Smyrna Mediterranean Cuisine & Cafe

This place had amazing food and even better employees. The owner is a Moroccan immigrant and his authentic cooking is delicious. His daughter, who was working there when we ate, was very nice to talk to about morrocco and the food. The food was vegan/​vegetarian which my family enjoyed as we are vegetarians. I would highly recommend this place to anyone in the Fredrickburg area.

My wife and I went to this restaurant Monday at 7:30 PM and left at 8:30 PM. We saw no other customers the whole time we were there and we understand why. Our lamb kabob was so tough we couldn’t eat it. WE JUST LEFT THE LAMB ON OUR PLATE — ONLY ATE ABOUT 2 OR 3 BITES. The falafel was crisp, but no taste. The Greek salad was very small and only fair. The lentil soup, hummus and pita bread were good. I complained to the server, who was also the cashier, about the lamb. She said she wasn’t the owner and not authorized to offer a discount for the lamb we couldn’t eat. I didn’t refuse to pay, but wasn’t pleased. A middle age man was in back where we could see him. He was probably the owner or manager, but he didn’t come forward when he heard me complain. We eat Middle Eastern and Greek food frequently and know how the food should taste and when it’s authentic. There are several other restaurants in Fredericksburg that serve this kind of cuisine. I’m sure they are much better. I don’t understand why there are so many favorable comments about this restaurant.

Instead of getting fast food from the McDonalds on Kings Highway (Rte 3), turn into the strip mall that is adjacent and sample healthy and authentic Mediterranean (Turkish and Moroccan) food. The lentil soup warms the body. The Turkish Moussaka (without the Béchamel sauce) is truly noteworthy! All dishes are prepared by the owner’s wife who graciously explained the ingredients/​seasonings of every dish displayed in the glass case. Smyrna Café is a Turkish Delight!

Great food. Authentic food. Amazing !
I ordered Manish Kebab and the portion is huge. Entire place is decorated with artwork from Morocco.

Authentic Turkish food by the Turkish owner. It’s not only delicious but they take their time to go over things. When you go in ASK THEM TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN OLIVE OIL is a must. You will never buy regular store olive oil again! Guaranteed!

This is a great local place, food is cooked by owners wife. It give you that Greek dinning experience. It is a expensive, but worth it. You can also get it to go, or just shop to cook your own. We have asked the owner if his wife would teach cooking, but so far it is a no go.

Great place. The food is very authentic, delicious and healthy, and with reasonable prices. I’m definitely going to go back to Smyrna and I highly recommend you to try it

Pleasantly surprised to find this gem in a small market in Fredericksburg. Best lunch option in the area.

We stopped here after visiting my son and family in Fayetteville, NC. We were driving home to South Jersey and wanted good Mediterranean food and found this place and it’s great reviews on Unilocal.We all agree that it was a great choice. Everything we ordered was delicious, especially the Babaganoush dip, red pepper dip and the spinach and artichoke dip with fresh pita. The owner was delightful and very generous giving us cookies from his country and hot green tea with mint leaves on the house. We will go out of our way to stop there again on our next trip down south. Awesome find!!!

Very delicious and authentic food. Owner was very nice and explained menu to me to help me decide what I wanted. Was my first time there, will be back. They also have a small shop inside too, to buy imported Turkish items.

I’ve been craving authentic Mediterranean food for the past few days, so a friend recommended that I try Smyrna, and they did not disappoint! I walked in knowing I was going to get the Gyro Sandwich ($ 6.75) and Dolma ($ 2.49÷5 stuffed grape leaves) but wanted something else to round out my to-​go order… Thankfully, the owner/​wife was extremely helpful and accommodating and allowed me to sample several items. I settled on ¾ pound of the Taboule ($ 6.95/lb) and an order of the Carrot Dip ($ 4.95). I chose the latter of the two not simply based on taste but also because another Unilocal reviewer recommended using it in place of mayo on sandwiches. My food came out quickly, everything was delicious and tasted incredibly fresh!
The gyro was packed with delicious lamb and had just the right amount of feta and tzatziki, the dolma were perfectly seasoned, the taboule was moist and flavourful, and I now know exactly why everyone recommends the carrot dip– it was a delightful surprise!

Wow. This place was amazing. My husband and I stopped here after a recommendation from a coworker. We had an appetizer (consisting of 3 items). The carrot dip was delicious and the red pepper dip amazing. We split the chicken platter. The chicken was tender and flavorful. It sat on top pita bread that had been sauteed in olive oil. The salad was fresh with a really good dressing. The restaurant has a shop and bakery attached. The service was very good and the owner was very colorful and had good personality. Will definitely be returning here again and again… and again!

Great food, great value, and my whole family loves chatting with the owners.
Three years ago my husband and I hired Smyrna to cater my wedding and it was *fantastic*. The owners helped me pick out what would make a great buffet meal and on the day itself there was so much food, all of it amazing, delivered right on time. I live in California now, and when I visit my folks in Fredericksburg we always go by Smyrna. The food is great, I still always order the carrot dip that was served at my wedding, and I really enjoy the conversations I have with the owners. We get a big jar of the pomegranate juice and share it as our drink with dinner because it’s really good!

