Pita or Bowl: Discover Delectable Mediterranean Cuisine in Springfield

This food is the best food I have ever had! They are so kind and explained the menu to me. The recommendations didn't disappoint. I would completely recommend this place and I am a very picky eater. I had the chicken shawarma pita with the garlic sauce. Everything was amazing!

I am happy to have found this place. I work nearby, at the moment and this is already my favorite lunch spot. I had the chicken Schwarma the first time and I got a bowl the next time, both of which cost under $15. Both of which were a good price for the portion received.

This Place is soooo good! hands down good authentic food! All my mediterranean food lovers visit here! Affordable you can even split whatever between 2 people if neededIt will get you full & healthy at the same time. Hummus is good and i’m very picky about that and very picky about my meats but fresh ingredients also! You won’t be disappointed!

While I was in Springfield, IL, I searched for Mediterranean food and the name Pita or Bowl instantly caught my attention. Simple. Direct. Confident. So of course… I had to try it. And I didn’t go light either. I ordered a full spread. Chicken Shawerma Wrap This thing was HUGE. Uncut. Wrapped tight. The kind of sandwich that makes you excited before you even take a bite. It comes with Arabic pickles and your choice of garlic or spicy garlic sauce (plus fries if you want to upgrade). I went classic garlic — because shawerma + garlic is usually a match made in heaven. But here’s where things took a turn. First bite… something felt off. Second bite… yeah, definitely off. It was noticeably salty, and the garlic sauce just overpowered everything. And listen — I hadn’t eaten all day. I was craving shawerma. It should’ve hit. But two bites in and I was done. That was disappointing, especially because the sandwich had so much potential visually. Stuffed Grape Leaves Usually served cold, but these were warm — which honestly, I didn’t mind. They were seasoned well, cooked properly, and a solid start to the meal. No complaints there. Hummus Now this surprised me. When you order hummus, you choose your add-ons: pita, chickpeas, olive oil, dukka, paprika. I’ve honestly never seen it structured like that before. Most Mediterranean spots just serve pita with it automatically. The hummus itself? Not bad. Smooth, decent flavor. I’d give it a 3.5/5. Baba Ganoush I actually liked this more than the hummus. Nice smoky flavor, good texture. But again — no sides, no pita, no options. Just the dip. Flavor-wise, solid. Presentation-wise, minimal. The Ultimate Bowl Now THIS is where things redeemed themselves. You pick your base (rice, hummus, baba ganoush, lettuce — or mix and match). I went with rice. Then you choose three proteins — I picked chicken shawerma, lamb kufta, and lamb shish kebab. You also get up to four toppings (chickpeas, lettuce, Arabic pickles, red onions) and sauces on the side (tzatziki and garlic). The bowl came out looking full and satisfying. Proper portions. Great presentation. I was honestly nervous to try the chicken again after the wrap experience… but surprisingly, it was good inside the bowl. The lamb shish kebab was above average — nicely seasoned with a little kick. The lamb kufta was tender and flavorful. Then I dipped the chicken in the garlic sauce… And there it was again. That same overpowering garlic flavor from the wrap. For my taste, it just throws everything off balance. If that sauce wasn’t involved, this bowl would easily be a 4. But with it? More like a 3. Without the garlic sauce, I’d give the bowl a solid 4/5. ⸻ Overall, Pita or Bowl isn’t bad. The concept is strong. The bowl format works. The lamb options are solid. But the garlic sauce — at least on this visit — was the biggest letdown. It just didn’t taste right, something was way off and masked dishes that could’ve been really good. Would I go back? Yes. But next time, I’m skipping the garlic sauce completely. And I’m hoping this was just an off day — not the norm. If you’d like to see more photos and behind-the-scenes food content, make sure to follow @pure.shots.productions for full visuals and video coverage

Best hospitality I have experienced in a long time! I had many questions on my first visit, and the owners were so helpful and friendly. The food was fresh and so good! The portions were generous, and the hummus is the best I have had. Exceeded all my expectations and will be back for sure.

The food was fresh, and delicious! The tawook and gyros, and kufta were excellent, the environment was clean, and the service was great as well. We stopped here while we were traveling and this place exceeded expectations. BarakAllahu fikum.

Holy crap!! Love this place! Amazing service, the server offered samples and offered suggestions for what to get. Utterly delicious! Will return soon with family! I got a wrap w/ chicken shawarma, basmati rice, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, and spicy garlic spice; my dining partner got a bowl w/ ground lamb, baba ganoush, onions, black olives, pickles, tomatoes, and spicy garlic sauce. Reminded me a little of the gyro I had in NYC, and it really sticks with you. Would recommend!

Travel worker here, I eat out a lot on the road. This place is a tasty local gem I will be adding to my go to places when in the area! The food quality is great with so many topping options! I ordered a shawarma bowl combo and easily can get two meals out of it. The amount of drink selections they had…. I’ve never seen that many at a place:) ( they even had the gut healthy sodas I love). Another big win was how clean and sanitary the place was. The owner was so kind and caring about his restaurant, and making sure I had a good experience. That makes me want to support his business even more, and I hope you do to after reading their reviews.