Food Near Pentagon City: Taza Shawarma & Falafel
Pentagon City workers and shoppers -- Taza is a 12-minute drive west on Route 50. Halal shawarma turned on a vertical spit and hand-carved to order at 5820 Seminary Rd, Falls Church, VA. Open until midnight, seven days a week.
Worth the Short Drive
Why Pentagon City Workers Drive to Taza
The Pentagon City corridor has chain restaurants and a mall food court. Taza offers something those places cannot: shawarma carved off a vertical spit, falafel fried to order, and bread that comes out of the oven warm. Twelve minutes on Route 50 separates food court fare from the real thing.
15 Minutes from Pentagon City via Route 50
Pentagon City sits at the intersection of I-395 and Army Navy Drive. Taza is a straight shot west on Route 50 from Bailey's Crossroads to Seminary Road. During a standard lunch break, that is a 12-to-15-minute drive depending on traffic. Faster than waiting in the Pentagon City Mall food court line during peak hours.
Online Ordering Means Zero Wait Time
Place your order on our website before you leave Pentagon City. By the time you drive down Route 50 and pull into our Seminary Road lot, your shawarma is carved, wrapped, and waiting. No standing in line. No watching the clock. Order at 12:05, pick up by 12:20.
Vertical Spit Shawarma, Not Mall Food Court Reheats
Pentagon City Mall has a food court. It serves its purpose. But the shawarma at Taza rotates on a vertical spit. Chicken is seasoned with yogurt and warm spices. Beef is stacked with fat ribbons between each layer. Every serving is carved to order. That is a different category of food entirely.
Fried, Baked and Carved to Order
The shawarma is carved off the spit when you order. The pita comes out of the oven warm. The falafel is formed and fried when you order it. And you choose from 14 free toppings, built at the counter. Pentagon City workers who make the drive to Taza do it because they can taste the difference between fresh and pre-made.
The Arlington Corridor and Beyond
Pentagon City, Crystal City, Rosslyn, Clarendon
Taza sits at the center of a triangle formed by Pentagon City to the east, Tysons Corner to the north, and Annandale to the south. We serve all of them. Here is who makes the drive and why.
Pentagon City Office Workers
Thousands of government employees and contractors work in the Pentagon City corridor. The office parks along Army Navy Drive and South Hayes Street house defense agencies, consulting firms, and tech companies. When the food court gets stale and the same rotation of chain restaurants stops cutting it, the drive to Taza takes 12 minutes and delivers something entirely different.
Pentagon City Mall Shoppers
Fashion Centre at Pentagon City draws shoppers from across the DC metro. After a few hours walking the mall, you need real food -- not a quick slice from the food court. Taza is a short drive west on Route 50. Park, eat, and be back at the mall before your parking clock runs out. The shawarma and falafel will recharge you better than anything inside the mall.
Crystal City Commuters
Crystal City is one Metro stop from Pentagon City and shares the same workforce. Amazon HQ2 brought thousands of new workers to the area. Taza sits within easy reach for Crystal City residents and workers looking for halal Mediterranean food that is not the same five options on Crystal Drive. The commute home passes right through our area.
Rosslyn and Clarendon Residents
The Arlington corridor from Rosslyn through Clarendon and Ballston runs parallel to our location. Route 50 connects the entire strip to Taza in under 15 minutes. For Rosslyn office workers heading home through Falls Church, or Clarendon residents who want something beyond the Wilson Boulevard bar scene, Taza is a detour worth making.
Most Ordered by Pentagon City Regulars
What to Order When You Drive from Pentagon City
Six items for Pentagon City workers and Crystal City commuters. Chicken or beef. Pita, shrak wrap, or bowl. Each one starts with a hand-carved cut straight off the vertical spit.
Chicken Shawarma Pita
The simplest way to try Taza. Seasoned chicken turned on the vertical spit, carved to order, and stuffed into warm pita with garlic sauce, pickled turnips, and fresh vegetables. Filling enough for a full lunch, light enough that you are not dragging through the afternoon.
