Tahini Mediterranean Grill Café

Stopped in because of great reviews. They’re out of business. ;(This was in ⁰¹⁄₁₂. Apparently my reviews are not posted from my iPhone. They are held in my drafts.

Pretty sure this place is out of business

Food is delicious. Portions are huge. Prices are terrific. Hummus is the best I have had in a while. The Gyros are huge. Owner is really friendly. Try it, you’ll like it.

«I gave you a little extra because you’re my first customer today.»
What can I say? Very good food and friendly people make for a nice lunch experience here.
This is counter service, no-​frills style. Plastic utensils and styrofoam plates and cups. There are a good number of tables to sit at with a couple outside, as well as a couple of couches with tables between.
I ordered the gyro platter for $ 8, which included hummus and pita wedges, rice, gyro meat with tzatziki sauce, and a salad. Everything tasted great.
I think I still prefer Falafel Café overall, but this is a solid alternative — and definitely faster, if you’re low on time.

The Honey: «What should we have for dinner? Are you in the mood for anything?»
Me: «Ummm, not really in the mood for anything other than quick. Let me pull up something nearby on my Unilocal app to see what’s around. I’m thinking Mediterranean, although, sometimes they aren’t quick. What do you think?»
The Honey: «Yeah, I guess we could go for Mediterranean food.»
Me: «Sold, but only if they have homemade baklava. Then I’ll know they’re the real deal.»
End Conversation
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AND boy were these guys the real deal! :)
Upon entry, we were immediately greeted by the owner and his family. They were so pleasant, genuine and their displays showcased homemade banana breads and baklava — and that alone sold me on staying here. Couches available to lounge in, tables and chairs setup throughout this modern, yet warm and inviting atmosphere.
So anytime I try someplace new, I usually order a variety of things because I don’t want to just settle on one dish and wish I had ordered the other thing. Plus, when you go with friends or family, you can just share plates. (Let’s be honest, eating is always best when you have someone to share it with, ya?) So we literally ordered almost ½ the menu :) Here’s the skinny:
— Gyro — The way a gyro should be made. Shaved lamb, lettuce, tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, a nice warm pita to bundle up the goodies inside… mmmm…creamy, zesty and tasty in each bite.
— Gyro Platter — Rice, lamb, pita and 2 sides (we ordered the baba ghanoush and hummus)
— Chicken Platter — Chicken, rice, pita and 2 sides
— Loaf of Banana Bread — We ordered the plain which was dense, moist and full of banana flavor
— Baklava — We ordered the walnut and honey. MMmmmmmm, the phyllo dough was nice, light, flaky and crusty and I loved biting into the walnut/​honey layer.
— Pineapple/​Peach Lemonade — Made with real pineapples, peaches and lemons!
— Strawberry Lemonade — Made with real strawberries and lemons!
— Chicken Gyro — We ordered this plain for the kids. AND, he even gave us free chips for the kids because we had commented that they were picky eaters! What great service!
Everything here was homemade, fresh, healthy, plentiful, QUICK and delicious! (And VERY reasonably priced!!) This is by far one of my all-​time favorite Mediterranean places I’ve eaten from the east coast to the west. The one thing I didn’t order was the Schwarma which is definitely something I’ll be ordering on my next adventure here.
Honestly, if you’re looking for real, authentic, locally owned and operated Mediterranean food, this is a place you NEED to check out. The owners are so friendly, warm and are so pleasant to chit chat with. They are serious about their customer’s satisfaction and overall experience. The quality of their food, their menu options and their customer service is evident that this is one of those gems you just have to share. I can’t tell you how many other places that came to mind where we thought they were good, but were nowhere near comparison to Tahini’s. :) This is officially our go-​to for Mediterranean.
PS — They do catering as well for all types of crowds :)

The food is amazing
I love their gyro platter and the owner is extremely friendly

I liked the feel of the place– obvioiusly family run and I love that. The lemonade was good there were unique flavor combinations of the lemonade to choose from. The prices were right, but the food was just ok. The chicken in my pita was definitely not grilled as the name made me assume, it tasted like it had been done in a crockpot :(the hummus seemed fresh and looked great but was lacking on flavor. They were out of half the things I tried to order. I really want to like this place though… One more try.

