One of the wonderful things about Mediterranean cuisine is that, on top of being delicious, it is flexible for people with all kinds of dietary needs. A vegetarian can come along with their meat-loving friends, and everyone still leaves with a full and satisfying meal.
There is an amazing number of vegetarian Mediterranean options. From dolma to tabouli, many dishes common in Mediterranean culture are naturally meat-free. We have collected a few of our favorites for this vegetarian spotlight, but don’t be afraid to browse our full menu. There are more great vegetarian dishes than we can list here, and many others can be adapted to leave out the meat while keeping all of the flavor.
Here are our most flavorful vegetarian options at Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe in San Diego:
Hummus is made from chickpeas and is a delightful vegetarian option everyone can enjoy. Simply choose the hummus without shawarma, which contains meat, and enjoy it with warm pita or other vegetarian dippers.
Hummus is a crowd favorite and makes a great appetizer to share with friends. Try dipping more than bread: it is great with fresh vegetables like carrots and celery too. It is one of the most versatile dips around.
This hearty salad combines grain with parsley, tomatoes, onions, mint and other fresh vegetables. The grain gives the salad substance so you stay satisfied, while the herbs and vegetables add bright flavor and nutrition. Tabouli is a great way to start your meal.
Some of our other salads do contain meat, but they are worth a look. Several are naturally vegetarian, and many can be prepared without meat.
Falafel is made from crushed garbanzo beans (chickpeas), parsley, garlic, onion and spices, then fried until crisp. The result is a golden fritter packed with flavor. Falafel is loved by vegetarians and meat eaters alike, and you can order anything from a small sampler to a larger portion to share with friends.
Dolma are grape leaves stuffed with a seasoned vegetarian rice mixture and topped with a lemon sauce. Because they are served cold, dolma are especially refreshing on warm San Diego days. Dolma can be made many ways, but rest assured, ours are made without any meat.
If these don’t catch your eye, there are plenty of other vegetarian choices, including a wide variety of leafy green salads that can be made without meat, and even a selection of pizzas.
Mediterranean food is all about coming together with the people you love to share a meal. If you want to enjoy dinner with friends and family without anyone feeling left out, visit Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe on Clairemont Mesa Blvd and explore our many vegetarian options. Planning an event? Our catering offers plenty of vegetarian dishes too.
Mezze platters are one of the great delights of Mediterranean cuisine. These spreads of many small dishes are especially popular in the Levant, and the tradition has since spread around the globe. People love a mezze platter because it offers a small taste of many different dishes, letting you explore and discover which flavors you like best.
Courses made up of many small dishes are enjoyed all over the world. Tapas in Spain, for example, grew out of much the same idea as mezze: share a variety of textures and flavors without any one dish being so big that it fills you up. The name “mezze” even comes from a word meaning “a little bit,” a nod to the small portions.
Mezze dates back thousands of years. Across the ancient Mediterranean, offering mezze was a sign of hospitality, and hosts would sit and talk with their guests for hours over this light, shareable meal. That spirit of generosity and conversation is still at the heart of mezze today.
Different regions feature different dishes, but the idea is the same throughout the Mediterranean. A typical mezze platter might include:
How mezze is served varies almost as much as the dishes themselves. It may literally arrive on one large platter with every dish together. It can be served family style, with a small sample of each dish plated for every guest. Or it can be set out buffet style, with guests taking small plates and choosing from the dishes on offer.
Whatever the serving style, the idea stays the same: a wide variety of small dishes for guests to enjoy and socialize over.
If these historic and culturally significant dishes caught your attention, you can make your own mezze platter by gathering the traditional dishes listed above and arranging them together. It is an easy, colorful way to entertain.
If you love the idea of a mezze platter but would rather leave the work to us, bring your family to Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe on Clairemont Mesa Blvd and order one from our menu. You can try every dish and find out for yourself what you like. Mezze is also a fairly light meal or appetizer, so there is always room to follow it up with another favorite.
Planning a party, office lunch or family gathering? Mezze is a natural fit for events, and our catering team can take the workload off your plate while you and your guests enjoy a delicious meal together.
Mezze is an amazing way to eat, with a delicious selection of classic dishes to choose from. The next time you are looking for something special for guests, family or just yourself, stop by Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe in San Diego and share a mezze platter.
When you are putting on an event, or perhaps offering lunch to hard working office employees, catering is a practical option. Mediterranean provides a nice break from pizzas and sandwiches, and offers wonderful options for a variety of special diets.
If you’re planning on having a lunch catered, here are some great options that everyone will love, including options for vegetarians and gluten-free.
Dolma is a popular pick because not only is it a crowd-pleaser, it’s also vegetarian and gluten-free. This is a great option for a variety of special needs diets, as well as food people who are not vegetarian or gluten-free will enjoy.
Dolma is also really practical in other ways because it can be eaten both as a snack, an appetizer, or the side on a main course. It’s ability to fill many different roles makes it a wonderful catering option.
If you need finger foods, Borak is a great option to include as well. These tasty filled pastries can be stuffed with lamb, cheese, or spinach. Get a variety so meat lovers as well as vegetarians can enjoy. Borak is very popular, so you may want to get extras of these when planning your catered event. These will go quickly!
Mediterranean cuisine has an abundance of grilled options too. Pick up some chicken or beef shawerma and some pitas to wrap it in. Throw in a few shrimp or lamb kabobs and you’ve got a lavish feast for your event in no time at all.
Grilled options are great because they offer a variety of flavors and options, and there’s even vegan kabobs available.
Hummus with pita or vegetables to dip into it is also another wonderful idea for including in an office lunch. Hummus is a very popular dip, and works great to help feed hungry people while waiting for grilled foods or other items to be brought out.
For special events, why not finish off with dessert? Baklahva is an incredible dessert, offering crispy layers and the sticky sweetness of honey in every bite. While Baklahva might be a bit overdone for a regular office lunch, it would be perfect for a retirement party or other event where something a bit special might be appropriate.
Mediterranean food is delicious, but sometimes you just need a quick and easy office lunch. If you need good simple food fast, there’s also the office lunch options of sandwich, soda and salad available as well. These are good options for feeding a large number of people quickly, and make a very practical choice.
If you’re ready to change things up with your catering and offer some fresh flavors to your loyal office workers, Mediterranean food is the choice for you. Mediterranean works great thanks to its ability to offer a wide variety of flavors and respect dietary restrictions for a broad number of people.