Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant is an absolute gem in Cumming. My salmon special was cooked perfectly--tender, flaky, and loaded with bright Mediterranean flavors that are a world apart from my usual weeknight fare. My wife's chicken shawarma was just as impressive: juicy, well-seasoned, and layered with spices. Both dishes with flavor sensations we simply do not get in our daily diet, which makes eating here a great treat. Alex is a fantastic host and makes you feel genuinely welcome every time you walk in making you feel like you've walked into his home for a meal, not just another chain restaurant. Service is consistently top notch--attentive without being overbearing--and you can tell they truly care that you enjoy your meal. If you are looking for authentic Mediterranean food with outstanding hospitality, Gardenia is absolutely worth the visit. read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Salmon Special - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

GET THE LAMB SHANK! Rich layers of flavor, fall off the bone tender. 2nd visit and we will definitely be back. read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

Amazingly good food, great service and flavor!!!! Clean and a must try... atmosphere is nice and calm! Go. Run... take your friends and family. You will all love it!!! Great Folks here and the owner Alex is very hands own! read more

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Went back to Gardenia today and still is so incredible! Services and food is perfect! We ended up getting a lot of the same things from last visit but we also got tabbouleh and it was so fresh tasting! The restaurant is always so clean as well! read more

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We visited Gardenia Mediterranean in Cumming for dinner and had a wonderful experience. It's a small, authentic restaurant with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. They use Organic vegetables and fresh meats. The staff was very friendly, and the service was excellent throughout our visit. We ordered the hummus, baba ghanoush, mixed platter, and chicken shawarma. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and well-prepared. The rice was especially aromatic and complemented the dishes perfectly. The highlight of the evening was dessert, it was absolutely amazing and mouth-watering! We especially loved the White Chocolate Mousse Cake, which was rich, creamy, and the perfect way to end the meal. If you're looking for authentic Mediterranean food in the Cumming area, Gardenia Mediterranean is definitely worth a visit. We look forward to coming back! read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Mix Grill Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

Gardenia is a cozy eatery with both inside and alfresco dining. The open door and sounds of Greek and Italian classic songs transports you instantly to the Mediterranean. Effusive NYC transplant owner Alex and his hospitable staff are welcoming and treat you like family. The fare is light, healthy, fresh and delicious! The kalamata EVO dip and pitas is a must-have app and the hummus, baba ghanoush and sambosa fried appetizer with spinach and cheese are tasty. They offer Greek salads, Chicken Schwarma, kebobs and other faves but also have a burger and kid-friendly food. Save room for desserts like the #1 most popular - ricotta pistacchio cake. The Belgian chocolate does not disappoint and next time we will try the lemon marscapone cheesecake with a good cup of coffee. One night at the Gardenia and you will feel transported to the Mediterranean - owner Alexander started this as a labor of love and it shows in his passion for food and people! read more

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Amazing been here multiple times with my wife and we love this place they never disappoint and the owner is super friendly and welcoming read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Steak Shawarma Sandwich. Served with F.fries. - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

Gardenia is easily one of my new favorite Mediterranean spots in the area. I visited with my wife, and everything from the food to the service was excellent. We started with the hummus and pita, which was a great surprise. I'm not usually a big hummus fan, but theirs has a really smooth, clean flavor. The pita was warm and soft, and the mix of black olives with olive oil on the side added a really nice touch. My wife ordered the lentil soup, and after trying a spoonful, I immediately regretted not ordering my own. It is easily one of the best lentil soups I've had -- full of flavor, rich, comforting, and seasoned perfectly. Definitely top-two in my book. For the entrée, I chose the large mixed grill platter (around $50), which comes with steak, chicken, lamb, and another kebab. It also includes two generous portions of rice, grilled vegetables, and tzatziki. The amount of food is impressive and absolutely enough for two people to share. The meats were tender, well-seasoned, and cooked just right. For dessert, my wife went with the chocolate mousse while I tried the pistachio cake. Both were excellent -- the mousse was rich and smooth, and the pistachio cake had great texture and flavor. One of the highlights for me was actually the mango lemonade. The first sip really stood out -- refreshing, balanced, and surprisingly good. The restaurant itself is very clean with a nice setup and comfortable seating. The owners and staff were incredibly kind, welcoming, and attentive. You can tell they are proud of what they serve. Parking is easy since it's part of a larger shopping center with plenty of spaces. There is still a lot on the menu I want to try next time -- especially the gyros. I'm very happy Cumming has a Mediterranean spot this solid. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys great food and great service. read more