It’s been almost 24 hours since my first visit to Tahini and I have not yet stopped thinking about it for more than ten minutes. Very few counter service restaurants have this effect on me.
The first thing you’ll notice is that these are the friendliest restaurateurs. They’re busy but somehow find the time to smile and show that they APPRECIATE your patronage.
The next thing you’ll notice is the incredible pricing on the menu. $ 5 dollars for a pita sandwich (please excuse my novice terminology. I’m Italian, not Greek). $ 7.99 for a platter. Desserts lower than $ 2.
As you wait for your food, the third thing you’ll notice is that thought is put into every detail. The patio chairs aren’t just typical cast iron or plastic– they’re classy and cushioned. The free water flows from an elegant and clean dispenser. The huge walls have been painted in beautiful textures.
Then the food arrives at your table.
This is Greek food that makes you question EVERY Greek place at which you’ve eaten. «What kind of charlatans have been duping me my whole life?»
I may be Italian, but I’d still call myself a Greek foodie veteran. Even so, each item at Tahini had a robust new approach that I had never tasted. I knew immediately that THIS is legit Greek food.
The falafel was perfectly moist. Tabbouleh was the best I’ve tasted. The hummus was rich and oily. The chicken was entirely white meat and so tender it was falling apart. The rice! I’ve never had rice like this in my life. The Greek salad had an AMAZING dressing and perfect feta.
I wish I could tell you HOW all these items were superior, but I really have no idea. You just need to try it and see what I mean. (Bonus tip: Go with a date so you can get TWO platters and try double the items, like I did!)
I’m not into lamb, but the rotisserie they had spinning in the back of the kitchen made me almost change my mind.
There are vegetarian options, too.
If you’re not planning on eating, stop in just for those cheap pastries and super cheap coffee I mentioned. They have couches and leather chairs. Plenty of hangout space. This place is the size of two or three Starbucks.
The walnut baklava was so skillfully crafted and sweet that I almost cried on that first bite. I scraped the wax paper when I was done.
There’s also a pistachio-​filled pastry available. It’s the only pre-​packaged item Tahini sells– but guess what? The recipe is the owner’s own and a bakery in Michigan produces them. It’s very unique and heavy, kind of like a dessert falafel; not what you would expect in a wrapper.
The owner exhibits an obvious passion for all of his food and every aspect of his restaurant. The payoff is that we, the hunters of high class dining, have a new prized gem just a minute or two north of the UCF campus.

Tonight I had a very wonderful surprise. This is my 10^th visit to this restaurant. The owner and I started to talk and we realized our connection in Gainesville thirty years ago– Falafal King. I knew I loved this food and travel 10 miles to get it. Thank you for fresh food: Falafal is perfect, hummus perfect (and homemade!!) and our family has tried many of the dishes. I think the ligthness and smokey flavor of the baba ghanosh is better than ANY I have had in Orlando. Where can you get fresh lemonade and fresh coffee. Friendly service and a great atmosphere.

I can’t put into words what a great experience it was to visit Tahini Mediterranean. Between the amazing homemade & made-​to-​order food, clean & professional kitchen, and incredibly accommodating & friendly staff, everything here was beyond top notch. I stopped by for a simple gyro platter, but they’ve got an extensive menu if you’re looking for something else.
While talking with the owner, he mentioned that their business relies on word of mouth to some extent — I figured a glowing review was the least I could possibly do. I can’t recommend this place enough.

Exceptional food made with nice ingredients. Everything we tried was simply top notch.

