Love everything about this place! Amazing fast healthy food, great cheerful service, good prices, casual ambiance in arroyo grande village plus rooster sightings. Great for take out or eating there. My favorites are pesto chicken, hummus, baba, lentil soup. It's great to watch them succeed & grow! read more

Jaffa serves up some very tasty Mediterranean cuisine on the central coast. Social distancing is followed and the restaurant has taken good precautions to ensure safe takeout experiences. I recommend the pesto chicken plate or the classic gyro. Delicious and flaky baklava served here. read more

Just like a lot of restaurants, you have to be in the mood for this kind of food because of how thoroughly they bring the flavors. However, I have had a few cases where it just didn't match my expectations and that is why it gets 3 stars. When they do pull through, it is always a 5 star experience. Also, the baklava is just wonderful! 7/10. read more

I fux with the Jaffa but have to say that Petra (same owners) is 10x better. Better sauces, better meat, better prices, ya know. Jaffa is Mediterranean but honestly chains have better food than them. Do yourself and skip it for a better, more authentic place. Sadly disappointed. The shawarma has no flavor AT ALL! The gyro plate was good tho but overall I wouldn't go back. read more

Jaffa is amazing. The staff are wonderful and the food is consistent and delicious, don't pass on this place

I love jaffa!! Such good food and amazing customer service. Everyone is so nice and the owner is the sweetest! Love coming here

I love this place! I used to eat here weekly until covid hit. My favorite was honestly their creamier looking red sauce which since the pandemic tastes like it's watered down I miss it so much. I keep coming back occasionally to see if it has been corrected. No luck so far. Everything else is amazing, though. Love the chicken swarma but miss my sauce! read more

I love this place. I am a big fan of the lamb shawarma plate and the hummus and pita. The owner is very kind and thoughtfully gives out his tasty baklava from time to time. If you are a fan of chicken, I would highly recommend the chicken pesto which is extremely flavorful. I love coming here and getting fresh food that is tasty and healthy. read more

I went to Jaffa Cafe in the village for the first time last Friday evening! My Sista & I were HIGHLY referred by many friends whom have dined there before! WOW!! What AMAZING customer service, great atmosphere & energy by the owner and his team! He treated us like family and the food was great! He blessed us with complimentary sweet treats and made us feel so special! I highly recommend Jaffa Cafe & their Mediterranean Cuisine & 150 % Disneyland Customer Service!! P.S. Thanks Sista Jill for treating us all!! P.S. They provide beyond cool readers for us Seniors to read the menu!!! He also engaged in Football talk with my Sista who is a Football Junkie!! Good times!! read more

So, this is my sixth review using the "Same Boat" method. I am in the industry and loathe Yelp reviews. They are moody positive or negative - written in the heat of the moment, rarely true for more than the reviewer's experience. So here I go! Breakfast is important in the industry - it might be the only meal you get to eat out - so I am very picky. My reviews are going to give stars based on: 1- Service - good or bad? 2- Cleanliness - your table, any view of the kitchen and the bathroom - are they good? 3- Food quality - was this place what you expected or better? Give a star. 4- Pricing - was the food/wine worth the price? Come on, we are all foodies, but did they do something that was worth the price of $10 or $100? 5 - I am saving this star for the experience - was it exceptional? Service - fine. We got our order to go, and they were fast and on the ball. It was a little awkward to pay after, you eat when you have to order at the counter I have heard, but I did not experience it, so they get a star. Cleanliness - Super clean. The condiments were perfect, get's a star here. Food quality - Nice. I got the falafel, the gyros, the chicken and the steak plates to try everything. The stuffed grape leaves were amazing. Loved the falafel and the gyros. The steak was a little tough, but delicious. Yup, one more star. Pricing - big quantities, price matched, and I have no idea how to make any of it, so I want someone else to do it for me, well worth what I paid, and a star. The 4 dishes and side were just a little over $30 Exceptional - I think they have some kinks with the paper plates in the sit down area and the ordering, but I will go back again to give them this star when they have been open more than 5 minutes. read more

I could eat Jaffa everyday. The pesto chicken is so good. I've enjoyed every meal I've had here. It's also decently priced and great size portions. read more

My boys and i come here whenever we are in the village for farmers market or festivals. The staff are always smiling and they fill orders fast. Between my 3 boys and i we split 2 chicken kebab plates, a 32 oz tub of Lentil Soup(which is the boys FAVORITE) and baba ganoush with an extra order of pita bread. The baklava is delicious as well!! read more

Excellent food, Excellent service, the friendliest staff I have experienced in a long time. Will definitely be back, thank you very much, keep up the good work. read more

The food was delicious and and the server was friendly he even gave us free baklava for being new customers. read more

Jaffa Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

My favorite spot in the village on my lunch break. Super affordable, VERY quick, spectacular/friendly customer service, consistent quality and taste of food.. and the food is really delicious. For 10$ or less I am super satisfied and full. Even when they seem busy (the pretty much always have a steady flow of clientele when I come) my god never takes more than 5 or so minutes. read more

