The Mediterranean Joint brings Turkish dishes to Williamson Street | MADISON MAGAZINE

When brothers Bunyamin and Ender Erk opened The Mediterranean Joint at 600 Williamson St. on August 3, they had one goal: to serve the best gyro in Madison.

“We were always trying to find the best Mediterranean food close to what we have in Turkey,” Bunyamin says, “[Ender] was always saying, ‘let’s open [a restaurant] together.’ ”

Bunyamin arrived in Madison in 2015, and his brother joined him in 2018. They both have culinary backgrounds.  

The Mediterranean Joint’s extensive menu includes a wide range of appetizers, including several dips and grape leaves. The larger plates range from shawarmas to kofta wraps and of course, gyros.

Hummus plate. 

Photo courtesy of Bunyamin Erk

“Our gyro is freshly marinated overnight,” Bunyamin says, adding that the gyro, and all other meat dishes, are his brother Ender’s recipes. 

Many other menu options are also family recipes — all of the appetizers were created by Bunyamin. The falafel, however, comes from their mother.  

“Our falafel is Turkish falafel, with lots of herbs [including] parsley, dill, mint and chives. We’re trying to get all the herbs from the Dane County Farmers’ Market,” Bunyamin says.

In addition to the regular menu offerings, the brothers create new, limited-time specials each weekend. Last weekend’s dish was a farmers’ market salad with heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, sea salt and grilled Brunkow cheese. 

After enjoying the savory, don’t miss out on the baklava — The Mediterranean Joint offers both pistachio and walnut. Since baklava can be challenging to find in Madison, Ender drives to Chicago twice a week to pick up homemade baklava from a small Turkish bakery. 

Pistachio baklava. 

Photo courtesy of Bunyamin Erk

The Mediterranean Joint is open Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. 

“We wanted to have a late night option [for] the [neighborhood],” Bunyamin says. “We want everybody to come here, to be happy and eat good food.”

Ila Schrecker is an editorial intern at Madison Magazine.

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