Shawerma Man Brings Arab Street Food to Magnolia

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There’s a scene at the end of the first “Avengers” movie when Tony Stark — that is, Iron Man, played by the ever-endearing Robert Downey Jr. — asks his fellow super-powered friends if they’d “ever had shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it.”

Well, if you’re in proximity to Fort Worth’s Near Southside, there’s now a shawarma joint just blocks from you.

Shawerma Man is the new trailer set up on the lawn where Grow Plant Shop’s Airstream used to be, fronting Magnolia Avenue between Maggies R&R and Ephemera Terrariums. Open for about a week, the trailer specializes in chicken shawarma, a popular Arab street food consisting of meat cooked on a spit (think Mexican trompo), thinly sliced, and usually served with a flat bread.

Shawerma Man wraps its shawarma in either pita or a light, thin saj bread, which co-owner Dema Hawari says makes the meat the star of the show. Meals come with a side of seasoned French fries and salad dressed with tahini, along with four dipping sauces: tahini, pink (mild and creamy), bomb (spicy), and naar (the Arabic word for "fire").

The trailer is a family affair — Hawari runs Shawerma Man alongside husband, Amir, and brother-in-law, Andre. They have Palestinian backgrounds — Dema Hawari came to the U.S. from Jordan at age 13, first arriving in Portland before her family moved to Fort Worth. Amir, meanwhile, moved to New Jersey about four years ago. Though the two would come together through an arranged marriage, Dema says something clicked between them the moment they met.

Their first conversation lasted for four hours, Dema says.

"We ended up working out," she says. "Our personalities ended up equaling each other. We're so similar yet different, which is perfect ... we have the same goal out of life."

Their passions and ambitions would translate to Shawerma Man, which was supposed to open last year. The couple got their trailer custom made in China, planned its menu, and had their sights set on that specific lawn space on Magnolia. Then COVID-19 hit, setting back their plans. But after Grow left Magnolia to open a brick-and-mortar and the world began to open up again, the Hawaris decided there was no better time to open but now.

"There are so many opportunities in this neighborhood, and the beauty about it is everybody respects each other," Dema says. "People can come, buy our food, and they can take it next door and have a nice beer at Maggie's, or we send them to Stir Crazy for a cupcake. That's how it is."

Dema says they plan to host a grand opening some time in June and debut new menu offerings like lamb. Another goal is to open a hookah truck right next to Shawerma Man (which Dema says they're fixing to close on) and offer franchise opportunities.

Shawerma Man is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (or sellout, which Dema says usually happens around 3 p.m., so it's best to come for lunch). 

"This is what it tastes like back home, and when you have the opportunity to travel to the Middle East, you can compare it," she says. "This is what's very important for us, is it's all authentic."