Their meals always delight. I love that they have so many gluten free and dairy-free options. Their hummus bowls with falafel are delicious and very filling, and they also have cucumber slices on the side as an alternative for bread. The serving sizes are good and filling. I just wish they were open for indoor seating! Also make sure to be patient when calling; sometimes it takes quite a few rings to answer. read more

I'm sorry to say, but we just had a very bad experience at dinner tonight . The grill was only about 20' away from us and the person making the cheesesteaks was very loud with his tools. When me mentioned something to our waiter about the noise, because we couldn't hear each other talk, the noise got even louder with the."chef"! banging his tools on the grill to the point where we had to wrap up dinner and leave read more

We had takeout from Desert Rose; it was great. Generous portions of delicious hummus and various tasty meats. I particularly liked the mixed olive appetizer. read more

The best chicken Shawarma. Everything is fixed fresh and it's so good they run out of things. It's that great. Try it. If you like spicy ask for the shug. Everything is great and healthy. read more

This place is one of media's best hidden gems. It's byo Mediterranean food. I've never had a bad meal. I got takeout here for the first time due to the quarantine and it still did not disappoint. The braised beef is one of the best menu items, but the hummus is also spectacular. The portions are generous. I always leave with left overs but my fiancé eats his whole meal and leaves stuffed. A great place to go if you life sharing dishes and trying different things! read more

Desert Rose - Two to-go platters - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

See all

You literally can't go wrong with anything you order here... I can't at least! I love the chicken shawarma, the tomato soup, the orzo salad, the short rib... I could go on and on. This restaurant is definitely a must try. read more

I received the smallest piece of Baklava for $2.50 and a tiny round piece of pita. Very disappointed read more

Desert Rose - Really disappointed that this was the size of the piece of Baklava I was delivered (for $2.50!!!) - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

Recently had a date night here with my fiancé and so glad we finally checked this place out. The service was prompt and friendly and we were in an out for dinner in about an hour. Wasn't busy but also a testament to how quickly our food came and the attentiveness of the employees. The food was delicious. I had the short rib platter and the hummus was outstanding. Really fresh and bursting with flavor, as was the bbq sauce on the short rib. The pita bread, which I assume was homemade, went perfectly as well. Only real complaint was the falafel. Seemed kinda bland, but still enjoyed it. Overall a really good experience and BYOB is a huge plus. read more

We went here for Dining under the stars on a Wednesday evening. We reached around 6:30pm and there was still plenty of light and no stars. The streets were packed with people as all the restaurants had put their tables outside. This is a small family owed restaurant. Its BYOB and I do believe they do not have a corkage fee. The staff is extremely polite and always smiling. The food was good too. We ordered lamb platter and a side of baba ganoush. The pita was fresh and very soft. I thought that the meat was slightly over salted but my wife thought it was perfect. Since we sat outside, we had descent space. Inside space was very small and limited. There was Chef special on that day but we didnt order that. There was no music outside whihc was surprising as most other places had music ir live entertainment. Overall,good service and food. Would recommend this place. Dont forget its BYOB. read more

Things I've had: Greek salad Shawarma platter Falafel platter ALL. AMAZING. I come here all the time it's unbelievable and everyone is super friendly! Never found a place like it and probably never will. Much love to Desert Rose! read more

This was my first time trying Mediterranean food and it did NOT disappoint. We called ahead for takeout and when we arrived 15 minutes later, it was ready for us. The workers were pleasant and they have a good system for takeout. The bar is set very high for my idea of a falafel sandwich! read more

Desert Rose - Falafel Sandwich - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

I had lunch here today and ordered your basic pita bread and hummas. They only offer one hummas. It was terrible, whipped like mayo and no spices or seasoning. It was inedible. I had to get salt and garlic powder from the kitchen to make it even somewhat edible. read more

Fabulous food. Truly yummy Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food that's worth every penny spent on it.

