13 Best Mediterranean Restaurants in Worcester

“Happy Birthday, _____! Now here’s a happy twist! _____ (a leap year baby! 😉 ) treated us to her Happy Birthday celebration at the splendiferous Shawarma Palace yesterday! Right across the side street from The Commons at Worcester City Hall! Yes! We New Englanders know how to party! _____, her husband _____, pal _____, and yours truly (all of us Leominsterites) made merry at the best middle eastern establishment around! (It’s been a favorite of mine for some time!) Oversized containers piled high with falafel, kibbeh, egg plant, grape leaves, rice, vegetables, as well as beef and chicken (all separated for the veggies among us, ahem!), hummus, tahini, pita bread, baklava, etc. etc.! All in the wonderful Shawarma Palace! When I worked in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) in the 1980s, I fell in love with the orange-and-lemon-flavored shawarmas along Al Baatha Street, the central traditional thoroughfare at the time. Today, we all got to replicate those flavors at the Shawarma Palace! Hurray and hurrah!“

“Worcester Restaurant Week is wrapping up, so we headed to El Basha - Worcester, MA on Route 9. We began with hummus & lamb sambusik. He chose the $29.95 deal, featuring a Greek salad & beef port saiid, while I had a salad with kofta. The rice pudding dessert was delightful. Great food & service from Natalie!“

“I Give Aladdin 5 stars for several reasons! I have ate there and ordered food over a dozen times and each and every time the food is fresh and is the best authentic Iraqi food I have ever eaten! The owner is such a nice guy and has always went out of his way to be polite and accommodating in anyway!“

“mokhalad the owners son who works here is amazing. he is so nice! i walked in and he said hello mam how are you!? like so enthusiastic and kind! he asked for my order and i gave it and he said great choice i eat that a lot to! served me food and i gave him a 100$ tip and he said he was gonna pay forward and help people out with that money! such a good boy!“

“Had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on wheat bread, and OMG it was soooo good. The eggs and bacon were super fresh. There is lots of tables to sit to eat, although I work in the building so I didn't eat there. This is a place that is definitely worth going to.“

“Birthday dinner vibes at Sham in Worcester. My amazing friends spoiled me with a feast & it did not disappoint! We kicked things off with the trio of dips — beet hummus, classic hummus, & baba ganoush — all silky smooth perfection. Then came the kibbeh & the crispiest wings ever. For mains, we dove into the chicken shawarma wrap & the Sham mixed grill with rice — juicy, flavorful, & worth every bite. Of course, no celebration is complete without something sweet, dessert was hareese and kunafe. From start to finish, everything was bursting with flavor & the service made it feel extra special. Worcester foodies, this spot is a must-try!“

“I finally tried their viral Golden Shawarma and honestly, it did not disappoint! The flavor was incredible — every bite was so satisfying and full of taste. What also stood out to me was how clean and well-kept the place was. The atmosphere made the whole experience even better. Definitely living up to the hype, and I’ll be coming back for more“

“Real Greek food! Not “Americanized” for the non-Greeks! Efcharisto.“

“We loved this place: lovely elegant atmosphere, kind attentive staff, and the food is fantastic. I had the pumpkin jibber which was delicious and my husband had chicken kebab, also delicious - large portions. We had a humus starter which was also very good. Highly recommend this for a really delicious meal.“

“I’ve been living in Worcester for a long time and I am sorry I did not discover this wonderful place sooner! Lots of good things to say about this place and it will be my go to for interesting food to eat and purchasing of food items moving forward. I love the focus of this marketplace as you can have a bite to eat such as their flavorful shawarma sandwich’s. Also, their bakery is soooo good! I had a pistachio chocolate croissant 🥐 that is to die for. (Much better than some fancy bakery shops) Oh and most importantly their prices are really affordable in my opinion. These are some of the things you can get high quality at a fair price. Tahini paste, spices, prepared sauces and prepared food in their refrigerated section. The garlic sauce is on point. Olive oils, preserved jams, coffee, etc. They carry quite a bit of inventory of various interesting food items. Definitely make a trip to this wonderful store. You won’t be disappointed! 😊“

“Thanks to Live To Eat Food for the reminder to visit Nuovo Restaurant in Worcester. I hadn’t been back since around the time they opened—10+ years ago—& let me say, they did not disappoint. We arrived around 6 PM, & the place was buzzing with at least three Christmas parties going on, so we grabbed seats at the bar. We started with some excellent martinis, then moved on to appetizers (after the bread, of course). We had the fig–mascarpone stuffed phyllo dough & the best chicken lemon orzo soup—truly unmatched anywhere else in the city. For entrées, he had the lobster pappardelle special, & I went with pasta in vodka sauce with meatballs. We were completely stuffed but still couldn’t resist ordering the blueberry-crumble cheesecake to go. Despite how busy they were, the service was great, & everything we had was spot-on.“

“thought this was a restaurant not a dating site. That #girl Miranda you met was smart not to give you her number. He's creepy stalker. To all women-Stay far away from Matt Kuszewski-he’s a psycho & abuses women, among other things He’s a scumbag. Who looks for some #girl on a restaurant review site. Creepy stalker; desperate much??“

“Delicious food fast service“