A sign for Pita Mediterranean Street Food restaurant marks the entrance to The Grid food court area of Wire Park in Watkinsville, Ga., on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Even though it’s only about 15 minutes away from downtown Athens, Watkinsville’s rich and ever-growing restaurant scene has been a challenge for me to keep up with.
Every time I drive through the area, I seem to notice something new and interesting that I’d never noticed before. What I hadn’t yet discovered was a place I could stop in to for a quick meal that was unique among the city’s other eateries.
Located inside the Wire Park food court at 1725 Electric Ave., Pita Mediterranean Street Food is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
I stopped by on a Tuesday around noon and found it an ideal setup for shoppers on the go, especially those with families visiting the library and playground.
Pita is also a great introduction to Mediterranean cuisine.
Wire Park is a relatively large mixed-use complex featuring a multitude of retail businesses and offices, with an outdoor event space at the center for concerts, public ceremonies, and more.
Guests place their order at Pita Mediterranean Street Food restaurant inside The Grid food court area of Wire Park in Watkinsville, Ga., on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
It’s surrounded by a newly-built residential area with some homes that are still under construction. Pita is one of a handful of fast service restaurants inside The Gird, a “food hall” it shares with Mama’s Boy, Original Hot Dog Factory, and others.
Founded in Georgia by Nour Rabai, Pita is a regional fast‑casual chain and franchise system that opened its first location in Peachtree City in 2012. The Wire Park location opened in 2024, and the menu includes gyros, shawarma, falafel, rice bowls, wraps, salads, and fries, with an emphasis on made‑to‑order food and halal meats.
Mini pitas start at $4.95, appetizers, bowls, and salads go for $8.95, and pita meals and platters start at $12.95.
A chicken shawarma platter with pita bread and garbanzo salad at Pita Mediterranean Street Food restaurant inside The Grid food court area of Wire Park in Watkinsville, Ga., on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
There was no one behind the counter when I visited Pita, but a touch-screen kiosk like the one at Shake Shack in Athens was easy to navigate and order from. After a minute or so, an employee came out of the kitchen to ask if I needed any help, and they brought my food to my table when it was ready. What appeared at first to be a kind of contactless operation ended up being very friendly and helpful.
My order of a $14.95 platter plate with chicken shawarma over rice and a garbanzo salad came out quickly, and the presentation was outstanding. The meat was thinly sliced and marinated in some combination of magic and miracles, and I mixed in the fresh tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and onions to create the perfect bite.
It was a much lighter meal than something from Gyro Wrap, and the $5.45 baklava I took home for later on really hit the spot.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Eat Athens: Watkinsville’s ‘Pita’ serves fresh Mediterranean food
Dining and Cooking