Shawarma Bros’ first concept restaurant opened in Pasig back in 2014, building on their experience as a food truck that started in 2012. Their journey didn’t stop there—they continued expanding across Metro Manila’s favorite hangouts, offering Middle Eastern-inspired dishes tailored to suit Filipino taste buds.
The newly opened wing in UP Town Center offers a new spot to stroll and an exciting place to visit when your tummy’s screaming for foooood! The owners of Shawarma Bros planned this very well. Bloggers and I had the chance to meet one of the Bros, Abraham Castro.
Despite the rainy weather, the restaurant in UP Town Center was almost full. Shawarma Bros is well-known for its Lamb Steak Rice Plate (P219), which keeps diners coming back for more.
Honestly, it was my first time trying Shawarma Bros. Why? Because I had previously tried shawarma from the typical kiosks we often see around, and the beef was usually chewy, which I thought would be hard to digest. Plus, the flavor was often too overpowering. So, I’m sorry for generalizing.
With that, I’m grateful to Aldous for inviting me — it changed my perception of shawarma because Shawarma Bros offers a meal with a well-balanced flavor.
The lamb is something you don’t normally taste every day, so I highly recommend ordering it. The meat is cooked to perfection — there’s no unpleasant “malansa” smell, and the biryani rice has a peppery taste that complements the meat beautifully.
We also tried the chicken and the beef. As expected, none of them were greasy — thumbs up for that!
To explore your taste buds, they have sauce as shown on the pic below. My personal choice is the cheese!
The keema is minced beef flavored in a sweet and spicy way. Top it on your rice to explore even more flavors! You can actually include this in your meal — just add P40 to upgrade to a Big Bro meal. The picture below shows it served separately for us.
To excite the palates of avid diners and first-timers, there are new additions to the Bros’ menu that are sure to whet your appetite!
The Pita Tostadas with Garlic Hummus (P80) will amaze you with how crunchy they are, yet balanced with a mellow counterpoint. Serving it with garlic hummus makes for a pleasing appetizer — now my favorite!
The Keema Nachos (P159) consist of crunchy nacho corn chips, accompanied by grated cheese, diced tomatoes, and onions, then drizzled with your choice of two sauces. Simple and straightforward, yet it’s the kind of food that gets you talking about anything under the sun — or rain, in our case.
The interior has an industrial vibe, featuring black, brown, and yellow tones. They offer dishes at a slightly higher price point, but with generous servings. This is a smart strategy, considering UP Town Center is a popular hub for students. The servers are polite and attentive to our needs.
As for the taste, I enjoyed it since the flavors aren’t too overpowering. However, I’m not sure if foreigners would love it as much, given that it’s tailored to the local palate. Then again, since most diners here in the Philippines are Filipinos, there’s really no need to worry about that!
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: 4.5/5
Serving: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Taste: 4/5
Shawarma Bros Address: UP Town Center (Soon)2ndFloor Student Hub, 2ndWing, UP Town Center, Katipunan Ave, Quezon City
Operating hours: 11:00 am to 11:00 pm
Order for pick-up:(0916) 876 70
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Disclaimer: Tho sponsored, it’s written in my opinion.