This place rules. Always. Since day one. Pandemic or not. The best, most consistent spot. If you want Mediterranean, there is not a better choice. This place rules. read more

Went in this evening with a couple friends. It had been years since I've came but I had remembered last time that it was very good. My expectations were exceeded. Everything was so flavorful, colorful and filling! The two gentlemen behind the counter were very kind and thankful. I WILL be back soon for more. Thank you! read more

This is a good place for your Mediterranean fix. I think they have the best baba ghanoush around. I'd give it 5 stars just for that. My husband like the falafels and they are crispy and flavorful. Prices are decent as well. read more

I love this place. Their falafel vegetarian plate is my favorite. They have a dressing bar with salsas/sauces that range from mild to very hot. The prices are decent and I always leave happy. One thing to note is that you don't get waited on here. You fill out an order form and grab your order when it's called. read more

Jaffa Cafe - Falafel vegetarian plate. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

See all

This place has what might possibly be the BEST marinated roasted lamb I have ever had at ANY OTHER Mid-Eastern/Mediterranean type eatery. My wife and I dropped in on a whim during the Harvest Festival fully expecting to wait at least 30 minutes for the food. WRONG!! Jaffa Cafe has a unique ordering system that actually saves time and hassle. You get a tally sheet from the counter, write/check off what you want, they call your name, you eat, then you pay when you're finished. According to the owner, "Pay if you like the food!" Did we like the food? YES! Will we be back? DEFINITELY! Service and food were very good, AND the owner gifted us with some very good baklava, to boot!! Since I come into the Village fairly often, THIS will be one of my main destinations!! Food, service and price were some of the best we have seen on the Central Coast since moving here a couple of months ago, from the L.A./O.C. area. read more

Jaffa in AG opens today, but they had a "soft" opening yesterday where EVERYTHING was free. I ordered a hummus appetizer, a gyro, two chicken shawarmas, a steak shawarma platter, and some baklava, and the food is just as good, if not better, than at Jaffa in SLO (which has been my go-to spot in SLO since moving here a few years ago). The atmosphere at the AG location is also much nicer than at SLO, and Ali (the owner) is a really friendly dude. I offered to pay because I'd ordered so much food, but Ali insisted that everything was free. One potential negative is that, at least as of yesterday, the AG location doesn't have the massive beverage/beer fridge that SLO does. Then again, Rooster Creek Tavern next door has a great tap list, so I may just make it a regular thing to order a shawarma to go and eat on RCT's patio with a beer in hand. Anyway, this place gets an A+ from me. I couldn't be more stoked that there's a Jaffa three miles from my office. read more

Oh my goodness. I have nothing bad to say about this cafe. It's just amazing! I had the Shawarma and let me tell you right now that it's the best damn shawarma you'll ever have in the central coast! Sure the price is a little steep, but you're paying for the quality of the food and second the quantity. The food came up very quick, the owner is very friendly, and the ambiance was very calming. They ask for you to pay after we ate our food which obviously we don't normally see in the average restaurant, but I don't mind that. Some people can get frustrated over it, but I think the reason why they let us pay afterwards is to see if we want a refund (like anyone wants a refund for this humble of goodness). I will definitely come back! read more

Great food at a reasonable price. Pretty fast service too. Clean and friendly. Nice to have something out of the ordinary. I especially like the lentil soup. read more

Love this place!!! Love the owners! When our son was 3 months old we had his Hebrew baby naming ceremony reception here and everyone LOVED IT! The food WAS FANTASTIC and the staff and owner were beyond gracious and accommodating! Atticus (Asher Jarah) is now 14 months old and LOVES having the chicken kids meal! Jaffa is one of our favorite places in town for a fresh, healthy, delicious meal! Highly recommend! read more

Absolutely amazing! Strolled in after farmers market on Saturday for lunch. We ordered a steak shawarma, a chicken shawarma and a falafel. Tried to pay but was told to wait until after we ate (very trusting). Food came up very quickly which is sometimes a red flag.... not in this case. The meats on the shawarmas were moist, flavorful and very plentiful. Everything about our shawarmas, from the sauce to the pita were perfect. The falafel was also terrific. The all you want sauce bar (with pickles and peppers) was also a highlight since I love me some sauces! Top it off with ultra friendly staff (the owners?) and reasonable prices and consider me a regular! read more

Delicious food, incredible service and polite friendly service. The only reason they did not get 5 stars is the ambiance and decor are unbecoming a restaurant of this caliber. It is clean and delicious and quite affordable. read more

this is a great spot if you're craving tasty, fresh, mediterranean food. we ordered over the phone to save some time and our order was ready when we got there. they have many options and the portions are good. if you like falafel, i'd recommend getting the combo plate. honestly, all the other options you could have for the combo along with the falafel are good! read more

