Shawarma Press expanding in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma

Irving, Texas-based Shawarma Press Mediterranean Eatery & Cafe is opening 10 locations throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Florida. The Lone Star State will see rapid expansion with locations in Arlington, Plano, San Antonio and Georgetown in 2021, according to a company press release. Additional restaurants are planned in Irving, Frisco and Mansfield in 2022, as well as locations in Oklahoma and Florida, and at least seven of the franchises will operate inside Walmart stores, Shawarma Press Founder and CEO Sawsan Abublan said in the release.

"We're excited that more people are actively seeking authentic, ethnic dishes as part of their regular diet," Abublan, who co-founded Shawarma Press with her husband, Dr. Ehap Sabri, in 2017, said in the release. "Our customers in Irving have embraced our traditional wraps as well as innovative 'fusion' offerings such as the spicy Tandoori Press and Tex-Mex Press Shawarmas. Because our fresh menu items are made in-house and appeal to a wide variety of diverse palates and dietary preferences, we're poised for rapid growth and expansion during the next few years."

Shawarma Press follows Halal guidelines and uses high-quality ingredients, premium beef, and 100% natural chicken raised with no steroids, hormones or antibiotics. The menu includes a variety of wraps, appetizers, salads, home-baked pastries, desserts and numerous vegan options. The main entree, however, is Shawarma, which tantalizes customers with thin slices of beef or chicken stacked in a cone-like shape as it slowly roasts on a vertical rotisserie, Abublan said.

"We were the first establishment to introduce Shawarma in the Dallas-Fort-Worth metroplex," she said. "Some people are not familiar with it, so we explain that 'Shawarma' is the wrap, and 'press' refers to the grill or griddle used to make the wrap crispy. Customers appreciate that Shawarma and the rest of our dishes are made from scratch, including Mediterranean staples such as our famous hummus, falafel and sauces that can be enjoyed in our cheerful, welcoming atmosphere or at home."

Shawarma Press started with a dream driven by a craving for authentic, freshly prepared Mediterranean food, a concept that was rare to find in the Dallas Fort-Worth market. Abublan experimented with traditional flavors and collected recipes perfected by family members as well as top chefs in the Middle East before opening the first location in Irving. While some restaurants suffered huge setbacks during the pandemic, Shawarma Press kept its doors open and bounced back quickly with a loyal customer base. The Irving location is open seven days a week, including all holidays, and offers a variety of catering packages for special events, Abublan said.