Yafo is such a great fast Mediterranean spot to try. The flavors are so good, the ingredients taste so fresh and my service this time was great. I tried a Chicken Laffah wrap and it was really great, however the way it was wrapped, I had a hard time eating it like a sandwich ( what can I say, I'm a novice to Mediterranean). I ended up forking my way through it. It's what is on the inside that counts anyway. The chicken that comes with the laffah is pulled chicken, savory and tender, seasoned with herbs and spice. I couldn't taste very much salt, so it's likely this is lower sodium fast food, however I couldn't find nutrition information on their website. Nevertheless, my sandwich was AMAZING and did not taste salty, and the Laffah itself (bread) was a little bit TOO good...meaning it was perfect. read more

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Let me just start by saying, if you even have the slightest consideration of coming here...do it. I simply can't say enough great things about this YAFO location. The quality of the food, the overall positive attitude of employees, and quality of service are unmatched. The price is right with this establishment. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with almost anything they have on the menu. I personally always go for a build your own bowl and load up with the fresh assortment of vegetables. I've never had a bad experience at YAFO and the bold flavors, consistency, and freshness keeps me coming back. Anyways don't wait any longer. Go to YAFO. read more

This is a fast easy and very convenient place to go eat for lunch. Really enjoy the subway chipotle style of it. I got the chicken shawarma and falafel bowl. read more

A great fresh meal. The Israeli got chicken is amazing. The menu is a little overwhelming and the line can get long, so it can be difficult to order on your first visit. Take your time and ask questions, the staff is always happy to help. read more

Love. This. Place. Always great! This is one of my top places to bring guests when they are in charlotte. You know if they can make cauliflower good, it's a great restaurant! The Mac and cheese, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are my favorite!! My only suggestion would be to put a sauce bar in the Morrison location like there is in the Dilworth one. read more

I literally LOVE this place! It is always packed for good reason. Super healthy and individualized as you create your own super bowl of color and health! So many ingredients to choose from and at reasonable prices for lunch. Service is always friendly and efficient! I am so pumped they are adding one in the Southend area! read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

YAFO is truly a gem of Charlotte and will not disappoint. We drove up from Atlanta one weekend to explore the city and stopped at YAFO (it was recommended by a local). Very unique concept. I love my falafel bowl. I recommend the Mac n cheese as well as the Brussels sprouts as a side. The line might be rather long when you get there, but it sure moves quickly. read more

I am so sad, it appears Yafo has gotten rid of their amazing doughy laffah bread they've replaced it with a very dry pita that's half the size of the original laffah. Please bring back the Laffah!!! That was my favorite thing about Yafo and now it's gone. read more

I LOVE YAFO Kitchen! It's like cava but better! Make sure to get their cauliflower! I love how customizable it is and their side bread is so good, much better than cavas pita. read more

YAFO Kitchen - Bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

What a delicious restaurant! They serve clean food, fresh made juices, and tasty desserts. The cuisine is Mediterranean and fresh. They currently have a location in Southpark but are building a new location on Central Ave in Plaza Midwood. I recommend building a bowl so you can try new things! Follow me at: jodieats_ Photo credit: Tarra Dahlke read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I'll give YAFO a 5. Fast, incredibly delicious. However, some points: * The retirement of goat cheese as a bowl option is absolutely heartbreaking. This has taken every bowl I get from Out-of-control excellent to just very good Mediterranean. * During COVID the takeout experience has been decidedly not good. The laffah bread is consistently staler than it was previously, and I've experienced mysteriously long waits and mis-bagged orders. * I can say without reservation that every menu change since they opened has been a downgrade, even beyond the goat cheese. New items are not quite as good as the old ones they've replaced. I wish they'd just stop messing with the formula. * The mac and Cheese is always a bit lukewarm. I think it needs to be because of how they make it, but it's strangely weird. I don't suggest it. * On the other hand I cannot suggest their potatoes enough. read more

This is a great healthy lunch spot. Definitely gets crowded during lunch, so would highly recommend ordering online. We did the build your own salads and were pleasantly surprised that warm pita was included. read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Great Fast Casual Mediterranean Inspired Cuisine. This is a great go-to when cooking dinner isn't in your plans.

