Gypsy Queen Cuisine

What a jewel this cozy and welcoming restaurant is! Suzy and staff are kind, efficient and warm. And the cuisine? Brilliant, fresh, inventive and artfully seasoned. I’ll be a regular, that’s for sure.

This is just the restaurant that Asheville has been missing. So delicious middle eastern food in fun setting with great service. You have to give it a try. Best fries ever!!!

Heaven on earth.
Probably one of the best meals in asheville. I could literally swim in their tabbouli. Do yourself a favor and order every single thing on the menu, lay down, and die happy.

Yum yum yum. One of my favorite places to eat. I love the fattoush salad. The chicken shawarma, the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are so good. And the falafel? Stellar!

Just what we needed here in Asheville.
Sure, it is on the dreaded Patton Ave. strip but who cares when the food is this good. It is also a nice contrast to all the corporate fast food on the strip.
The thing about this place is that you can really feel the love. In the food and the service there is a great deal of pride. It is not a really fast place to eat, but don’t let that keep you away because it is worth the bit of extra time.
My favorite thing here is the Kibbeh. It is one of the best Kibbeh I’ve ever tasted. Seasoned to perfection and unlike anything else you find in Asheville. Another dish I really enjoy is the Fried Brussel Sprouts. They are the perfect alternative to French Fries and they are topped with a delicious vegan garlic aioli and tahini sauce.
The desserts are also really tasty. At some places the desserts are an after thought. That is not so at Gypsy Queen. They are of the same high quality as the rest of the menu, the only problem is that I’m usually too full to eat dessert. The portions at Gypsy Queen are quite generous. I’d suggest sharing things like the French Fries or fried Brussel Sprouts. The salads are also large enough to be shared. The Kibbeh is almost too good to be shared!

Well well well. Lebanese cuisine in Asheville? Absolutely and positively primo! From the authentic desserts in the case to the shawarma selection combined with hummus or baba ghanouj… it’s all here and it’s all good. Try the Kibbeh — the national dish of Lebanon. Fantasticulosity all rolled into one! La la la la la la la la!

I tried the falafel wrap last year at the Re-​Happening with my then boyfriend. It was pretty good– which I am certain of, because I’m generally someone who prefers to share… but this I was more like a mangy trash dog, only letting him take a bite or two and then fighting him off the rest. I’m pretty excited to get back, perhaps to the brick and mortar location– this time just for me, all me!

I loved this place! I came in today for my first visit, and the food was excellent. I had the Lamb Shawarma which was excellent. I also had the Fried/​Grilled Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower (mixed) with an awesome tahini sauce. I had a lovely glass of dry red Lebanese wine — and I bought a bunch of supplies from the market shelves! I had a great time talking with Suzy about our food memories! This is my new favorite place!

It always makes me second guess myself when I’m clearly going against the majority on a place, but I feel fairly confident about this one.
First, let’s start with what Gypsy Queen does well. I was excited to try it after all the success with the truck. The proteins? Fantastic. We got both falafel and a lamb shawarma, and the falafel and lamb were both outstanding. The lamb isn’t that shaved off gyro meat that you’re used to getting. This was braised or sauteed or something and juicy and wonderful. The falafel appeared overdone on the outside, but turned out to be great. Dense and flavorful.
The soup we got was also great. Tonight’s soup was black bean and sweet potato, and it was more flavorful than you would expect from that name. A little spicy, packed full of tastiness.
On the flip side, however, the speed was pretty lacking. It’s just counter service, and the restaurant was pretty full of people standing around waiting for food, either to-​go or to stay. Fairly limited table space, but we were able to find a spot. Took quite a while to get the food.
I was pretty disappointed to find a lot of «bonus» ingredients in my salad that weren’t among those listed on the menu. I intentionally picked a salad that didn’t list onions, but it was laced with raw, red onions. I picked around them, and I don’t blame them for flavoring up a salad, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re on the picky side.
Texturewise, most everything was okay, although the shawarma in a pretty thin wrap and was completely falling apart by the time it was halfway gone.
Overall, not overly disappointing, but I don’t see myself making a special trip back too many times.

I am almost hesitant to write this glowing review, because I don’t want Gypsy Queen to become more crowded, but they deserve serious and joyful accolades for their amazing food! Everything is good, everything is fresh, I want to eat this every single day, forever and ever. Use of garlic and tahini is ON POINT. Asheville has been missing this! So excited to see them in a permanent location, and I hope they grow and grow.

Best falafel west in the Middle east! I remember when the food truck opened and sooooo delighted to see the restaurant.

Gypsy Queen is an established player on the Asheville food scene. Overall, I love the owner/​staff, the variety of the food and now, the atmosphere of their new brick and mortar location. In particular, the cauliflower and and dessert selection is particularly impressive. However, in my opinion, and I admittedly am the anomaly, the flavors are a bit monotone compared to other comparable Mediterranean restaurants that I’ve personally experienced. If you’ve never had Tahini, then you will definitely be impressed because it is a unique flavor to most people, but it is does make a consistent appearance throughout most of their dishes. It’s a good solid staple with a consistently good product, but definitely not incredible.

Great spot, so glad Gypsy Queen opened a permanent location. The food comes out quick and is always fresh and delicious. I usually get the chicken shawarma but have enjoyed the falafel and tabbouleh as well. The staff is very friendly and the food pops with unique but harmonious flavor. The atmosphere is cozy to eat in or you can call ahead for takeout. Either way, GQ is a great lunch or dinner option.
*They often run out of lamb by the evening so if you’re craving lamb shawarma try to get there on the early side of the day!

