The gyro is one of the most popular dishes in Mediterranean food. If you’ve never had one before, it’s time to try one. These sandwiches hail from Greece as ancient street food and are still popular to this day. When you head to your local Mediterranean grill to order one, know what to expect and how this delicious meal came to exist.

Mediterranean Food Guide: The Gyro

What It Is

The gyro is made with thinly-sliced meat placed in a flatbread or pita bread. The meat is typically seasoned lamb, chicken, pork, or beef that is pressured into a cylinder, then put onto a spit. The meat is roasted on a rotisserie and sliced right off the spit when the food is being prepared.

The traditional sandwich is topped with onions and tomatoes. It’s eaten with a white sauce, called tzatziki, which is made of strained yogurt, salt, pepper, garlic, dill, and cucumbers. Modern-day Mediterranean food options add fries, lettuce, and other vegetables.

Where It Came From  

Skewered meats date back to the time of Alexander the Great, when his armies skewered meat on their blades to cook it over their fires. This practice traveled across Europe with them, and each region made it their own. This is why the gyro is similar to the Turks’ doner kebab and the Arabs’ shawarma.

There’s no clear history of the gyro, but it’s believed to have originated in Greece. The first known presence is in the 1920’s. Refugees from present-day Turkey settled in Greece and Armenia and set up shop on the street corners selling this authentic Mediterranean food. People could take these delicious sandwiches and eat them on the go. As the Greeks moved through Europe and to the United States, it became a global phenomenon.  

If you’re ready to try a gyro for yourself, you’ll experience the finest quality at Shahrazad Mediterranean Restaurant in St. Louis, MO. They bring the best of the Old World to Missouri, including Arabic, Lebanese, Jordanian, and Mediterranean food. You can expect fresh ingredients and authentic recipes. Browse their menu on their website and call the Mediterranean restaurant at (636) 527-4000 with any questions.