Much of Shawarma King’s continued success has to do with its owners being just about the nicest people in the city. Even if it’s not mind-blowingly good or anything, it’s solidly enjoyable, and cheap. In addition to shawarma, there are kebabs, kofta, dolmeh, falafel, and much, much more. But heed the sign: the point’s the shawarma—spiced beef, chicken, or lamb, stuffed with tomato, lettuce, and tzatziki in a thin, soft pita. The kitchen tends to spice heavily, but the seasoning doesn’t overpower the meat. Kebabs are especially aggressive—a plus, given how well heavy seasoning works in this cuisine. It’s beautifully balanced by fluffy saffron rice, or cool, minty salads.

Like most Middle Eastern restaurants, there’s plenty of vegetarianism allowed in this kingdom. The falafel’s one of the best in town, fried to ideal crispiness, and the option is yours to make it a plate or wrap it up in a sandwich (we recommend the latter, for both price and taste reasons). Douse them with plenty of acidic yogurt sauce for their fullest potential. At lunch, there are several combos all costing around $7 that will stuff you like a shawarma pita, yet somehow leave you feeling light and healthy. Long live the King.