Gyro, shawarma and kebab get used as if they were the same thing, and on a lot of menus they are priced and plated as if they were. They are not. They differ in how the meat is cooked, how it is cut and how it eats in a wrap versus on a plate, and knowing the difference changes what you order. This guide gives a one-paragraph definition of each, a side-by-side table, a note on which is lighter, and then gets specific about what Falafel Flare at 470 N Mathilda Ave in Sunnyvale actually serves under each word.
Gyro
Gyro is the Greek version of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie: a tall stack of seasoned meat turns beside a heat source and is shaved off in thin slices as the outside browns. The result is thin, crisp-edged strips that are usually served in pita or over rice with salad and a yogurt-based sauce. Because it is shaved rather than skewered, gyro is the easiest of the three to eat in a wrap and holds up well in a rice bowl.
Shawarma
Shawarma is the Levantine cousin of gyro: the same vertical-rotisserie method, but with Middle Eastern seasoning and usually garlic or tahini sauces instead of yogurt. Chicken and beef are the usual forms. The word describes the cooking method and the spicing, not a specific cut.
Kebab (or kabab)
Kebab is the broad word for meat grilled over direct heat, usually on a skewer. Within it there are families: cubes of marinated meat on a skewer (often called shish), ground seasoned meat pressed around a flat skewer (Adana, kofta) and pressed patties cooked on a griddle or grill (Chapli). “Kabab” is simply the South Asian and Persian spelling of the same word; Falafel Flare’s menu uses “Kabab”. Because kebabs are grilled in pieces rather than shaved, they are served on plates far more often than in wraps.
Side by side
| Gyro | Shawarma | Kebab / kabab | |
| Cooking | Vertical rotisserie, shaved | Vertical rotisserie, shaved | Grilled over direct heat, usually on a skewer |
| Typical seasoning | Greek herbs, served with yogurt sauce | Middle Eastern spices, served with garlic or tahini sauces | Depends on the style: marinade, or spiced ground meat |
| Best format | Wrap or rice bowl | Wrap | Plate with rice, salad and bread |
| At Falafel Flare | Gyro Platter, Gyro Wrap, Gyro Rice Bowl, Gyro Grilled Salad | No item named shawarma on the menu; the Chicken Wrap is the closest order | Chicken Kabab, Adana Kabab, Chicken Chilli Kabab, Chapli Kabab, Lamb Kabab, Beef Kabab, Combination Kabab |
Which is lighter
A wrap is lighter than a plate, whatever the meat, because a plate carries rice, bread and sides. Among the formats on this menu, the Gyro Grilled Salad and the Chicken Salad Bowl are the lightest ways to eat grilled meat; the Gyro Rice Bowl and Chicken Rice Bowl sit in the middle; the kabab plates are the fullest. The listing describes the kabab plates as served with rice, salad, hummus and pita, which is a complete dinner.
Menu card — Gyro Platter
Gyro from the Platters section of the ordering page, served as a tray rather than in a wrap. The ordering page lists what comes with it.
Order on the Falafel Flare menu
What Falafel Flare serves under each word
Gyro. Four ways: the Gyro Wrap for eating on the move, the Gyro Rice Bowl (one of the website’s featured popular items) for a desk lunch, the Gyro Platter for a full tray, and the Gyro Grilled Salad for the lightest version.
Shawarma. There is no item called shawarma on the Falafel Flare menu. If you came looking for a chicken shawarma wrap, the Chicken Wrap is the closest order; ask the kitchen how the chicken is cooked and which sauces it comes with.
Kebab. This is where the website says the kitchen puts its effort: charcoal-grilled kebabs are the first thing the about page mentions. The Kababs section runs from the Chicken Kabab and Chicken Chilli Kabab to the ground-meat Adana Kabab, the pressed Chapli Kabab, the Lamb Kabab, Beef Kabab and the Combination Kabab. An Only Kabab option, listed among the website’s customer favorites, gives you the grilled meat without the plate.
Menu card — Gyro Wrap
Gyro in a wrap from the Wraps section: the one-handed version. The ordering page lists the sauces and add-ons.
Order on the Falafel Flare menu
Order picks
Order the Gyro Wrap if:
- you are eating in the car or at a desk;
- you want the classic pita-and-shaved-meat combination;
- you are ordering late and want something quick to eat.
Order a kabab plate if:
- it is dinner and you want the charcoal grill to be the point;
- you want rice, salad, hummus and pita on the same plate;
- you are sharing with one other person who eats lightly.
Order the Combination Kabab if:
- you cannot choose between chicken and the red-meat kababs;
- you want more than one kabab on one plate; the ordering page names which ones it includes.
Menu card — Chicken Kabab
Charcoal-grilled chicken from the Kababs section; the listing describes the kabab plates as served with rice, salad, hummus and pita.
Order on the Falafel Flare menu
How to order
Use the website’s Order Priority Pickup (Direct) or Order Direct Delivery (Best Price) button; both open the restaurant’s own ordering page, where the full order value stays with the kitchen instead of going to a third-party app commission. Falafel Flare is at 470 N Mathilda Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94085; the website states that the menu is made with 100% halal-certified ingredients. Posted hours run to 9 pm on Monday, Thursday and Sunday, 11 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 11:59 pm on Friday and Saturday with an overnight window listed; the ordering page shows the current night.
FAQ
Is gyro the same as shawarma?
No. Both are cooked on a vertical rotisserie and shaved, but gyro is Greek, seasoned with Greek herbs and served with a yogurt sauce, while shawarma is Middle Eastern, spiced differently and usually served with garlic or tahini sauces.
What is the difference between kebab and kabab?
None in meaning. Kebab is the Turkish and English spelling; kabab is the Persian and South Asian spelling. Falafel Flare’s menu uses “Kabab”.
Does Falafel Flare serve shawarma?
There is no item named shawarma on the Falafel Flare menu. The Chicken Wrap is the closest order; ask the kitchen how the chicken is prepared and which sauces come with it.
Which is lighter, a gyro wrap or a kabab plate?
The Gyro Wrap. A kabab plate is described on the listing as served with rice, salad, hummus and pita, which makes it a full dinner. The Gyro Grilled Salad is lighter still.
Is the gyro at Falafel Flare halal?
The restaurant’s website says it uses 100% halal-certified ingredients across the menu, including the gyro. Ask the kitchen if you have a question about a specific item.
Order the one you now know you want
Gyro for the wrap, kabab for the plate. Order from the restaurant’s own page for pickup or delivery on N Mathilda Ave.
Order direct from Falafel Flare for pickup or delivery