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I would give this place 10 stars if I could the food is absolutely fabulous and I will definitely be coming back with my friends

Came across this place on yelp after craving some authentic Mediterranean food. And everything was PHENOMENAL. It looked like a small family owned restaurant so I knew this place had to be good. I was not wrong We were instantly greeted upon walking in. And they offered my daughters something to drink right away. We ordered the kabob plate for 2. And let's be honest, this is enough to feed 4! But at least I have some lunch for tomorrow! The oil they use is very very high quality oil. My husband is obsessed The Hummus was SO good. The quality of this hummus is something I haven't had since living in California when I used to have a favorite spot there. Finished off with baklava and pistachio cake. Loved everything we tried here. Can't wait to be back! read more

This place is a hidden gem in Forsyth. The service and staff reminded us of family from New York. Produce is all organic and the quakity and serving sizes are great for the price. We'll definitely be coming back to try the rest of the menu. If you like the trendy places like del bar or yalda, Gardenia beats it. read more

Went to Gardenia 2x this week. The first time with adult friends and we were so blown away by Alexander and the dining experience they are serving up that my partner and I said we had to bring our kids back next time. Everything we had was FANTASTIC. We had the hummus, olive tapenade, and the mixed grill for two. Our daughters had the spaghetti and Chicken Parmesan. They also loved the strawberry and mango lemonade. They do offer more tamed down traditional kids meals, but the Mediterranean fair was just as appealing to our kids... they found themselves digging in our food. Sweets: we had the pistachio cake and it was to die for. The girls also enjoyed the red velvet cake! Alexander has really made something special here. All the food is so fresh and well done and it truly feels like they're cooking for their family with every guest. Highly recommend supporting this local business, you will not be disappointed! read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Chicken Parmasan - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

Love!!! I'm so happy to have found an authentic Mediterranean restaurant in the area. I came in to order takeout after seeing the glowing reviews and was not disappointed. I ended up getting the lamb platter and the hummus with pita as an appetizer. This was THE best hummus I have ever had! Still dreaming about it to this day. You can tell that everything was made fresh and had excellent flavor. Service was good too. A little bit pricey in my opinion compared to other Mediterranean spots, but will definitely be returning! read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

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Absolutely OUTSTANDING! We did not eat one so so item, much less one bad item, everything was phenomenal!!! We went for lunch and had the cheesy falafel balls, humus, baba ghanoush, pita, gyro wrap and the Kafta wrap. Then HOMEMADE BAKLAVAS for dessert OF COURSE! Everything was superb. Service was great. Was a bit of a wait BUT that was because they were PACKED at lunch. It was WELL WORTH THE WAIT. I'm EXTREMELY PICKY as a retired French Chef I have extremely high expectations on quality and service as well as freshness of ingredients and attention to detail. This place absolutely delivers 10/10 we will be back! read more

It has been one year ago today since we first visited this restaurant, and we've been coming here ever since. It is still as wonderful as it was the first time. Alex and his wife are so nice, honest, and hard working. The food is absolutely delicious. We are never disappointed. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

tried this place for the first time today order the seasoned chicken fingers and fries first off. The food is disgusting. Secondly, the chicken tenders I expected normal size chicken tenders. They look like fucking mozzarella sticks not to mention it was $17 will not be returning. Wanted to try euro wrap next time. read more

Congratulations to Alex for his A rating for Gardenia! It continues to be my favorite place for dining. The different flavors are the best bar none. A very friendly atmosphere with excellent food. What more could you want? read more

The food and the service were good but nothing was over the top great either. The starters were ok. The best one was the olives and cheese. The olive dipping sauce was also quite good. The fried egg roll type dish was very greasy which should be expected. This batch however was really oily! The hummus was just ok too. I had heard things about it but I found it to be on the bland side of things. The main entree of chicken was decently seasoned. The chicken pieces themselves were dried out and bordering on chicken jerky. The rice and dipping sauce was good. Overall this place is expensive for what you get. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. read more

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Very friendly spot. Good solid food. Quiet and quaint place for lunch. Get the French fries.

