Back in 2011, El Shater, a beloved neighborhood Lebanese deli and lunch spot, shut its doors. Members of the owner’s family split off to open two new spots. One, Habibi, took over El Shater’s old space. It closed a little later, passed hands once again, and is now Grill 43.
The other opened down on Queens Boulevard, where it is to this day. Souk El Shater doesn’t look like much—it’s a slender Middle Eastern grocery (“souk” translates as “open market) with a food counter up front. But it’s home to some of the greatest shawarma in Queens, deeply spiced beef and more delicate chicken, both exceedingly juicy and well seasoned. You can get your meat wrapped in thin pita with pickles and garlic sauce for a mere $3.50, but also on a platter ($8.50) with dips like fresh homemade hummus and a very creamy babaganoush. The winning condiment may be a fierce, grassy purée of green chilies with olive oil “and some secrets I can’t tell you,” says the man with the shawarma blade.
