What is Gyro?

---

 A Gyro (pronounced YEE-ro) is a traditional Greek dish consisting of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. The term originates from the Greek word gýros, meaning "turn" or "revolution," referring to the rotating cooking process. 

• Cooking Method: Thin slices of seasoned meat are stacked into an inverted cone shape on a vertical spit that turns slowly in front of a heat source.
• Serving Style: The outer layer of meat is thinly shaved as it browns and is typically served wrapped in a warm, oiled pita.
• Meat Types: In Greece, it is traditionally made with pork or chicken. American variations often use a mass-produced, seasoned loaf made from a blend of ground beef and lamb.
• Traditional Toppings: A standard gyro wrap includes tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki (a yogurt-cucumber sauce). In Greece, it is also common to include French fries inside the wrap.
• Seasoning: Common spices include garlic, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. 

 While all three involve meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and shaved into thin slices, they differ by regional origin, seasoning, and traditional accompaniments: 

• Gyro (Greece): Typically made from pork or chicken in Greece, or a ground beef-and-lamb blend in the U.S.. It is seasoned with Mediterranean herbs like oregano, rosemary, and thyme and is almost always served with tzatziki (yogurt-cucumber sauce) and often contains French fries inside the wrap.
• Shawarma (Middle East/Levant): Usually made from marinated slices of lamb, beef, or chicken. It uses warm, bold spices such as cumin, cardamom, turmeric, and cinnamon. Traditional sauces include tahini (sesame paste) or toum (potent garlic sauce), and it is often served with pickles and turnips.
• Döner Kebab (Turkey): Considered the ancestor of both gyro and shawarma. It traditionally uses lamb or a beef-lamb mix and has a simpler seasoning profile focused on the natural flavor of the meat. In Turkey, it is often served over rice or bread with minimal sauce, while the "Berlin-style" popularized in Europe includes a variety of salad toppings and yogurt-based sauces.