Amazing food and even better service. Servers are very kind and also very fast. Great place to bring the family, has a nice vibe. read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Pistachio cake Pistachio Ricotta Cheese Cake Pistachio Ricotta Cheese Cake - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

Pleasant staff. Food came out fast. Vegetables were great, but chicken was greasy. Real shock was the beverage. Glass of soda was $3.50 for about 6 ounces of beverage over ice. Asked for refill and when I go bill was charged $7.00 for about the equivalent of a can of soda. read more

Just wow.!!!! This place is so amazing. I'm so glad we found it on the way home from dawsonville outlets, we were quickly looking for options near by. This was like 8 minutes away in Cumming, GA. They recently opened up a few months ago. The owner is so nice and friendly. He told us about the menu and what were our options. I ordered a chicken shawarma wrap that tasted amazing. My son had chicken tenders and fries that he loved. My husband had the kofta burger that he enjoyed a lot. We started off with hummus and bread with olive oil / olives dipping sauce. The starter was amazing. We loved all the food we ate. This is a nice sit down restaurant with really nice decor on the walls. The employees and owner are so nice. We definitely will be back whenever we are in the area. read more

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Delicious food and attentive service. Chicken and mushroom soup, hummus, and kofta special were all fantastic. read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

This is a great Mediterranean restaurant. The food was solid. The service was exceptional. The owner was very polite and showed genuine care to all customers. Highly recommend. read more

Amazing authentic Mediterranean food with terrific customer service. The Lamb Shank was so tender and mouth watering. The broth & shank cooks slowly for about 3.5 hrs. read more

We went here as it was found on Yelp. I have to say, delicious! My boyfriend said the gyro was the best!! He thought he'd only eat half but ended up finishing it! I got the lentil soup, which you couldn't tell was lentil, but tasted good. I would go back when in the area! Waitress was wonderful! Fast and polite. read more

This place is good! Really good. As a army brat I lived in Greece, Cyprus, and few other places and know what a good Mediterranean food is. I stumbled on this little restaurant and what a surprise. First and foremost - clean and organized, food was spot on. Not greasy as some other similar restaurants in the area. Well seasoned, nicely done. I even tried lentil soup and it did not disappoint. Baklava was as it should be. Too often Mediterranean restaurants in the area serve baklava drenched in sweet syrup and the filling is sweet as well. Not the case here. They follow the proper baklava recipe one would find in Greece and throughout Middle East. I haven't had this good of a baklava done the right way in some years. Love this place! Will be back soon. read more

Just had dinner here tonight, for the first time . It was an awesome experience. The Shawarma was excellent. The was spot on. We will be going back. read more

Five stars for Gardenia Mediterranean! The service is great and the food is even better. Don't miss the hummus and naan or the flavorful Moussaka. Even the soup is tasty! Make sure to save room for the Baklava--it's a huge portion and prepared perfectly. A must-visit! read more

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Everything tastes amazing, the best part is it's like eating at your grandmother's table. Everything tastes home cooked. The moussaka is delicious, and their lamb is spectacular! Pair with their fresh made order mint lemonade. Always leave room for their fresh home made baklava ( chef's kiss) read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

