Comparison · Shawarma vs kebab
They look alike on the spit — but they're not the same. Here's what really sets them apart.
Shawarma and kebab are not the same thing: although both are roasted on a vertical spit, shawarma is Levantine — from Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan — and stands apart with a long marinade (24 to 48 hours) in Levantine spices, thin-sliced carving and a deeper flavor. "Kebab" is a much broader term that, across Europe, usually means industrially pre-marinated meat with a more standardized taste.
The technique of roasting meat on a rotating vertical spit is documented in the 19th-century Ottoman Levant and spread across the region from there. "Shawarma" is the name it took in the Levant — from the Turkish çevirme, "to turn" — while "kebab" (or "döner kebab") is the label that took off in Turkey and, from there, across much of Europe. Today, in many Spanish cities, "kebab" is used as a catch-all for almost any vertically roasted meat, regardless of its origin or preparation.
This is the difference you taste in the first bite. Most kebab sold across Europe uses industrially pre-marinated meat, sometimes only hours before serving. Palestinian shawarma, like the one we make at La Shawermeria, is marinated for 24 to 48 hours in a traditional Levantine blend — cumin, cardamom, allspice and a citrus touch. That time lets the spice penetrate the meat fiber instead of sitting on the surface.
Shawarma is carved into thin slices as the outer layer crisps, sealing in the juices layer by layer. The result is meat that's juicy inside with a slightly crisp edge. A standard kebab may be cut into thicker pieces and dry out sooner if production is rushed. The method isn't a detail — it's what defines the texture.
If you want genuinely marinated meat, real spices and cultural roots, you want shawarma — and better still, authentic Palestinian shawarma. At La Shawermeria you'll find it in Valencia (Carrer del Clariano 6, near the Algirós university area) and in Madrid (a 100% delivery kitchen in Chamartín), always 100% halal, with homemade sauces and falafel made fresh to order.
Taste the difference yourself.
Are shawarma and kebab the same thing?
No. They share the machine — the vertical spit — but differ in origin, spices, marinating time and carving. Shawarma is Levantine and marinated far longer.
What makes Palestinian shawarma different?
A 24 to 48 hour marinade, slow cooking on a vertical spit, and a Palestinian family recipe rather than a chain formula.
Is your shawarma halal?
Yes, 100% halal: certified meat, no alcohol and homemade sauces, in Valencia and Madrid.
Read: Is shawarma halal? · Read: What makes authentic Palestinian shawarma different?
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