A wonderful lunch experience while on a trip down I 95. Healthy, tasty, and great food to go from the deli. Everything homemade without preservatives, or added sugars. The owner spent a lot of time explaining the menu items in detail.

The owner (wife) she is very nice. If you don’t know anything or curious about the food, she will get you a small plate with different food on it for u to try and see if you will like it.
My family and I love their Moussaka’s. All the food is great and highly recommended…

Great food all the way around! We had an appetizer platter with hummus, grape leaves and tabbouleh. Pita bread is warm and grilled… delicious! Lamb and chicken entrees were moist and tasty. They make their own salad dressing too… yum!

My boyfriend gets the credit for introducing me to this lovely restaurant – it’s location in an out-​of-​the-​way strip mall makes it easy to overlook. However, if you do venture to Smyrna your taste buds will thank you. The food speaks for itself: its quite delicious and seemingly authentic (from the perspective of someone who knows nothing of Turkish cuisine).
The atmosphere is what will determine your experience. If you come with an open mind, you will find Smyrna delightful, kitschy, and charming. The vibes of this place come closer to a” visit to a friend’s house” than a «typical restaurant experience». It’s obvious that the owners are passionate about their dishes and culture, and to me, that’s makes for a great experience.

Positively thrilled to have located this place!
The food is wonderful. Everyone we’ve brought have been amazed. Get the hummus as an appetizer. I go for the manisa but you really can’t go wrong. The owners will tell you it’s not «real» Turkish food — what they mean is that it isn’t served they way you would receive it in a restaurant: it is home style and American lamb is. well. Not quite right. But what ever, they are just being modest. The servings are huge — ask for a doggy bag! They do offer water (tap in a fancy bottle) if you ask. Be assured they will give you the stink eye for asking for a soda — only available on bottles. Try the pomegranate dressing. Be bold. It’s worth it.
Atmosphere: the space is ½ restaurant, ½ market. This is typical for this type of restaurant. Take a minute too look around. Bring something yummy home! They do now play Turkish music, a little loudly but better than previous helpers comments about soccer. Be VERY prepared for company. You are in their turf, they are going to chit chat with you the whole time. They often come sit with us through our meal. I wouldn’t mind of it didn’t mean that I forget to eat sometimes :) they are super friendly! If you don’t want to chat or don’t have time, get it to go.
My only complaint is that they close early and aren’t open on Sundays. I do understand why — they run it themselves, no servers. But it means I only get to eat here on special occasions (and often not actually ON the special occasion)

I love this place! It’s 50% vegan and 75% vegetarian! They also use such I fresh and healthy ingredients they are the only restaurant I’m the area actually recommended by a cardiologist. They even offer their recipes and you can buy the I get the ingredients on the store side.

The food is very authentic and delicious! Some of the best Mediterranean food in town!
That said, the overall experience isn’t very good.
The atmosphere definitely leaves a lot to be desired. The restaurant occupies half of a small grocery shop. Cold florescent lighting and no music, only the sound of the Turkish owner’s soccer games playing on TV keeps you company as you eat. Even so, not really a HUGE deal.
The main deal breaker for me: the owner.
There are no waiters at this restaurant. Ordinarily, they probably wouldn’t even need one — the restaurant is small and could easily be managed by the owner who likes to keep a close eye on things. Unfortunately, the owner, who doubles as waiter (at least, he brings you your food), is EXTREMELY overbearing. You will be harassed by him without end, hearing nonstop about how his food is the most healthy food in the world, about how the American diet is the worst in the world, about how his food is good for your heart, etc. The American diet is definitely bad, and his restaurant is definitely one of the healthier options in town, but he really needs to STFU. Take my order, bring me my food and drinks, and let me enjoy my meal in peace!
Another thing that bothers me is that it’s difficult to stay hydrated. The only drink options are hot teas and small bottled beverages, like pomegranate juice. These aren’t very quenching or very voluminous. I need a DRINK! Free refills, enough fluid to keep my thirst quenched, a REAL DRINK! At least give me a cup of water or something…
Also, the last time I went, I ordered some type of stuffed pasta dish. It was the type of food that you need to cut with a fork and knife. For some reason, the dish was served in a bowl with a VERY NARROW base, so narrow that when I applied pressure from my fork and knife, the bowl very nearly flipped over. Hot marinara would have been everywhere and my meal (not to mention my clothes) would have been ruined if I hadn’t been so quick to stop it. Not only that but the owner brought my brother the WRONG FOOD!
When it comes to the bill, it can get confusing. Nothing is itemized, so you don’t really know for sure how much you were charged for certain items, or anything for that matter other than what the owner claims you owe. So be sure to ask for an itemized receipt.
My final complaint: the restaurant is only open until 8:30PM. Need I say anything else?
To summarize: food great, everything else bad. Get his food to go and make sure your receipt is itemized. And don’t be afraid to walk out in the middle of his health lectures!