Falls Church, VA 22041
11:00 AM - 12:00 AM -- Open 7 Days a Week
How to Order
Get Food from Taza to the Mark Center Area
Four ways to get your food -- dine in, pick up, deliver, or cater. Choose the option that fits your schedule.
Online Pickup
Order on our website, skip the line, and pick up your food hot and ready. Free parking at our Seminary Road location. Most Mark Center workers arrive in 10 minutes.
Order NowDoorDash Delivery
Get Taza delivered to your Mark Center office, Beauregard apartment, or Seminary Road address. Pitas, bowls, and wraps travel well. Typical delivery is 25-40 minutes.
Order DoorDashUber Eats Delivery
Order through Uber Eats for delivery across the Seminary Road corridor. Halal Mediterranean food at your door -- from Mark Center to Skyline to Bailey's Crossroads.
Order Uber EatsCatering for DoD Offices
Halal catering for 10 to 100+ guests. Shawarma platters, falafel trays, sides, and desserts. Perfect for department lunches, team events, and meetings at Mark Center. Call (703) 340-1014.
Plan CateringCommon Questions
Food Near Mark Center: FAQ
Answers to the most common questions from Mark Center employees, defense contractors, and military personnel looking for food near the BRAC-133 campus.
Better Than the Mark Center Cafeteria.
10 Minutes on Seminary Road.
Taza Shawarma & Falafel serves fresh, halal-certified Mediterranean food at 5820 Seminary Rd in Falls Church. About 10 minutes from Mark Center. Open 11 AM to midnight, seven days a week. Order online for pickup or call (703) 340-1014.