Mr. Gyro's East Town Deli
A gyro may be the simplest concept of Mediterranean food, but the staff of Mr. Gyro's does it well. An alternative to the normal burger-and-fries fast food meal, a visitor to Mr. Gyro's can get a great tasting gyro with french fries in about the same time and for about the same price, either for sit down meal or for take-out. If you don't want the fries, try the falafel and be sure to get a side of the eatery's homemade hummus as well, it will be some of the best you've ever had. Traditional gyros are made with lamb, but you can also get a chicken or beef version here, topped with your choice of lettuce, tomato and tazatziki sauce.
Mr. Gyro's East Town Deli
3900 Lake Michigan Drive NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
(616) 791-6660
La Crave Cafe & Grill
With reasonable prices and a friendly staff, La Crave is a great place to fix your Mediterranean cravings. The meats here are very well seasoned. Try the grill combo for two and you will definitely leave stuffed. It comes with a chicken kabob, kafta kabob, beef kabob, chicken and beef shawarma, hummus, baba ghannouge, rice and enough salad for two. If you are going in a larger group, they even have party platters so everyone can try a little of everything. Party Platter 1 serves four to five people. Just want to order something for yourself? Try the shish kabob and hummus pita sandwich with charbroiled beef tenderloin, tomatoes and onions. For drinks, the cafe does not have an alcoholic bar, but does serve traditional yogurt drinks. Freshness is emphasized at La Crave, as the majority of its produce comes from local providers and every meal is cooked to order.
La Crave Cafe & Grill
2923 28th St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
(616) 949-9449
lacraverestaurant.com
San Chez Cafe & Bistro
A Mediterranean and Spanish-style tapas bistro, San Chez is unique and authentic. Open seven days a week, the cafe section serves breakfast and lunch and the bistro serves lunch and dinner, every day. The tapas aspect makes it great for group dining as you can get a variety of small dishes to share. Try the bleu cheese fritters with the red pepper aioli, the hummus served with grilled vegetables, or the spicy Moroccan fire-roasted shrimp. With its three stories, San Chez can be perfect for private events or just to go and enjoy the crowd and live entertainment. Its fully stocked bar carries wine, beer and liquor and the dishes here run from under $5 to more than $20.
San Chez
38 W. Fulton St.
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 774-8272
sanchezbistro.com
About The Author
Kimberly Porter is a writer based in Miami Beach, Fla., first published in high school when she was an intern with "The Miami Herald." Since then she has interned with "Ocean Drive Magazine," graduated from Florida International University and written articles for "Social Affairs Magazine." Currently she writes articles mainly Trails Travel, GolfLink and eHow.
