First Look: Rolled Pita

Rolled Pita is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. (Credit: Liz Morrisey)

If you get tired of the same old restaurants and are in the mood to try some new bold flavors, Rolled Pita Lebanese Restaurant in Greer is just around the corner with authentic Lebanese food.

Everything is made to order. Unfamiliar with Lebanese food? Basic ingredients include olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and onions. Rolled Pita offers just about any Lebanese dish you could think of, such as stuffed grape leaves, hummus, shish kabobs, baba ghannoj, and mosakaa. Fresh fish is also a regular item on the menu like flounder, shrimp, crab legs and oysters.

George Achkar opened Rolled Pita about a year ago, which he says is finally a dream come true. After owning Subway franchises in the area, Achkar was worn out and realized he could start fresh with his own place.

"I always wanted to cook dishes like at home," he says. "I thought about opening this for the past 10 years. Our dishes are home-cooked and fresh." He and his wife do a lot of the cooking.

In 1988, Achkar came to the United States, worked hard and bought his first Subway in 1996, he says. He then expanded into Columbia, Greer, Taylors and other Upstate areas. He even ventured into the pizzeria business.

He describes Rolled Pita as more of a Lebanese fast food style restaurant. He says one day he hopes to open a fancier restaurant where patrons can enjoy their food and wine for a few hours while visiting with friends.

Another Lebanese thing you may want to try is a Hookah, also known as a water pipe and has several different flavors. He has them available in his restaurant.

Achkar says there is an older Lebanese population in the Upstate traveling from Anderson and Spartanburg to enjoy his food, but he also has several people trying Lebanese food for the first time.

Dishes range from as little as $4 to $12 for a combo platter with many different menu items. You can start your taste buds on fresh hummus with pita bread or foul madammas a dish with fava beans, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley and tomato. Then try a Lebanese salad or a pie such as sambusek-pastry pockets with ground meat, onions and toasted nuts.

Platters are available with a taste of many items, such as shish kabobs and shishtawook, a chicken dish with white rice and garlic sauce. Vegan plates are also on the menu along with rolled pita sandwiches like Falafel and Beef Kafta. Make sure you check out the desserts as well like Nammoura-semolina with sugar, vegetable oil and rosewater.

Take a photo tour of Rolled Pita.