This is the real deal. This is a location right nearby UCF that serves authentic Mediterranean food.
The owners I believe are native from Middle East and everything is homemade and cooked in-​house.
We had the Chicken Gyro Platter which came with tabouleh salad, rice, hummus and side pita. I have to be honest, their portions is VERY generous. We only spent like $ 5 – 8 dollars for large yet delicious portions of really healthy food.
A lot of olive oil is used which is great! Nothing is fake about this place.
I love the décor, though it was derived from the previous owners, The Daily Grind but the décor fits for this type of place. Laid back with leather sofas and cinnamon painted walls.
The food is just pure sheer heavenly and highly recommended.
We had the Baklava and banana cake which was a hit with our party.
This is a true a mom n’ pop establishment where all members of the family pinch in to make this place go.
Highly recommended for Mediterranean food in East Orlando/​UCF/​Oviedo area.

My friend from work told me about this place, and we finally all went.
From the moment you walk in, the wonderful smell of food and spices hits you and suddenly you’re aware of just how hungry you really are.
I couldn’t decide what to go for since everything on the menu looked appetizing but I finally opted for what I love but fear eating at the same time.
I say fear because there is nothing worse than biting into a falafel and instantly knowing that the rest of the sandwich is going to be crap.
NOT in this case! I have to say, this is the best falafel I have ever had.
This is saying a lot since I’ve had them not only in central florida, but in Miami, and New York as well. All of the ingredients were so fresh, and the crunchy exterior of the falafel contrasted to the soft center made for a «Eyes rolling to the back of my head» Experience.
Even my co-​worker was like «Wow, you’re really enjoying this aren’t you?»
Yes, I did.
Plus, there is free wifi, and comfortable couches you can sit on to just relax.
It’s affordable, delicious; I’m totally going back!

Every day I drive by this restaurant on the way in to work (UCF) and every day I tell myself that I’m going to try this place. Today, needing something quick and wanting something different I finally took the plunge and stopped by.
Only minutes from UCF Tahini has taken over a space vacated by a flopped coffee house. The space, though small, is inviting. The walls are a warm cinnamony color and the furniture a mahogany. There’s a raised platform area with an incredibly comfy looking leather sofa. It’s a good thing I didn’t go there for the décor which was minimal, but for the
food.
Having just tried another well reviewed Mediterranean restaurant last week, I thought maybe it would be too soon, but boy was I wrong. I arrived at 12:20 and found only two other patrons in the place. I went to the counter and told the girl it was my first visit but she said to take my time, look over the menu and if I had any questions to let her know.
It looks like they are going kinda «Tiajuana Flats» with plastic placemat menus for diners to peruse. She then said that you could add two sides to any sandwich to make it a platter for $ 2.99.
Trying to keep my lunch light (in calories/​fat but NOT taste) I asked if the chicken gyro was all white meat or mixed. All white, she replied. So that’s what I had. The chicken gyro platter with the Greek salad and baba ghanoush as my sides. I also added a slice of banana bread and a drink. The total was about $ 11.
The food was delivered to my table quickly. The salad, was your typical Greek… lettuce, tomatoe, red onion slices, feta, but what was special is that it was fresh. The lettuce was crisp, the tomatoes juicy, the feta with that perfect salty balance. So many establishments give you some wilted green stuff. The gyro was also very good. The chicken was all white meat and shredded, but it was a good half pound of meat. The pita wasn’t as soft as I would have liked, more like the Pita Pit, but it was still quite tasty, but it was the Boba Ghanoush that had me over the moon! Creamy, but still chunky with egg plant it had a slight smokey flavor that just left me wanting more!
By the time I finished lunch, the tank was full so I wrapped up the banana bread to go. I figured it will be a good pick me up this afternoon. The restaurant had also filled up, which left me very happy as I would hate to see this place go away.
Pros:
Afforadable Prices
Mediterranea Classics (Hummus, Tabouleh, Baklava)
You can see the gyro meat cooking on a hught rotisserie
Food is Halal
Fresh Smoothies and Lemonade
Cons:
Hit or miss as to what kind of banana bread they have available
Still working out there system so items get forgotten or left behind BUT they are quick to bring them to you when notified.