Please address the issue of items repeatedly missing from orders - almost every one of your negative online reviews mentions receiving incomplete or incorrect orders when placing an order for delivery or pickup. It's incredibly frustrating, there is little to no feedback from the restaurant, and it makes it hard to justify your high price point, regardless of the quality of your food and ingredients. read more

The chef brings out dishes enjoyed around the middle east - even Israeli-made pickled eggplant - Chicken Sharma is our go-to; then there's the roasted tomato soup - was there a 'deconstructed gyro'? then the warm fresh pita so you soak up every drop !! - BYOWine especially red Rioja, or a Malbec! And open on a Monday night too! read more

I was in Media last week visiting a friend and she suggested stopping by a new restaurant for an appetizer. I had never heard of Desert Rose before, but trusted she knew her hummus platters. Boy, was she right. We ordered cafe style at the counter, and both people were super nice and accommodating. Even though we only ordered two hummus platters, they had no problem giving us wine glasses and a bottle opener. Cafe style BYOB? Yes please! They brought over the hummus platters and I was immediately in love. They came with a medium sized pita, soft and warm, and a chopped veggie salad in olive oil (tomatoes and cucumbers) that was very fresh. The hummus itself was a whole plate's worth, drizzled in olive oil and whole chickpeas, garnished with chopped parsley and tahini. I had to struggle not to eat every last bit of the hummus (and risk spoiling my dinner). Another great thing was that we spilled our wine, and the staff was super helpful in helping us clean it up, without even a turned up nose. I would definitely return to Desert Rose for hummus, or one of their many other Israeli dishes! Great service and great food. read more

Desert Rose - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

Five stars for his cheesesteaks. The best.!!! Load with top quality ingredients. Will be back again. Make sure you're very hungry. You may need help carrying to your car. A bargain. Philadelphia magazine check this placed out. Get mushrooms and on ions. read more

I'll admit it. We saw The Avengers movie, and Robert Downey Junior's quip and the post-credit scene gave us a craving for shawarma. So we searched high and low for pita-wrapped meaty goodness (specific rules: it had to specifically be called "shawarma" on the menu; no gyros nor kebabs here!)... and found the best shawarma of our lives. Seriously. The only menu item specifically called shawarma is chicken shawarma... and it's beautifully flavored. The meat roasts on a spit in plain view, and is super juicy and tender. They give you the WHOLE pita here (as opposed to the half-pita sandwich you might find at other places), so it's super filling The distribution of layers of vegetables, sauce, and meat is perfectly arranged so you get a bit of each in each individual bite. Oh man, we could rave about the self-serve sauce bar, but I'll try not to gush. It includes a variety of pickles, harissa, some kind of sweet tamarind sauce, a green somewhat spicy cilantro sauce, and a variety of olives. I can't believe all that is free! Make sure to give it a look, at least. I'd love to come back to Desert Rose to try their other offerings. The prices are decent, the portions are huge, and they also have a little shelf of Mediterranean groceries for purchase (check out their interesting salts!). It's obvious that the head chef and employees care deeply about this new business, and I hope that the rest of the community will, too. read more

Desert Rose - Chicken shawarma and some sauces from the self-serve sauce bar. - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

I first ate at Desert Rose 2 years ago when my boyfriend and I came across it. It quickly became THE spot we treated ourselves to -- off the chain delicious food at a very reasonable price. Many of my college road marks were celebrated at Desert Rose -- including my graduation! We were so confident in the quality of Desert Rose's food and management that we chose the restaurant to celebrate the special day with family visiting from Italy, Iran, California, and Maryland. They unanimously loved it. Now, we don't come to the philly area without making a trip to Desert Rose. Having just eaten a chicken shawarma hummus platter with the beet salad and a side of short ribs (each), we are once again reminded of how much we love the place. read more

Desert Rose - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

Stopped in here for lunch recently with two of my daughters and one of their friends. It was definitely good but turned out to be a rather expensive lunch so it will be a special occasion kind of place for me. This time, my older daughter chipped in more than half since it was her idea - otherwise, I would have been crying on the street corner. Looks like they did away with the self-serve sauce bar that another reviewer raved about. According to her review, it featured "a variety of pickles, harissa, some kind of sweet tamarind sauce, a green somewhat spicy cilantro sauce, and a variety of olives." I imagine they were losing money on it, but it would be nice if they offered something like that to offset the cost of the meal. Complimentary pita bread with a little olive oil or some plain hummus would also be nice. Anyway, prices aside, the food was really very good and we enjoyed watching the chef in the kitchen - apparently he went to school with me at Penncrest but that's been some time, so I really can't recall if I knew him or not. My oldest daughter got the spicy chicken shawarma over hummus with the spicy carrot salad - she loved it. My younger daughter got the portobello mushroom pita sandwich and her friend got the orzo salad. The orzo salad looked amazing so I had to take a couple of bites of it. I was pretty sad that I didn't order that myself - next time, I definitely will. It was pretty fabulous with a variety of olives, preserved lemon, and feta cheese - yum!!! I just ordered the traditional style hummus with pita bread and the cabbage citrus slaw which was really good. The favorite of everyone though seemed to be the roasted red pepper dip that came with cucumbers and pita bread - would definitely get that again. Overall, we really liked Desert Rose. I will definitely go there again when I have some extra money in my pocket :) read more

See all

delicious middle eastern food! very small inside but great for ordering and pick up. shawarma is to die for.