I’ve been a diehard fan of Gypsy Queen Cuisine since the food truck answered our Lebanese food dreams when it became a regular fixture at the food lot years ago. I can’t say much about this place that hasn’t already been said, so I’ll just highlight some of my observations.
Super clean and aesthetically pleasing inside. Helpful, happy face counter staff and a meticulously well-​arranged cold case of treats with a huge platter of baklava outside on top. Oh, and 961 Lebanese beer!
Suzy brought our food to the table and you cannot help but feel the heart and soul of what she’s doing radiate from her smile. I truly dig this place and cannot wait to come back.

Here’s the summary. 5 stars. You should run to Gypsy Queen, order a shawarma, and give Suzy the chef/​owner a high five and tell her congratulations.
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I’ve been writing my review of Gypsy Queen in my head for the last couple of weeks. There’s so much to say, so many thoughts that are brought up that I want to convey to anyone who may be reading reviews of this lovely spot and deciding whether they want to take the time to enjoy a meal here. The short of it is, yes, do that, immediately. Once you’ve enjoyed Gypsy Queen you’ll be a fan and you won’t need to read any more reviews. I hope that you’ll post a raving and glowing review of it, just like this one.
That’s what I want to convey in this review, that you should be a fan of Gypsy Queen. You should be a fan of all of the great local businesses that make Asheville special. You should come here, enjoy a fan-​freaking-​tastic shawarma with its delightfully fresh ingredients, persian pickles, and marinated meat, and you should tell other people about it. You should spread the joy, and simultaneously support a great local business that has evolved from a food truck into a brick and mortar location.
The location has traded hands many times over the past few years, there was nona mia, then pasta fasta, then zingers, and now it’s the permanent home of Gypsy Queen. Pictures of the chef/​owner Suzy adorn the walls, and there is something so heartwarming and welcoming about that. There’s a small selection of imported Mediterranean sundries and even some candies. The walls are bright, and there’s ample seating for a busy rush.
The reason that this review has taken me so long to write was that I had to collect my thoughts. Upon my visit Suzy (who I’m casually acquainted with) was taking care of some work in the dining room. She’s aware that I’m employed by Unilocal,and after I congratulated her on the new space, she said to me «be nice», which simply broke my heart. Not that I wouldn’t be nice, I’ve been a fan of Gypsy Queen for years. I look forward to street festivals as an excuse to get my hands on their fried cauliflower with tahini sauce. Now there’s a home for them!
What broke my heart is that although I’m a huge fan, I can’t hold on to every other patron’s hand and explain to them why this place is special. How long Suzy worked and waited before moving from a truck into this permanent spot. How, although the menu is small, it’s all of the favorites! I want everyone that walks through the doors of this restaurant, or any restaurant or business in this town to be supportive and congratulatory.
The drive and motivation behind why I write reviews on Unilocal isn’t to be a foodie, or a critic, or pretend that I have any idea whatsoever about how a business runs, my hope is to create a personal list of places that I celebrate and love with the hopes of guiding others and conveying my enthusiasm for them. Word of mouth is great, but with Unilocal I can communicate how special places like Gypsy Queen are to people I’ve never met. I can only hope that they’re just as pleased with the quality of food, the happiness in the service, and the charm of the place as I am.
I want others to love this place just as much as I do.

Why 5 stars? Because the flavors were perfection.
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I mean this in the most complimentary way possible, because I love Chipotle — my chicken shawarma tasted like if Chipotle offered a Lebanese burrito. I normally find the quality of food from massive chains to be underwhelming, but Chipotle is a rare gem in a sea of let-​downs.
The pita wrap encompassing things like garlic aioli, pickled Lebanese cucumbers and parsley leads to a flavor-​explosion for me that I’m just not used to. I don’t really eat a ton of middle eastern cuisine, so it was an incredibly exciting day for my mouth. With each bite, my inner dialogue was saying things like, «Oh wow!» «That’s new!» «Woah, I’ve never tasted something like this before!»
My thoughts get very excited over tastiness.

This place is amazing! We know the food truck and love going there if I can find it. A brick and mortar is a nice addition to Asheville. The location kinda sucks, out on Patton avenue.
Schwerma was the best I’ve ever had. Lots of fresh vegetables and not the bag lettuce variety but proper, locally sourced. Hot red onions and pickled turnip are a welcome and daring contribution to asheville’s culinary scene.
The service is a little slow so sit back and enjoy the cool atmosphere.
There is a very cool grocery in the restaurant with zattar, coffee, tea, olives, and other Middle Eastern staples.
Everything is made there.

Love the food truck, and now they have a storefront @ 807 Patton Ave, YAY

Delicious Chicken Shawarma with Tomato Cucumber Relish and maybe a dash of Tahini?
Nice selection of Lebanese edibles. Savory & fresh.
Friendly service.

Located at the Vegan fest, I checked on Unilocal quickly to see the reviews and I am so glad I gave this food truck a try. I ordered the falafel taco and it is not a taco! I am so glad it’s not a taco! Well, it is, but it was with pita bread instead! So this is hands down, the best falafel sandwich I ever had. The pita was warm and toasty, the falafel had a great texture, the sauce was spot on, and the choice/​amount of veggies were perfect. I wasn’t hungry but I wanted to finish my order!