Food is extremely fresh and flavorful- have enjoyed everything I have tried- you can't go wrong! Staff is happy to assist if you need some assistance. In terms of atmosphere- can be loud and cramped during typical meal rush times- difficult to have a conversation or navigate your way through order line to get to bathroom. read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Always loveeeeeeeeeee! I get the Yafo Shawarma Bowl and the portion size is worth the money. End up having 2 meals. Sometimes when I don't want a lot of food I get a Chicken Shawarma kids meal and that's still good enough for me. Love the potatoes, Jasmine rice, and the Mac and cheese! No other competes. read more

I've been eyeing this place for so long because of all the trendy pics of their bowls on instagram! I'm SO glad I finally decided to come, since Yafo's just became one of my new favorite places(: I ordered the half and half bowl(DO IT) with half grains/salad. I love how there's so many fresh veggies you can choose from, it's a bit overwhelming not gonna lie LOL. Also every bowl comes with pita bread, omggg loveee! Their pita bread is freshly made, literally right in front of you. I'm so excited to come back next time and try more things of the menu! Only complaint is that Yafo's is 45 minutes away from me, srsly why haven't I came here sooner?! read more

Great concept and toppings but I was disappointed in the prices. as soon as you want anything extra the cost of a salad is immediately over $12, which just isn't practical for someone that often picks up a salad. However, I have never left hungry and the food is delicious so although the prices are high I continue to go back Because the good certainly outweighs the bad. read more

If you are looking for Middle Eastern cuisine, and you find yourself near Southpark Charlotte, this is the place to visit. Owned and operated by someone who's from the Middle East, everything tastes fantastic. Things are cooked properly, every time. The spices are a perfect blend from the cuisine masters, and you can make it basic with chicken and rice or potatoes, or take it to new levels with roasted eggplant dip and seasoned chicken shawarma wrap. Any first timer can always lean on the very friendly and considerate staff for help. You'll be back again! It's amazing. read more

I work nearby the Yafo Kitchen in South Park and usually have it for lunch 1-2 times a month. I'm excited to hear they're opening one in Plaza Midwood as well since that's close to where I live. It's a great fast-casual concept with fresh ingredients and quick service. Even at peak lunch time I'm out the door in 20 minutes if I take my food to go. I always get the Yafo Schwarma bowl with chicken. I like to add in hummus and chickpea salad. I sometimes also add avocado. It's really delicious and reasonably healthy with lots of fresh vegetables and grains. The flavor combinations are delicious. I like to get a bit of everything in each bite. It doesn't look like that much food but I am rarely ever able to finish the whole thing in one sitting. They give you a side of their fresh flatbread with every order - It's almost like a pita. The bread, grains, and chicken fill me up quick, leaving enough for a second meal later on. I've had the wraps as well and they are just as delicious, but very messy. All of the sides are amazing, particularly the Brussels sprouts. They are sautéed with dates to add a sweet flavor. The mac and cheese is creamy, crunchy, greatness. Yafo will be a go-to spot for us for years to come. read more

HUMUS! You go for Humus and stay for the rest. That is how good, and creamy, and delicious it is. Go try and and make sure to ask for the sauces! read more

Yafo is an amazing Mediterranean street food restaurant! Healthy spot with a multicultural menu. Choose the food options you want, and to boot they make their own fresh breads, spreads and juices. Drawback in South Park Lines can be very long in the evening with +/-12-20 people online at a time. Worth the wait I promise you! Parking is tight although they do have "to go" parking if you are lucky enough to get one. Time to expand to Ballantyne and Ft. Mill, they have the other parts of the city pretty covered. read more