$9.95
View DetailsChicken Shawarma Bowl
The go-to for Pentagon City office workers watching macros. Generous chicken shawarma over basmati rice or mixed greens, topped with Arabic salad, pickled turnips, garlic sauce, and fresh herbs. High protein, carb-flexible, and enough food to carry you through a full afternoon of meetings.
$12.45
View DetailsBeef Shawarma Pita
Thinly stacked beef, pressed onto the spit with fat ribbons between layers. The fat renders down as it rotates, basting every slice beneath it. Carved thin, piled into oven-baked pita, finished with tahini, garlic sauce, and pickled turnip. Richer and more savory than the chicken -- the choice for beef lovers.
$9.95
View Details
Falafel Pita
Crispy chickpea falafel, herb-green inside, fried to order. Tucked into warm pita with tahini, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. A full vegetarian meal that holds its own against anything on the shawarma menu. A good pick for Crystal City and Pentagon City workers who skip meat at lunch.
$8.95
View DetailsBeef Shawarma Bowl
Tender slices of spit-carved beef shawarma over your choice of basmati rice, mixed greens, or hummus. Garnished with Arabic salad, pickles, tahini sauce, and sumac. This is the bowl you order when you want to feel full and satisfied without touching anything fried or bread-heavy.
$12.45
View DetailsChicken Shawarma Shrak
Chicken shawarma rolled in shrak -- a paper-thin traditional flatbread baked on a convex dome. Lighter than pita, with a subtle chew. Layered with garlic sauce, pickled vegetables, sumac, and fresh greens. A different texture experience from the pita, and the pick for anyone who wants a thinner bread-to-meat ratio.
$11.45
View DetailsThe Pentagon City to Taza Route
12 Minutes on Route 50 Changes Your Lunch
The drive from Pentagon City to Taza is straightforward. Head west on Army Navy Drive, merge onto Route 50 West toward Falls Church. Turn south on Seminary Road. Taza is in the shopping center at 5820 Seminary Rd, Suite O. During a typical lunch hour, that drive takes 12 to 15 minutes.
Order Online Before You Leave
Pull up our online ordering page while you are still at your Pentagon City desk. Select your items and choose a pickup time. Your order starts being prepared immediately.
Drive West on Route 50
From Pentagon City, take Army Navy Drive to Route 50 West. Pass through Bailey's Crossroads. Turn south on Seminary Road. The shopping center is on your left. Easy parking right outside our door.
Pick Up Fresh Shawarma
Order online for pickup through Clover, walk in, and collect it at the counter. Your shawarma is carved off the vertical spit to order, and parking is free at the door.
12 Min Drive
From Pentagon City
Open Late
Until Midnight Daily
Pentagon City and the Surrounding Area
Drive Times from Pentagon City, Crystal City & Beyond
Taza is located at 5820 Seminary Rd in Falls Church, VA. We sit between Pentagon City and Tysons Corner, accessible to the entire Arlington corridor and inner Northern Virginia.
Pentagon City
West on Route 50 to Seminary Rd
Crystal City
Via Army Navy Dr to Route 50 W
Rosslyn
South on Rt 50 W from Key Bridge corridor
Clarendon
West on Wilson Blvd to Rt 50
Ballston
Via Wilson Blvd or Glebe Rd to Rt 50
Pentagon (Building)
Via I-395 S to Seminary Rd exit
Shirlington
Quick hop via Walter Reed Dr
Bailey's Crossroads
Practically next door on Rt 7
Falls Church City
We are right here on Seminary Rd
Columbia Pike
Straight shot east to Seminary Rd
Seven Corners
Adjacent neighborhood, minutes away
Annandale
Down Columbia Pike heading west
Beyond Shawarma
The Full Taza Menu: More Than Just Shawarma
Shawarma is what most Pentagon City workers discover first. But the manaeesh from the oven, the falafel fried to order, and the hummus are worth the next visit. Eight more items worth ordering.
Zaatar Manaeesh
Flatbread brushed with za'atar, sesame, and olive oil. Baked in the oven until fragrant and golden.