I have been here several times. The guys that run the place (owners) couldn't be nicer. They're very helpful, as I was somewhat of a newbie when it came to middle eastern cuisine. We have friends that grab take out from here, and when we asked what they like, they described items on the menu, but cooked and served a bit different...a warm pesto chicken salad? Yes, lettuce and all, with Angel Hair pasta. Really good. Now that's all we order. We just say we want the Chicken Pesto salad that you heat up, with the Angel Hair Pasta, and they know what you want, they're the ones that created this "secret menu" item. The owners are Palestinians, and from Palastine, and its customary to order your food, eat it, and hopefully enjoy, then pay for it. I'm used to doing that at a full service restaurant where the staff comes to you to take your order, but here you go to the counter, if its busy, you write your order out on their order forms, and hand to one of the employees, then they call you when your order is ready. They have several sauces you can choose from for your dishes, as well as homemade pickles and also wax peppers. But don't forget to pay before you leave, that's my biggest fear. Lol read more

Jaffa Cafe - Grilled "Chicken Pesto Salad" yes, I said grilled...salad. And Angel Hair Pasta. SO good! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

You can never go wrong at Jaffa! Order everything, and enjoy it! Nice patio if you have dog/s with you. Bonus entertainment from the village chickens. read more

This place has great food great ambience. The two people working here are super nice. The prices are not expensive either. I would highly recommend it. read more

My absolute favorite place to eat in the five cities.. The staff here are awesome.. And the food is the bomb.com.... I love the gyro but when I need to have less bread I get it in a salad.. (Which is hard btw.. Beings their pitas are so good). Baba ganoush is another one of my faves.. AWESOME FOOD!!! read more

Jaffa cafe has a wide variety of Mediterranean style cuisine. It's delicious with quick service and staff. You order on a write up sheet at front and then your food comes out within five minutes! Delicious chicken shawarma plate and amazing chicken pesto burrito! Fantastic all around. read more

See all

I love Jaffa SO much! The gyros are so good and the Falafels are to die for! You can always rely on Jaffa for a good meal. Even when you're not in the mood for Mediterranean, you still want to go. The owner is the best! He always greets us when we come in and does the same to all the other customers. There has never been a time when I have left Jaffa as an unhappy man, and unless something changes, I never will. If you are in Arroyo Grande, you HAVE to go to Jaffa! If you don't, you'll regret it! read more

On our way to Lopez lake, one of our friends spotted Jaffa cafe and planned to check it out. On entering the cafe, we realized its order and get seated kinda place. We were party of 8 and the host helped us with arranging tables outside to seat us. Also she provided us the menu list where we can tick the items to order . While waiting for our name to be called, she brought us baklava on the house for all :-) It was super good. We got falafel wrap, chicken, lamb shawarma. Wrap portion was more than enough for one person. The plates were ample with good amount of meat, rice, salad, pita and hummus. Can't ask for more :-) Must stop by if you are in the area. read more

This place is simply amazing! Their lamb shawarma's are to die for. Excellent, top quality food. Not a fancy place, but my husband and my new favorite stop for lunch when we are in the area. It's not often I give a restaurant 5 stars, especially a lunch place, but this one deserves it! Yum! read more

Food is amazing and very authentic!! Loved the beef shawarma that I got. It was my first time and they gave me free baklava! How sweet!!! I will definitely be making a visit next time I come into Arroyo Grande! read more

Jaffa Cafe - Beef shawarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

Crazy good mediterranean food. I had falafel pita wrap, my lady had chicken schwarma pita wrap and turkish coffee (which was sweet, dark and redolent of ginger and cardamom). Chicken shwarma was very deeply flavored, and the falafels were super tender, fresh and bright green from the parsley. Hummus and babaganoush were both awesome, we ordered two 1oz containers of each, that was more than enough for the two of us. Baklava was really wonderful too. Learned that gyros is beef and lamb! Nice folks working there, friendly, and they are making great food. What a gem this place is! Can't wait to come back and try the lamb and the gyros. read more

Delicious!!!!!! Baba Ganoush is to die for! Have to try their Chicken Shawarma, also! Yum!

Jaffa Cafe was delicious! I have not had a gyro that good in a long time. You normally have to pay for extra tzatziki but they have a nice little "salsa bar" set up so you can add as much as you like. The owner was extremely friendly and even remembered me when I came in the second time. I was very impressed. Dog friendly with treats and water bowl out front. If you have never been don't forget to ask for your free Baklava. I will go back.... probably too many times. read more

Can not say enough good things about this place and the delightful owners that run it. We stopped in for a late lunch while driving from Santa Barbara to San Jose. We were all, including my extremely picky and resistant to change 9 year old. My 9 year old LOVED every bite, she ate all of her lunch and half of mine. My vegan sis was thrilled and satisfied and I was so content with my gyro. We all had something different, and all were very happy with our meal. Can't wait for the long drive back to Santa Barbara so we can have lunch at Jaffa again. read more