Hampton Roads, VAMiddle Eastern

VEER Magazine's Betsy DiJulio gave Charlie's Middle Eastern a full review, praising the fried cauliflower and a hummus sabich that layers the Israeli fried-egg-and-eggplant sandwich over a bed of hummus. The Granby Street storefront in Norfolk keeps a tight, produce-forward menu built around dips, wraps, and vegetables. Start with the cauliflower and the sabich, then work through the mezze plates.

Coastal Virginia Magazine's Global Eats survey called out Mr. Shawarma for its chicken shawarma served with amba, the tangy pickled-mango sauce that signals real Levantine and Iraqi influence. The compact West 21st Street spot in Norfolk keeps things fast and focused on the spit. Order the chicken shawarma and ask for the amba. It is exactly the kind of specialist the magazine's roundup was built to surface.

Baladi Mediterranean Cafe earned a Global Eats nod from Coastal Virginia Magazine for its muhammara, the roasted red pepper and walnut dip that anchors a proper mezze spread. Tucked into Hilltop West in Virginia Beach, it covers the eastern-Mediterranean range of hummus, kebabs, and wraps. Lead with the muhammara and build a table of small plates from there. A dependable Beach-side pick for a sit-down Middle Eastern meal.

Azar's Mediterranean Cuisine, a two-location Virginia Beach operation, made Coastal Virginia Magazine's Global Eats list; this entry is the Hilltop room. The kitchen is known for chicken tawook, the marinated grilled-chicken skewer, along with a market's worth of Mediterranean groceries and prepared foods. Come for the tawook plate and browse the shelves on the way out. A longtime Beach staple for the cuisine.