Pita bread, with or without a pocket, has become so widespread that there are countless restaurants, whether small independents or large chains, that incorporate the name of the popular Middle Eastern flatbread into their names. Most of the names are pretty straightforward, a few involve a certain level of wordplay, and one local operator has chosen coronation with the name of Princess Pita. That restaurant has maintained a longstanding presence in Tempe and recently taken its reign to the next level with an upgraded new restaurant in Midtown Phoenix.
In Tempe, Princess Pita is part of a small cluster of restaurants in the Papago Park Center, a small shopping center across the street from Priest/Washington Street on the A Line. A diagonal walkway leads from the rail station through the parking lot to the restaurant’s door. A bike rack is found next to the Starbucks a few doors down. The restaurant has neon signs in the windows in shapes of favorite items like kabobs but minimal decor inside. That makes sense because Princess Pita is a counter service establishment focused heavily on daytime lunch traffic.
In Midtown, Princess Pita occupies a space that has housed numerous restaurants in recent years in a location halfway between the Encanto/Central and Thomas/Central stations on the B Line. Although the restaurant has a street entrance facing Central, it’s worth a detour to the back entrance to see the colorful mural there. That’s also where the bike rack is located. Although still operating with counter service, this location represents a considerable upgrade with tile walls, hanging lamps, and banquettes all in a style that suggests a sunny, Mediterranean atmosphere.
Appetizers from the overhead menu include familiar favorites such as creamy hummus, either plain or topped with meat in a “deluxe” format. The sambusas, fried pockets with a minced vegetable filling, are crisp and come with tangy tzatziki sauce for dipping. Other choices include meatless dolmas, falafel studded with sesame seeds, a smooth lentil soup, and salads such as Greek or fattoush. While all these items can be ordered separately, a vegetarian platter with several of them combined in the same generous meal is also available to order as an entree.
Most items, whether meaty or meatless, combine in one of two formats: a pita wrap with a side of fries or a platter with rice, pita, hummus, and salad. The gyros deluxe wrap is a vehicle for tender, seasoned meat with abundant lettuce, tomato, tzatziki, and pickles bundled inside the bread. The accompanying fries are crisp with a bit of skin left on the potatoes to help them retain their shape when topped with feta, garlic, and parsley in a Greek variant. Shawarma comes in both chicken and beef with the option to try both side-by-side in a combination platter.
Seasoned, thin-sliced meat also appears in an alternative format described on the menu as a “traditional shawarma wrap.” In this format, a thin layer of bread encases chicken and garlic sauce tight, allowing maximum absorption of flavor while ensuring structural integrity. The resulting wrap is then sliced into pieces allowing it to be readily shared at the table. One distinctive item not available in any sort or wrap format is lamb, a popular meat in Middle Eastern cooking, available only on a platter in either a tender, braised shank or grilled chops.
Kabobs are another emphasis here, and they’re available with chicken, beef, and kofta, a seasoned ground meat mixture. All are good and the steak is exceedingly tender, but the poultry is an unexpected star here due to its moist, flavorful preparation with just a bit of smoky char. While the kofta option always comes with two rectangular patties, the beef and chicken options both include a single kabob by default but can be upgraded to double meat for a few dollars more. If undecided or just plain hungry, all three can be sampled as part of a kabob trio.
With its new and improved location, Princess Pita also seems to have upgraded its namesake bread. It has always been serviceable, but lately it has risen to an even higher level. The version served with most of the platters and wraps is a hefty disc with a pocket. Thinner pitas are used to wrap the traditional beef and chicken shawarma wraps. Most of the meals come with a sauce paired to the entree. That can mean tahini, tzatziki, or a thick white garlic sauce depending on the specific item ordered, although additional sauces can be ordered for a small charge.
In Tempe, desserts on display at the counter include, as expected, multiple varieties of baklava, as well slices of cheesecake. The best of both worlds is a baklava cheesecake with a bit of honey flavor infused throughout the creamy interior, not just the pastry crust. While the Midtown location has those items as well, it also has a separate coffee and pastry counter known as the Medjool Cafe that offers a changing selection of different types of Turkish delight, dates combined with walnuts or Biscott cookies, and an even more diverse selection of baklava.
As would be assumed for any establishment with a halal menu, there is no liquor license. Tempe has house-made lemonade and orange spice iced tea, as well as the usual fountain drinks. Midtown has a full coffee bar with original drinks like a vanilla date latte and traditional ones like Turkish coffee. While Tempe continues as an appealing option for a quick lunch, the location in Phoenix combines the same quality food with an upgraded atmosphere. At both sites, the result is a decidedly non-prissy princess that works to please her people, with or without pockets.
1158 W. Washington St., Tempe AZ 85281
2603 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004
https://princesspitaaz.com
PHX Rail Food 