Lahm Bi Ajin Manaeesh
Lebanese meat flatbread with seasoned ground beef, onion, and parsley. Often called Lebanese pizza.
Hummus
Velvety chickpea dip blended with tahini, lemon, garlic, finished with olive oil and a dash of paprika.
Cheese Manaeesh
Lebanese flatbread topped with melted cheese and baked in the oven until golden. Simple, rich, and easy to share.
Falafel Bowl
Crispy falafel over rice or greens with Arabic salad, tahini, and olive oil drizzle. Vegetarian and filling.
Avocado Boost
Creamy avocado blended with milk, honey, and mixed nuts. Packed with healthy fats for a midday boost.
Rice Pudding
Creamy rice pudding topped with pistachio. A cool, simple finish, and worth every calorie.
Beef Shawarma Shrak
Rich beef shawarma rolled in delicate shrak bread. The thin flatbread lets the beef flavor lead every bite.
Pickup, Delivery, or Dine-In
How to Get Taza Food in Pentagon City
Three ways to get Taza to Pentagon City, Crystal City, or Rosslyn: order online and pick up at our Seminary Road location, book catering with delivery, or dine in with free parking at the door. We are open seven days a week from 11 AM to midnight.
Order Online for Pickup
Place your order before leaving Pentagon City. Drive west on Route 50. By the time you arrive at our Seminary Road location, your shawarma is carved and wrapped. Free parking right at the door.
Catering Delivery
Feeding an office in Pentagon City, Crystal City, or Rosslyn? Taza caters for 10 to 200+ guests, and catering delivery is available with advance notice.
Dine In
Eat at the restaurant, 12 to 15 minutes from Pentagon City. Same shawarma, same 14 free toppings built at the counter, and open until midnight seven days a week.
Visit Taza
Address
5820 Seminary Rd Ste O, Falls Church, VA 22041
12 min from Pentagon City via Route 50
Hours
11:00 AM - 12:00 AM -- Open 7 Days a Week
Phone
(703) 340-1014Order Online
Order for Pickup or Delivery
Common Questions
Food Near Pentagon City: Your Questions Answered
What is the best food near Pentagon City that is not a chain restaurant?
Taza Shawarma & Falafel in Falls Church, VA is a 12-to-15-minute drive west of Pentagon City via Route 50. We serve halal chicken and beef shawarma, turned on a vertical spit and hand-carved to order. The menu also includes falafel, hummus, manaeesh from the oven, bowls, wraps, and desserts. Open 11 AM to midnight, seven days a week.
How far is Taza from Pentagon City Mall?
Taza is located at 5820 Seminary Rd in Falls Church, VA -- approximately 5.5 miles west of the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. The drive takes 12-15 minutes via Route 50 depending on traffic. You can also order online for pickup so your food is ready when you arrive, with free parking at the door.
Can I get food delivered to Pentagon City from Taza?
Everyday orders are pickup: order online through Clover and drive to our Seminary Road location, where your food is ready with free parking at the door. Catering is delivered: Taza caters for 10 to 200+ guests and delivers catering orders to Pentagon City, Crystal City, Rosslyn, and the Arlington corridor with advance notice.
Is there halal food near Pentagon City?
Taza Shawarma & Falafel is 100% halal and serves the Pentagon City area. Every cut of chicken and beef is halal, and there is no pork on the menu. We are located on Seminary Road in Falls Church, a short drive from Pentagon City, Crystal City, and the Pentagon building. No exceptions on our halal standards.
What should Pentagon City workers order for a quick lunch from Taza?
The Chicken Shawarma Pita ($9.95) is the classic order, carved off the vertical spit to order. The Chicken Shawarma Bowl ($12.45) is the high-protein choice for a filling lunch. The Falafel Pita ($8.95) is the vegetarian go-to. Order online for pickup through Clover before you leave Pentagon City and collect it at the counter.
Does Taza cater for Pentagon City offices and events?
Yes. Taza provides catering across Pentagon City, Crystal City, Rosslyn, Clarendon, Ballston, and all of Northern Virginia. Shawarma platters, falafel trays, hummus and dip spreads, manaeesh platters, and full Mediterranean buffets for groups of any size. We deliver catering directly to your Pentagon City office. Call (703) 340-1014 to discuss your event.