Gardenia Mediterranean restaurant is a small, out of the way place in a strip mall, but it should be on your go-to list. They have been pleasing the locals for years and have a loyal clientele. When you walk into gardenias, you're greeted and welcomed into a family-like atmosphere. Everything is made to order, so expect to wait for your fresh prepared food. While you are waiting, baba ghanoush and hummus, so fresh you can tell from the taste that they were fresh from the Cuisinart. This comes out with a side of pita and olives in oil. It is a wonderful way to start off the appetizer course. Also, while you enjoy the appetizers, don't forget to get the insanely delicious hibiscus and berry tea topped off with a fresh mint leaf. Forget the sugary sodas with the flavor is so strong and enjoyable that you won't miss the lack of sugar in the antioxidant refreshing drink. For our main course we chose Mixed Kabobs for Two: This is a platter of kabobs with flavor packed 4 kinds of meats and saffron rice. Chicken, lamb, pork, and beef kabobs with roasted vegetables and herbs. Staring off with the chicken. Each piece was perfectly cooked breast meat that had to have been marinated to perfection since it was so juicy. Cutting the meat, there was plenty of testy juice, so there was not a hint of dryness to the chicken breast. Next, the lamb. Marinated Chunks of lamb meat cooked on a kabob again, are very juicy. The distinctive flavor of lamb shines through with this light Smoky flavor. The plate comes with fresh mint leaves, so when you're eating the lamb, use a fresh mint leaf to compliment the flavor of this delicious lamb meat. The pork is ground and formed around the kabob skewer. It is light and flavorful and pairs well with the tzatziki sauce. This, too, has a slight smoky flavor and aroma to this juicy cooked pork kabob. You may not even know it is pork you are eating with the delicious mix of spices. Lastly, the beef. Like the pork before It is ground with spices and herbs And formed along the Kabob skewer. This two has a smoky flavor and a distinct texture And flavor that, to a beef lover, like me, is like home sweet home on the range. This might look like simple ground beef but is not. The texture and taste, it is more complex, like freshly chopped steak and then formed from high-quality beef. This is a must try for the carnivore. There are plenty of desserts to choose from, to finish up your Feast at Gardenia. Everything from cakes to traditional baklava which you might expect from the Mediterranean bistro. While the the white chocolate Oreo mousse cake and the cheesecakes tempted us, we settled for the traditional baklava. Layers of filo interchanged with nuts and honey make this desert a crowd pleaser as well as a classic. Nobody does It Better Than Gardenia. This is the traditional Greek or Turkish Style with the sweeter, more dense layers at the bottom accented by the flaky filo crust layers above. This is made in-house in the traditional way. It is sweet, so don't forget your sweet tooth when you order this. One piece was plenty to share for the two of us. This will make a wonderful dining experience for your next outing or small group get together. Call ahead and make sure there is enough room for a larger group. It will be a dining experience that you and your group will remember for the freshness of the food and the family like atmosphere of this little spot of the med - in the heart of N. Georgia. read more

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So this is one of those restaurants where Yelp reviews nailed it! My wife and I were looking for local Mediterranean food and there are 2 close to us. This place had 4.7 stars overall and the other 3.3 stars, so we came here and so glad we did! The service and the food was awesome! We will definitely be back! read more

So glad I tried this restaurant ! Everything was amazing and was seasoned just right ! Love the lentil soup and the fresh dips . Olive tapenade was so yummy too . I had the falafel with cheese and loved it . Large servings . The pistachio cake was simply amazing and I really appreciated that the owner made a a fresh and authentic Turkish coffee ! We need more family restaurants like this in cumming . read more

This place is a favorite. The food is always delicious and good portions. Owners are so friendly and treat you like family. Definitely recommend! read more

We attended during their soft open, so they were definitely still working some things out. Overall, they did a great job. The staff seemed nervous, but they were very friendly. There is indoor and outdoor seating. It was very quite and just as we were saying some music would be nice, they turned it on. The food was so good. I think the only thing we didn't care for was the Calamari. The salad was delicious, but we would have loved more than one square of the feta cheese (lol). The kabobs were full of flavor, the dips (olive and Baba Ghanoush) and dessert were delicious. If you ask for extra pita, ask for them to be toasted. Can't wait for their beer/wine license to get in! read more

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UH-MAY-ZING. I am a food snob and have been underwhelmed with the Cumming restaurant scene for years. For that matter, Atlanta is not as impressive as NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc. However, a bright spot in the entire metro area is Gardenia. Alex, the owner, had a restaurant in NYC, and it shows. Eat here, order from here, and tell Alexander I sent you! REMEMBER: BYOM - bring your own wine. It is not sold there but you can bring your own wine. For food/wine pairers, it's definitely wine food. The service is top notch, especially when Alexander gets involved. I am so excited to have this restaurant to enjoy! read more

I love Mediterranean cuisine and try it in different places all over the United States. I'm currently in Georgia, and for lunch, I went to Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant. I tried the lamb chops, which were good. The lamb chops platter comes with four pieces of lamb chops, rice, and vegetables. However, the lamb chops have lot of fat on it and they used so much of oil. When I tried to eat them, there was too much oil, and the meat wasn't as tender as I expected. The house recommended them as their special, but I didn't find them particularly special. They were good, but not awesome. If they used less oil, it would be much better!! read more

Gardenia Mediterranean Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

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The food, the place and everything about this restaurant is so authentic. The gyro wrap was so delicious. The chicken shawarma platter was one hell of a dish too. They have a good kids menu and treated us really well. read more

The only thing bad I can say is that they did not have their liquor license the day we went, but maybe they have it by now hopefully. But the food was so authentic and probably the best Mediterranean food I've ever had. read more

Wow SO glad we found this place. Outstanding FRESH food. The people are so nice and informative about the different dishes. We will add this to our favorites list! read more