There’s a lot to love about Vega, the fast-casual sibling to big sister Lyra’s upscale dining room. (I mean, have you had the baklava with rose syrup?) But their business is shawarma, and good God, are they good at it. Maybe it’s the saj bread, which is thin, soft and shockingly capable of holding strong while you’re chowing down. Or maybe it’s the fact that the crew running the place has been perfecting modern Middle Eastern cuisine for years before opening Vega, really dialing in their beef, chicken and falafel recipes. Or it could be the playful acidity to cut through the richness — toum, tomatoes, garlic tahini and more. Whatever it is, I keep making up excuses to go to Madison just to grab a shawarma on the way.
Best Shawarma
Vega
Vega