Everything I've eaten here has been fabulous! I especially love the hummus and pita, as well as the labnah! Portions are good and everything looks and tastes fresh!! read more

By far one of my ultimate fav places to eat so much flavor and authentic Moroccan/ Iraqi/Israeli cuisine. I have been going here since they opened and tried every single item on their menu never disappointed, Their spicy chicken shawarma remains on of my favorite and their hummus is by far the best I ever had, since tasting it I can no longer eat any store bought hummus it's puts all other to sham. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS RESTAURANT read more

Always exceptional food, but the addition of steak sandwiches adds a whole new dimension to their menu. Servings are huge and delicious, and prices are reasonable. Service was friendly and attentive. A thoroughly enjoyable experience. read more

Everything has been good esp the veggie options. Best to eat sandwich right away so the pita doesn't get soggy.

I have mixed feelings about Desert Rose. I love Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food so obviously I wanted to love this place. I've gotten take-out here a few times now and these are my thoughts: The pita bread is the shining star of this establishment. It's made in house and the consistency is unlike any pita I've had anywhere else - It's thick, fluffy, perfectly chewy and always warm. Seriously, it's just fantastic. I love the labneh platter. So cool and creamy with the right amount of mint. I could eat just this with the pita for lunch and be happy. I don't like the hummus. Don't get me wrong, I like hummus in general, but not this stuff. The consistency is so thin and smooth that it practically drips off the pita you've dunked in there. It's just weird. Also too much garlic and not enough lemon for my taste. The chicken shwarma is a solid choice. It's a huge sandwich with that delicious pita and flavorful chicken. I'd choose this over the falafel which is too dry. Even though I haven't dined in I can still say the service isn't the best. Nothing annoys me more when I'm quoted a time for pick up and I show up to find I have to wait another 15 minutes. This has happened more than once, and I'm usually in a hurry to get back to work so this doesn't sit well with me. Just please give me an accurate estimation so I can plan my break accordingly! Anyway, this is one of few Mediterranean restaurants in the area. You can find better in Philly, but this is a decent option for lunch in the burbs. I'll continue to return. read more

Desert Rose - Chicken shawarma sandwich - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

After my son's cross country meet, my wife and I came here for lunch. She got the chicken shwarma on hummus platter. I got the eggplant on hummus with roasted eggplant (per the recommendation of our server). Both lunches were terrific. The hummus was creamy and flavorful. With my dish, when you poked the egg yolk into the hummus, the creaminess of the hummus increased dramatically. The spiced carrot that came with the pita was salty, but when I mixed it with the hummus, the saltiness actually worked well. My wifes shwarma was well seasoned and very flavorful. I would highly recommend this place. You will enjoy your meal. read more

We order take our from Desert Rose almost 3-4 times a month. We have eaten at the restaurant as well over the years but enjoy them as a staple take out option when we don't feel like cooking. Their food is fresh, made with care and flavorful. I'm partial to the spicy chicken shawarma, my wife enjoys their couscous salad and falafel. The labneh is also a favorite with their hot fresh pita. You can't go wrong here with any menu choice honestly. read more

Its one of the best short rib pita sandwich and greek salad I ever have! And its a simple and clean place. Timely service. read more

Desert Rose - Best greek salad I ever had - Mediterranean Near Me - Media, Pennsylvania

See all

I have ordered take out from Desert Rose and have been blown away each time. Quick and reasonably priced and the food is amazing every time. I don't live in the area anymore but I would take the hour drive just to have it again. Amazing! read more

