hummus
A dip served as part of a dinner plate.
“The hummus is very sour as well and has smoked paprika on top which seems like an error in the spice, its been sweet paprika in the past”
The vibe
All-day Mediterranean counter service on Grand Ave with a strong vegan lineup. Breakfast until noon or 1pm, then falafel, hummus, curry, and wraps through the evening. One of the most vegan-friendly spots in Saint Paul.
Customer favorites from 1,930+ verified Google reviews
A dip served as part of a dinner plate.
“The hummus is very sour as well and has smoked paprika on top which seems like an error in the spice, its been sweet paprika in the past”
The best coffee.
“The best coffee and babaghanoush - for real, delicious”
A delicious dip made from eggplant.
“The best coffee and babaghanoush - for real, delicious”
A dish of cooked fava beans, recommended for breakfast.
“Highly recommend going for breakfast And ordering the Foul Medames with Arabic tea”
Amazing Turkish coffee, recommended for breakfast.
“The Turkish coffee is amazing ☕”
A tea recommended to be ordered with Foul Medames for breakfast.
“Highly recommend going for breakfast And ordering the Foul Medames with Arabic tea”
1,930+ verified Google reviews
Dining area is on the medium to small side… but takeout is just as excellent as eating in the restaurant, so keep that in mind if you have a larger party or prefer a “quiet” dining experience. There are times we’ll do a big dinner with the whole family and do takeout… no difference in the quality of the food. Everything on the menu is excellent. That’s pretty tough to do, but Shish manages to deliver. Everything is so fresh, portions are generous, and I would put the pricing in the “value” category. My most recent visit… my sister and I split a Chicken Shawarma bowl, Greek salad, and spinach pies… which ended up being about $20 each, gave us some variety, and the food was so great. Service is also excellent regardless of whether you’re dining in the restaurant or doing takeout. Shish has definitely become a “go to” for my extended family; given the quality and value we eat there at least twice a week.
Hubby and I was really craving Mediterranean/greek food- I went out of the way to drive to pick up our order. Road construction and parking was questionable, but I was able to find a safe spot to park during the night where I didn’t have to walk too far after scoping the area around the buildings aside from this restaurant for the first time. Chicken shawarma pita and gyro pita were the BOMB!!! Love that you guys offered side salad and rice as options (keep in mind this is an extra charge)! Hubby and I really went big backing on this place and that was only our first time ordering too and we wanted to try a variety! I am so excited to order from Shish again in the next couple of months when we have our cravings to try the numerous other delicious things on the menu! Portions were unexpectedly generous that we actually have leftover food saved for the next day (for the price I paid I feel that it’s wonderful and fair)! When I came inside to pick up our order around 8pm it dining room was booming with people at the booths! When you come to this place whether it be for lunch or for dinner (especially when the whole road in front of the restaurant is closed off for construction) and see that the place is busy at peak meal times, you KNOW it’s worth the walk to get in and order or to sit down and grab a bite to eat! 10000/10 would make a take out order again or better yet we’ll try and come back to have a sit-in dining experience!
Wow! I am a long time resort manager and restaurant creator, I am not easily impressed. What I can tell is that the staff, management, and ownership, are Passionate about their food and restaurant operation. The business seems to attract great people who truly Care about what they do and serve their customers. Go to SHISH! Quality, fresh ingredients, well seasoned, unique and prepared with pride. Nice gluten free and vegetarian options, too. We had a salad, Lamb Curry, and the Lamb Shank Special. I don't live in MN, but I will visit anytime I am in town.
We have been enjoying shish for many years. It never disappoints, and there are so many options. Every time I have their dishes, I think "why haven't I had this sooner?". That's a true sign of how great shish is. We just enjoyed a kebab dinner with chicken, rice, babaganoush, hummus, flatbread, and salad. We need to do this more often.
Went on a spontaneous lunch outing- and got the chicken swarma dinner plate. 🥢 Comes with lots of pita bread, though no hummus 🥢 I personally wished it came with bigger portions, or maybe it was because I ate with 3 males. At Wallys, they have a similar dinner plate and it was much more food imo 🥢 Carrot cake was really good! Not too sweet and huge slice! 🥢 Chicken is very flavorful 🥢 Small water cups - my friend had to ask for them. Overall service, they didn’t come by to ask if the food was good or anything. [Cindy 🙋🏻♀️]
Great atmosphere and amazing service. The servers were kind and so helpful! We ordered two peices of cake and the server was so helpful in deciding. The chocolate layer cake is SO good and the sweet potato cheesecake is so unique and delicious. For us, the chicken kebabs were quite salty but the rest of the food was superb. We were on a day trip in the city from Wisconsin and the food totally made the long drive worth it.
I have been eating here for many years, since it opened. It had a period where the owner seemed to be struggling to hire and maintain good employees. My sense now is that things have stabilized and that the quality has returned to excellent. Some things to keep in mind is that this is an order at the counter restaurant, a bit on the casual end of things. Your food may not arrive at your table at the same time as your companion—this is not a failure, but instead part of the design of the place. See this as somewhere relaxed where you can get flavorful, delicious food. Also, they can get slammed at lunchtime. If you need to get in and out quickly, it may be better for you to order takeout.
We visit my son a few times of year at Mac and always have a meal (or two) here. Their super hummus with gyro is my favorite and my husband loves the kebabs. Service is insanely excellent when ahead of time you figure you're in for a typical fast food experience. You're NOT though! Much more like a local, well-loved dining spot where you're treated like friends - Love everything about this place.
Got take out. The food was so good!! We tried the kebab trio, a gyro, tabbouleh and a med chicken sandwich . Everything was fantastic
Fun and lively atmosphere, comfortable booths, conveniently on Grand! The Falafel Burger and Shish Salad are top tier.
Average busyness by hour
4.4 average from 1,930 verified Google reviews
The best vegan food on Grand Avenue, St. Paul - Everest on Grand, Shish Mediterranean, Cafe Latte, and more. Worth the drive from Minneapolis.
GuideSt. Paul vegan restaurants: J. Selby's (100% vegan), Everest on Grand, Foxy Falafel, Bole Ethiopian, iPho by Saigon. Neighborhood guide updated June 2026.
GuideBest vegan Mediterranean food in Minneapolis: Holy Land (authentic Lebanese, best falafel), Foxy Falafel (creative plant-based takes), Shish Mediterranean (Seward, Syrian-Lebanese), Afro Deli (East African-Mediterranean fusion). Full guide.
Shish Mediterranean is vegan-friendly, meaning it is not fully vegan but offers clearly marked plant-based dishes. Ask staff to confirm preparation.
Popular vegan picks at Shish Mediterranean include Foul Medammas - Fava beans with Shish spices, pita, falafel, tomato, cucumber (labeled vegan), Falafel Plate - House-made falafel with hummus, tabbouleh, and pita, Hummus Appetizer - Creamy, olive oil-drizzled, better than store-bought, Baba Ganoush - Smoky eggplant dip, pairs perfectly with the pita basket.
Shish Mediterranean is at 1668 Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105, in the Summit-University neighborhood.
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