Zack Shwarma...
Late Night Lebanese Cuisine & Frozen Yogurt

 
 

A dine-in/take-out spot that stays open late, Zack Shwarma serves all-Lebanese cuisine at an affordable price. Fish, shrimp, lamb, chicken and beef shawarma are currently available. Skip the chicken and order that which is hot-off-the-spit!

Having "heard the good word" about this recently opened sit down/take out spot, and as lovers of a good Lebanese sandwich, Zack Shwarma got our attention in a hurry.

It is set on Main Road in a modest but bright-red building, immediately in front of Anguilla's airstrip. Zack Shwarma is hard to miss, especially with cars parked three deep in the lot!

Jammed, Zack Shwarma is a-buzz in Anguilla. Bustling with activity, brimming with clients, we licked our chops.

No question about it, Zack Shwarma jumped to our #1 to-try Anguilla restaurant.

Coming from Montreal, where the Lebanese community is large and quality take out spots are many, you almost have to fly to Lebanon for better!

Since moving to Anguilla, we often longed for a chicken shawarma carved right off the spit! With sides of tabouli and fries. And maybe some falafel with hummus dip. We wondered...

"Will Zack Shwarma satisfy our craving for the garlicky zest of a great Lebanese sandwich?"

... especially in the wee hours after a night out. ;-)

So here we were, with Zack Shwarma's signs promising to deliver those Lebanese cuisine dreams to Anguilla!

What's on the Menu?

Zack's features all of the classics...

Tabouli, falafel, hummus and a variety of shawarma sandwiches including lamb, chicken and beef. And for the less adventurous, they have non-Lebanese wraps, burgers, steaks and salads, too.

The lady at the counter was stressed to the hilt, with order after order being thrown her way. From taking the orders, to grilling the pita bread, to slicing the meat, to packing it all up and taking the cash, she was a one-woman act. Yep, Zack's can get BUSY. Tip: To avoid the wait, call your order in ahead of time.

We placed an order for tabouli. No luck, they didn't have it. Hummus? Nope. With the only sides being fries, we jumped right to the main attraction, three chicken shawarma sandwiches.

The Shawarma!

As we waited for our food, we took a peek behind the counter. There was good and bad news.

The good? That classic spit!

The bad? With three types of meat-based shawarma sandwiches on the menu (lamb, chicken and beef), one question came to mind. "How were they doing 3 different types with only one spit?" We realized that the other 2 must be pre-prepared, not "hot off the spit."

At long last (45 minutes), our sandwiches were bundled in wax paper. We were on our way home, gripping them tightly. Oddly, the car did not fill with the classic aroma.

Arriving at home, the moment of truth...

The Chicken Shawarma

It certainly looked delicious... warm pita stuffed with lettuce, tomato and lots of chicken. We noticed that the chicken was in chunks, though. It did not appear to have been sliced off a spit. Hmmm.

Would this match our expectations?

"If this is just half as good as the Lebanese sandwiches in Montreal..." my Mom trailed off with that thought.

My Dad took the first bite, and...

"Not much taste. Maybe it will build."

We all dug in. Soon, though, there were confused faces around the table.

Coated heavily in a nondescript sauce, the flavor was lackluster and the under side of the pita turned to mush quickly.

While the vegetables were fresh, the pita was thicker and drier than we were used to, but it was the chicken and spice that were disappointing. Pre-prepared chicken, it was not shawarma that we knew and loved. And there was nothing particularly Lebanese about the spices.

Another item we tried was the Chicken Zack Plate.

Chicken Zack Plate

A mixture of chicken, fries, lettuce, tomatoes covered in garlic sauce, ketchup and mayo. Definitely a large meal and very filling.

My Dad summed it up well...

"If you're looking for something filling and inexpensive, it's a fair choice, especially if you're hungry at 1AM."

Frozen Yogurt at Zack's

Zack's Shawarma doesn't end there...

Zack Paradise Frozen Yogurt

In 2019 Zack Shawarma opened the first frozen yogurt spot on island.

Frozen Yogurt Station

Options include classic vanilla and chococolate. When it comes to frozen yogurt, we are pretty partial to vanilla!...

Jovial Getting Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

After pouring your desired flavour and amount, head to the toppings station.

Toppings Station

Almonds, M&Ms, chunks of fruit, gummy bears and chocolate chips are all waiting to be popped on your frozen treat!

Vanilla with Almond Shreds

Rounding Out the Verdict

While not the Lebanese sandwich we were hoping for, Zack's shawarma pita pockets are an excellent buy. It is also one of the only spots serving food late into the night! It all makes for a convenient and reasonably priced bite and frozen delights.

Please share your "Anguilla shawarma" experience in the comments below!

Directions, Hours & Contact

Directions: Zack Shwarma sits on the south side of the main road that runs parallel to Anguilla's landing strip. If you're coming from the west, drive as if you are heading to The Valley (but don't go all the way into The Valley!). Once you pass the set of lights that turn down to the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway and Little Harbour, it's only 30 seconds away on the right hand side of the road.

Hours: Open daily until 1am.

Contact:(264) 583-6641

Menu: Click here