What are the best restaurants near Pentagon City Mall for dinner?
If you are willing to drive 12 minutes west on Route 50, Taza Shawarma & Falafel offers an entirely different experience from the Pentagon City Mall restaurant row. Shawarma carved off the spit to order, oven-baked manaeesh, falafel fried to order, and hummus and baba ghanouj. Open until midnight, making it a solid option for a late dinner after shopping.
Is there good Mediterranean food near Pentagon City and Crystal City?
Taza Shawarma & Falafel serves the Pentagon City and Crystal City corridor from Seminary Road in Falls Church: shawarma, falafel, hummus, baba ghanouj, manaeesh, bowls, and rice pudding. All meats are 100% halal, shawarma is carved off the spit and falafel is fried to order. Order online for pickup; catering delivery is available.
What time is Taza open for late-night food near Pentagon City?
Taza is open from 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM (midnight), seven days a week. That makes us one of the few spots accessible from Pentagon City where you can get freshly carved shawarma late at night. The spit is still rotating at 11 PM. Whether you are leaving Pentagon City Mall after a late shopping trip or finishing a long shift in Crystal City, Taza has food ready.
Finding Great Food Near Pentagon City, Virginia
Pentagon City is one of the densest employment and shopping hubs in Northern Virginia. The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City anchors the area, drawing thousands of shoppers daily. Surrounding office buildings house government agencies, defense contractors, and technology firms. Crystal City sits one Metro stop south, and together the two neighborhoods form a concentrated corridor of workers and residents who eat out regularly.
The food options inside Pentagon City Mall serve their purpose for a quick bite between stores. But for workers and residents who want something with more depth -- food carved, fried and baked to order, by a team that takes the craft seriously -- the options thin out quickly. That is where Taza enters the picture.
Taza Shawarma & Falafel operates at 5820 Seminary Road in Falls Church, VA. The drive from Pentagon City takes 12 to 15 minutes via Route 50 West. The restaurant serves authentic halal Mediterranean and Lebanese food: chicken and beef shawarma turned on a traditional vertical spit, falafel formed and fried to order, hummus and baba ghanouj, manaeesh baked in the oven, and a full menu of sides, smoothies, and desserts.
The shawarma at Taza follows a specific process. Chicken is seasoned with yogurt, lemon juice, and warm spices of the kind Levantine cooks use: cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, coriander, and cumin. Beef is stacked in layers with fat ribbons between each slice. Both rotate on vertical spits. When you order, the meat is carved directly off the spit with a sharp blade. Not pulled from a holding bin. Not reheated from a steam tray.
For the Pentagon City and Crystal City workforce that keeps halal, Taza provides certainty. All meats are 100% halal. There are no exceptions and no pork on the menu. The vegetarian menu is equally strong: falafel, hummus, baba ghanouj, za'atar manaeesh, spinach manaeesh, and cheese manaeesh from the oven.
The Route 50 corridor connects Pentagon City directly to Taza through Bailey's Crossroads. Commuters heading home from Pentagon City to Falls Church, Fairfax, or points west pass right through our area. For Crystal City residents, the drive follows Army Navy Drive to Route 50. Rosslyn workers can take Route 50 from the Key Bridge corridor. Clarendon and Ballston residents connect via Wilson Boulevard or Glebe Road.
Online pickup orders can be placed through our Clover ordering page -- a practical option for Pentagon City workers who want to order from their desk and pick up on the drive home. For catering, we deliver shawarma platters, falafel trays, and full Mediterranean spreads to Pentagon City offices, Crystal City event spaces, and corporate locations across Northern Virginia. Call (703) 340-1014 or order online at tazava.com.
Pentagon City Deserves Better Food
Skip the mall food court. Drive 12 minutes west on Route 50. Taza Shawarma & Falafel -- turned on a vertical spit, hand-carved to order, 100% halal. 5820 Seminary Rd, Falls Church, VA. Open until midnight, seven days a week.