The line can get pretty long during lunch and dinner rush hours and there is still a little wait during off peak hours but that is proof that their food is amazing. I lost count with how many times I go here, I think I frequent here even more with their online ordering option so I can skip the wait too! I'm all about building my own hummus and grain bowl with the numerous topping options, falafel, and shawarma chicken! Their soft pita straight out the oven or even if it's just freshly made is a big plus too! read more

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The customer service alone is worth five stars and the food just makes it that much better. Today was my first day there and the server had me try practically everything before I built my bowl. It might seem expensive but you get so much food it could easily cover a couple of meals. I built a bowl with so many tasty sides I can't even remember them all. I'm not even much of a chicken person since it's so played out however how they season theirs is definitely worth a try. One of the sides I tried was the macaroni and cheese and I have to give them credit it's delicious read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I always have a great experience when I come here Fast service, fresh ingredients, and clean and cool atmosphere! Not too crowded for a Friday afternoon. They also give huge portions which is great because I always have leftovers. My go-to for a quick healthy lunch. read more

I'm going to go ahead and say it - Yafo is my favorite restaurant in Charlotte. Every time I go, I find myself setting at the table and taking that first bite and just dying with happiness. We visited Yafo Kitchen in its opening weeks and watched the head chef working tirelessly to make things happen - we were impressed. That feeling has never faced. The ingredients always taste (and look) fresh, the combinations you can make offer more variety than you could imagine, oh and it helps that they give you free bread and don't judge when I mispronounce things and have to make requests like "yeah, the purple one? Thank you!" It doesn't seem so strange to be a vegetarian, vegan or anything else here. This is our GO TO spot when bringing non plant based family members out to eat, too. I can't say enough good things! read more

YAFO Kitchen - So many bowls... - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Super good! Love this place as a healthy lunch alternative! Really enjoy the chicken curry bowl and the portions are very fair. Will continue to order from here! read more

Had a really straight forward and pleasant experience here for lunch. This is the typical pick your ingredients style order process much like a subway. However, the ingredients are really high quality and diverse. I got a quinoa bowl with falafel, veggies, and the mint dressing. There also appeared to be some unique drink options, but I just had water. There were tons of vegan and gluten free options available, which is great to see. The freshly made bread was amazing when warm but got oddly hard and tough as it sat. We lingered for a hour or more but I am still not sure why the bread became tough and almost stale in such a short period. Overall, it is absolutely worth a repeat visit but I may ask them to hold the bread next time. read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Authentic Mediterranean food. I just love going to this place! Fast food style food but sometimes queues can be long although it is totally worth it. Servers are really nice. I had a problem with my order which they took care of more than willingly and to make up for that they gave a $10 gift card as well. Also something that Russell, a waiter in Yafo kitchen, left an impression on me. I asked him if I get hummus with my order and even though I didnt, he got it saying "if someone wants something with their meal, I think they should get it.. we care about you enjoying your food!" This statement underlines their values and regards for customers. read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Yafo is one of my favorite places in Charlotte to eat. It is absolutely amazing. The one thing this establishment lacks is consistent customer service. For that, it is 3 stars and not 5. I feel that if you have a product that is on the pricier range, you should probably have employees that want to sell it to you. I feel the employees just don't want to be here, and they certainly don't want to be making your lunch. I have had groans, eye rolls, and flat out refusal to make a late order request. The menu can be intimidating, and for this reason, the order process doesn't always go as smoothly as possible. The employees seem to forget this. I seem to always feel like I am doing something wrong here. Having said that, the food is simply insanely good, so there is no way in hell I will make this deter me from enjoying it. It kind of reminds me of the "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld, and there will always be soup for me. read more

Always great food and service! One of my go-to places for reliable quality, fresh, and good for you ingredients. 10/10 recommend.