Great, fresh food! Best restaurant I've eaten in since covid began. All the ingredients were fresh, as though I just bought them from the farmer's market. The arugula salad with mushrooms and golden raisins was especially tasty. Hummus's and Greek salad - fresh veggies with perfect seasoning. Not only was the food QUALITY and beyond delicious, but the portion sizes were good and the expense was beyond reasonable. I'm not sure you can get this kind of quality at this price anywhere else in Media, PA. An added bonus was a good timely delivery from door Dash! read more

This place has been our go to restaurant for a delish and flavorful meal on the way home from running errands. The desert rose shawarma pita sandwich is amazing. Try all the sides! We love to add on an order of hummus, olives and grape leaves. Always worth the price because you get more than one meal out of it. read more

What can I say about this place that has already not been said. It's one of your best bets for middle eastern food in the Philly/ Media/ Delaware area. Their desert rose chicken shawarma and lamb cooked with pine nuts is to die for. I wish I could eat both at the same time so I did not have to pick and chose. Hummus, pita and muhammara is absolutely delectable too. One star less because they recently reduced portion sizes without decreasing the prices. I want my leftovers and doggie bags back! read more

Really friendly service and really yummy food! Got the spicy shawarma - not the kind of spicy I was expecting (as in hot) but certainly flavorful! read more

I live the falafel wrap! I work about 20 minutes always and drive to get this wrap at least once a week!

No thorns on this rose ... excellent. A great lunch served with a smile. Stopped by for lunch February 2018. The food was fresh and incredibly tasty. We had the Chicken Shawarma and Orzo Salad with a side of Falafel for our meal. The Chicken Shawarma sandwich was loaded with juicy, flavorful chicken - the pita was fresh and the sandwich was topped with a delicious assortment of cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus and tahini. The Orzo Salad was a blend of great flavors including preserved lemon, olives and roasted tomatoes. The salad was big enough for two. The Falafel was hot and tasted amazing and you could taste all the flavors from parsley to chickpeas to seasonings ... a must try. The team at the Desert Rose is incredibly friendly and food comes fast and with a smile. $ read more

For the food, 5 stars. Their Orzo salad, kebabs, spicy chicken shawarma, falafel...everything is fresh and their pitas, though non-traditional, are to die for. However, the restaurant is filthy. Not the front area where you sit (though not fancy, it's clean and casual), but the back of the house and path to the restrooms. Floor tiles are more than just chipped--they have worn away and the path to the bathroom is scary and uneven. The stainless steel work areas are rusted and crooked--I saw a high school/college-aged employee trying to open cans and chop on the surface and he almost lost everything more than once. This last time we went in, the two chefs were NOT wearing masks as they cooked, which is a violation of COVID regulations right now. This wouldn't be a big deal if the back wasn't open to the front 90% of the time (they have a curtain that is usually opened much of the time). It kind of skeeves me out more and more each time we pick up or eat there. read more

Not sure what these other "Karens" are complaining about. Hands down, Desert Rose has been my favorite restaurant in Media for YEARS. I've been going since at least 2014. Their hummus and warm pita is to die for!!! The short rib is tender and the eggplant is smoky. Love the beet salad, too. I've never once had a bad meal, which I think is priced fairly considering the quality and amount you get. I always have leftovers forlunch the next day. My only complaint is that it closes at 8pm. Don't pass this place up! read more

no frills middle eastern food. Tasty, mildly seasoned. Enjoyed sides, especially carrot salad

Had such high hopes! But a few key things made this unpleasant. 1.) First, we tried to order the marinated olive appetizer and they were out of it. Hey, that's OK. 2.) Then, after about 40 minutes of waiting for our entrees, our server came back and said they were out of rice, and all of our platters would be served over hummus. What? A Mediterranean restaurant who doesn't stock a spare bag of rice? This place is two blocks from a Trader Joe's. If you do, somehow, some way, run out of rice on a quiet night, run next door and get more. I worked at a restaurant for a long time and we did this often. I understand running out of a specialty item like marinated olives, but it's truly unacceptable to run out of rice. 3.) In total, it took an hour for our entrees to come out, in a mostly empty restaurant on a Tuesday night. 4.) Food itself was good, not great. Pita was clearly store bought. Hummus was creamy and flavorful. 5.) There's no ambiance. We were seated at a table that was separated from the kitchen by a partially closed shower curtain. It was quite loud. 6.) My party of 5 got 5 entrees and a soup for $100 + $20 tip. That's pretty expensive for a deeply lackluster experience. Wouldn't recommend, and certainly won't be back. read more