What Exactly Is the King David’s Crispy Shawarma?
Traditional shawarma is already beloved for a reason: tender marinated meat shaved from a vertical rotisserie, tucked into warm pita, and piled with garlic sauce, veggies, and pickles. King David’s takes that classic base and pushes it into viral territory by making it crispy.
Here’s how they do it: they build the entire shawarma inside a pita—your choice of chicken or beef—along with garlic sauce, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, French fries, and hot sauce. Then comes the magic. They coat the outside of the wrap in their house red pepper sauce and sear it on all sides on the flattop.
As the sauce soaks into the pita and caramelizes on the surface, it gets pressed and crisped until the entire outside turns golden, crunchy, and packed with flavor. The end result is a shawarma that’s handheld, seared, saucy, crispy, and so texturally satisfying that the first bite basically sells itself.
It’s one of those foods you hear sizzle on the griddle before it ever hits your hands, and that sound alone lets you know you’re getting something special.
What’s Inside the Crispy Shawarma?
Part of what makes King David’s crispy shawarma stand out is how generously it’s stuffed. There’s nothing skimpy about it, and the ingredients are balanced in a way that gives you a full spectrum of textures:
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Chicken or beef shawarma (your call)
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Garlic sauce
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Pickles
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Tomatoes
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French fries
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Lettuce
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Hot sauce
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House red pepper sauce (on the outside)
When you bite into it, the outside gives you that immediate crunch, followed by tender shawarma and creamy garlic sauce. The pickles cut through the richness, the fries add body, and the hot sauce + red pepper sauce bring everything together.
It’s messy in the best way. Saucy, crispy, rich, tangy, just an all-around flavor bomb that hits every corner of your palate.
And here’s the kicker: it’s only $10. In 2025. For a fully stuffed, super-filling shawarma wrap pressed to crisp perfection. That price alone makes it worth celebrating.
Why This Shawarma Went Viral
There’s something undeniably satisfying about a food that combines soft and crispy elements in one bite. TikTok and Instagram ate this trend up because it’s incredibly visual—steam escaping, sauce caramelizing, edges crisping up—but beyond the aesthetics, the experience itself lives up to the videos.
The crisped pita acts almost like a hybrid between a wrap, a quesadilla, and street-style shawarma. The sear seals everything in, concentrates the flavor, and gives the outside a texture that most shawarma wraps never achieve.
King David’s didn’t just copy a trend, they nailed it. The red pepper sauce they press into the pita is what sets their version apart. It adds flavor and heat without overwhelming the shawarma inside. Even while going crispy, it still tastes like King David’s, fresh, well-seasoned, familiar Middle Eastern comfort.
This is exactly why viral foods work when done right. They take something already great and amplify it without losing the core of what people love.
A $10 Meal That Actually Feels Like a Meal
Some viral foods look cool but leave you hungry 20 minutes later. King David’s crispy shawarma is the opposite. This thing is packed. Between the shawarma, the fries inside, and the pressed pita, this is a genuinely filling meal at a price point that feels almost nostalgic.
It’s big, it’s flavorful, it’s satisfying, and you absolutely get your money’s worth.
Whether you’re grabbing lunch, dinner, or something late-night-level indulgent, it fits perfectly.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been curious about the viral crispy shawarma trend or just want something new and wildly satisfying, King David’s crispy shawarma is the move. It’s creative without being gimmicky, full of flavor without being overwhelming, and crispy in a way that elevates the whole experience.
Plus, with two Syracuse locations offering it—Fairmount and Fayetteville—it couldn’t be more accessible.
So yes, it’s worth the hype. And yes, it’s worth the trip.
📍3508 Genesee St, Syracuse
📍317 Towne Dr, Fayetteville
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