Holy crap, this place is fantastic!! How I have never been here is beyond me. So much to choose from..everything is fresh ..tons of sauces to dip stuff in...service is great..Will definitely be back! read more

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Update: Tastes like there's a new chef in town (or the same chef isn't on his a-game) and not for the better. As mentioned in my previous review, I haven't had Yafo in a while but I finally had it again today. The laffah is still a problem. Today, the consistency is decent but the taste is off. Weirdly sweet but mostly tasteless overall. The new problem is that other kitchen items taste different. The tahini is far more bitter, leading to bitter hummus. The tabbouleh is extremely sour. Same goes for the grape leaves. Put all of those extreme flavors together and nothing really paired well like it did before. On the plus side, my portion was much bigger than usual. However, I would trade that in for how Yafo's food used to taste in a heartbeat. read more

This place is incredible. Better than CAVA I'd argue. More options and tastier options, too. I came one night very late right before closing and the food still tasted great. Can't imagine how good it'd be even more fresh earlier in the day. Another thing I noticed was how much food they'd give you. Normally, in places like this, where you order down the line, they serve you tiny little scoops of each thing. But here they just pour it on (not excessive) but a good amount, even if your protein choice. Kind of appreciated this. read more

YAFO Kitchen - YAFO BOWLS - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Got to try another great YAFO location. Previously I had only tried the hot chicken sandwich and a few of the sides. This time I got the famous build your own bowl that I have heard so much about. First of all, it was even incredibly filling like everyone told me. Maybe even more than that. We had a gift card that I had won so we decided to go all out and pack whatever we could into our bowls. I got a half hummus, half grain bowl with falafel as my protein. I added purple cabbage slaw, chickpea and roasted pepper salad, mushrooms, sumac onions, and more. My fiancé got a salad and grain bowl with just as much, if not more packed in, also with avocado added and chicken as her protein instead of falafel. We also got a side of Greek yogurt Mac & cheese because she had never been and I really wanted her to try it. Needless to say we did not finish any of our food and had plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day! Can't wait to go back and try more combinations. read more

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Run, DONT walk and go to this place! The food is fresh, delicious, orgasmic, healthy and after one visit you will be craving this place DAILY! I had the Amba Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado and it was more than enough food. I actually divided it into two meals. Now I'm waiting for my vegetarian daughter to visit from Texas to take her here and finally earn the love and respect a mother deserves! Lol read more

My feet were tapping the entire meal!!! OMG so tasty, fresh, and TASTY! It doesn't help that Sarah (cashier) was amazing, loved this place. I'm a new "vegetarian" and it's really hard finding tasty and colorful food but Yafo did it.. I will definitely be back btw I mixed my food before I could get the picture, and I also have a cucumber/mint/basil and strawberry drink .. good good GOOD read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Just got takeout from here during COVID, I sure hope they survive. Such good stuff. We always get their half chicken + 2 sides (and add 2 more) and it feeds us for days and its so cheap. I dont get it. LOVE THIS PLACE! read more

Yafo is amazing! I love that each dish is able to be customized. I generally get mezzes or a build your own bowl. The Greek yogurt mac and cheese is delicious and something you won't find anywhere else in charlotte. I always get extra Laffah because it's so good - it's much softer than pita and you can watch them make it. The falafel is made in small batches so it's always fresh. Try the schug with the laffah, so good! read more

YAFO Kitchen - Quarter chicken (white meat) with veggies and mac n cheese - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Visited this restaurant for the first time today. Loved the food. I ordered the grain bowl that came with a side of bread. I was pleasantly surprised with the hot side items they serve. The Mac-n-cheese, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts looked yummy! Will be trying those next time. They can be used as an entree in themselves, especially if your eating less meat. read more

YAFO Kitchen - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

We were visiting from out of town and this spot was recommended. It's like a chipotle of middle eastern Israeli cuisine. The line can get long, the place is popular, but moves quickly. You order, build your own bowl, wrap or salad, then seat yourself with your creation. Upon entering, watch the worker make and bake the delicious laffah bread. The food was fantastic. I had a bowl with chicken. Others had wraps or bowl with lamb. Portions were large (for the bowls). The cucumber mint juice was refreshing. Oh, and the macaroni and cheese made with yogurt is rich and delicious. If the owner is reading this, please consider opening a location in Boca Raton FL. read more

YAFO Kitchen - Chicken bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina