Aviva by Kameel

Inside Aviva, there’s a counter in the back for the Cold Press Juice & Fruit Blend Bar. I was in the mood for a healthy juice and was pleased to find this place. I ordered the Citrus Fusion that comes with carrot, kale, pineapple and lemon and added a banana for a total of $ 8. It was green and delicious! They also have other flavor combinations that sounded good. What a great option to have in the food court! The main Aviva line may be long, but this juice bar line was no wait.

I am happy to be returning to Atlanta to be able to go back to Aviva. Kameel makes the experience high energy and warm. A place that is essentially a cafeteria line. The food is excellent.
Give yourself time for the line. EVerybody and your neighbors will be waiting ahead of you. It moves fast and is well worth it.
All the other review give the food highlights. What I can tell you is to skip all the other places and head straight here.

It seems everyone loves this place! I used to eat at their restaurant across the street from me in Colony Square, but that one closed in the 90’s.
Today I came here as I was downtown. It was a bit after the lunch crowd rush but was still rather busy.
They have an electronic board with the offerings. You can see all the 8 diff sides too. There is a paper posted with the name of each of the sides as a few of them you might not recognize.
I ordered the Lamb Shawarma but it was gone for the day. So the lady offered Lamb Kafta instead. That was 4 lamb patties fried. I said sure, I’ll try it! It was good and thie sides were great too.
There were 4 small patties. They had parsley or some other green mixed into the meat. All platters come with 2 sides and bread. Then your plate passes by the sauces and they will squirt on whichever you like. or get it in a small cup if its a to go order.
This dish or the lamb shawarma is $ 13.70. Maybe a bit high for Atlanta but your in primo property rent area here in Peachtree center. They also employ a large staff.
Its pay in a line and carry your food to a table. These are tables inside their private area. There are overflow tables outside. If you eat out there and have real plates and silverware please bring them back in!!!
Whats to like here, first the owwill acknowledge most while they are in line and also come out to the dining area when times slow down. He goes table to table to talk to everyone. This is rare nowdays. Most owners arent even present they just hire someone. They dont take the time to talk to customers and let them know they are aware your there and that your welcome. It sounds so basic, like all owners SHOULD do that, but we all know its all so rare.
The owner came by again later with a small home made baklava. Seems everyone within miles and miles gets their baklava from International Bakery, but this was made inhouse. It was lighter color and lighter to eat, not so heavy, sticky and sweet but still very good. He gave one of these to everyone there for free.
Also this place has their own restrooms in their own space and they are very clean. He also has hired 2 brothers from Syria. In a world where so many dont want to take them or help them, this is refreshing and would be worth a star by itself, but it was 5 stars already!

It is a great stop for a quick lunch. The food is pre-​made so you will get a quick serving. I tried their lamb Shawarma with tahini sauce and a side of eggplant ratatouille. It was a good combination. You most likely will receive a warm welcome from Kameel himself.

Go here, go here, go here.
I should have stuck to what they are famous for and gotten the chicken shawarma. Or, I should have gone with the special of the day and ordered the fresh seafood mix. I decided on the lamb shawarma platter. The falafel ball they put on the plate was delicious. I chose a creamed spinach side and baba ghanoush. Both were amazing. The lamb was just a little dry. I kept going back and forth between a 4 and a 5 while I was eating, because it was still good and you can tell the owner is so genuine and great. Overall, I would wholeheartedly suggest this place. If you are nearby, skip any place else and go here.
The line can be super long at lunch time during the week. But don’t worry, if you want to eat here, there are plenty of tables. Most people are taking take out. Don’t let the line damper your enthusiasm, it is definitely worth it.
If you eat here, you can’t go wrong.

Foods good and all (I have a crazy weakness for middle eastern food in general and falafel in the specific), but the insincerity of the «I love you» and the «You’re beautiful» said to every person in the line in succession grates with me a bit.
Onto the food — great acidity balance in the sides (the salads, etc.) I like the falafel balls, although I’d said the chickpeas are ground slightly finer than I would ideally prefer.
I’ve had the lamb shawarma twice, while cooked tenderly, the seasoning hasn’t really minted on me yet.
Relative to the other options in the food court, I think this is probably the most healthy, but also on the pricier side. If I was a local, I think it would be in my weekly lunch rotation.

The owner called me beautiful and made me feel totally welcomed. The food was gorgeous and tasty!

Writing as a visitor from another city. staying at the Hyatt next door…
The reviews are all on point. Real shawarma on the spit, the meat is hand-​stacked instead of pre-​processed. Charred on the outside and medium on the inside. Eggplant is soft and no bitterness, lentils hearty and subtly herb-​y. This is a top-​shelf place that holds up to the hype.
I travel a lot and always make sure to try whatever everyone eats locally, and this place holds up on a national scale. A little hard to find at first if you’re not from Atlanta. Go into the Peachtree Mall and it’s next to the coffee shop, with its own in-​restaurant seating.

UPDATED REVIEW AS OF A FEW HOURS LATER:
I received a message from Kameel, the owner, who told me all of the ways that he did announce they would be closed (Facebook, direct email, leaflets, etc) and apologizing for overlooking updating the web site or posting a sign. And I completely agree that this is a great week to close and be with family (hard to do in the restaurant business). That sort of quick reply makes the service 4 stars in my book, so I’ve updated my rating. Now I will look forward to stopping in to eat the next time I’m in town.
Thanks Kameel!
ORIGINAL REVIEW was a complaint about not posting that they were closed this week on their web site or on the restaurant itself.

I wasn’t expecting to see all the food ready cafeteria style when I arrived. To be honest, I was a little disappointed because the food looked a dry from just sitting there and the place looked empty. It was a little crazy ordering since we were attempting to translate between Chinese/​English for our parents. Although one worker seemed a little frustrated, everyone else was helpful and patient.
I decided on the chicken shawarma and the pepper steak. The food was really good and ended up being very flavorful. The baba ganoush, tabbouleh, and rice were all great. The owner walked around greeting tables which was also nice. They seemed to have a lot of regulars. If I lived near here I would be here at least a couple of times a week. They advertise that they make everything from scratch and that they’re health conscious. What’s not to love about this place? A simple, healthy, and affordable meal that tastes great.

(this review is overdue from nov 11)
First time here. I got introduce to this place by my co-​workers.
Food: ordered hummus, babagonaush, Mediterranean seafood soup, baklava, and lamb kafta. Yes I spent $ 26 on lunch because I wanted to try everything and this place got such a great review by everyone. The quality of food is there. IT is a bit pricey for fast food. However, it is worthy. They give you a large quantity with quality food.
Hummus — It was very authentic and enjoyed every bit of it
Babaganoush — I thought it was very water down. The flavor was not strong enough for my taste. My co-​worker liked it.
Seafood soup and chicken soup– both soups were amazing. I can’t decide which soup to like more.
Lamb kafta was amazingly seasoned and cooked to order. IT was cooked to perfection; not too dry and it was not overbearing with black pepper. I do wish the portion was a bit more because I loved it. I enjoyed the falafels that came with it and the eggplant ratatouille. I was surprised by the freshness and flavor for the pricing of the food.
The baklava was still warm when I ate it. It was not too sweet and well priced. Overall, the food was amazing and I had a great tasting experience. (⁴⁄₅)
Service: the service was outstanding. They let us try many samples while we were waiting in line for the food. The chef/​owner came us and greeted us. This is great for a fast food place. (4.5÷5)
Atmosphere: this place was a bit hard to find inside a mall. But once you find it, it is pretty big for a fast food place. I do wish it had a two line set up instead of one. I am sure they get pretty busy and it gets backlog very quickly. They do need to find a better way to queue the line. However, the place is decorated nicely and modern. It is super clean. (3.5÷5)
I would definitely come back to try the other food.

I don’t know what has taken me so long to write this review. Aviva has the absolute best lunch in Atlanta, possibly all of Georgia.
When you walk in, you join the cafeteria style line. If you’re lucky you get a plate of falafel passed back while you wait. When you get to the front of the line, Kameel, chef and owner greets you with open arms! «Welcome my sister! I missed you! What can I get you?» Veggie plate to go please! «Of course! I love you!» Kameel will proclaim loudly. You will leave feeling very special.
The food. Everything is good. Scratch that, everything is great. Falafel is delicious. It’s ruined other falafel for me. The veggies are fresh and seasonal. They don’t reuse oil when they fry things and they ONLY use olive oil. I dream about the creamy spinach. It’s so green and creamy and a little spicy which is delightful. The salmon in the dill sauce is amazing. The lamb shawarma has the most complex blend of seasoning and melts in your mouth. The baba ghanoush is rich and smokey. Literally everything is good.
Don’t let the line scare you — Aviva is amazing.

100% yes. Everything about this place is so great! The manager came out and offered for me to try the falafel which was so delicious. He also gave me a sample of the seafood soup they have. He was so sweet, it made it so hard to decide what to get though!
I ended up choosing the chicken that they cut right in front of you. The person helping me could see I was struggling deciding and let me choose 3 sides rather than just 2. They have such a variety of sides, soups and meats or vegetarian options too. Definitely wish I had this place close to me at home.

Updated review — Original 5÷26÷15
I have been back a few times as I wanted to share my good experience with my family. I went once when my parents and another time with my brother (and our friend). Aviva by Kameel continues to serve up excellent food. My dad has been searching for a great Mediterranean restaurant to visit when he comes to Atlanta. We have now finally found a spot that he really enjoys. He goes for the lamb. My mom and I go for the chicken. Very surprising was that Kameel was able to identify my dad as Ethiopian and even speak to him in Amharic. Wow. He is just so great with making every single visitor feel welcome. I love this place.

I came here twice in a row for lunch when I was nearby for a business trip in Atlanta. WOW! This place is FANTASTIC!!!
Do not let looks deceive you! I was at first a bit skeptical, because of the food court setting, but wow… just WOW!
There was a long line (but the wait is minimal as this place definitely has a system that works, you won’t wait too long, even if the line is out the door), and the owner was handing out samples of falafel balls to all who were waiting.
The rosemary chicken is absolute perfection… I wish they could ship it to me in Philly or I could somehow make something that even slightly resembles that chicken… I loved the creamy spinach, veggies, and potatoes as of my sides, and the sauce from the rosemary chicken… I would bottle it and put it on everything!
I couldn’t decide on hummus or baba ghanoush, so the owner gave me a large container with half baba ghanoush and half hummus with lots of extra pita to dip!
Absolutely divine!
The next day, my coworker got the rosemary chicken and I got the chicken shawarma. SO DELICIOUS! I had half spicy and half regular with the same sides as I had when I got the rosemary chicken.
Staff is extremely friendly, accommodating, and the service is wonderful. Kameel is right there along side his staff taking orders and talking to customers. Very personable!
You also get a huge amount of food for your money.
I will ABSOLUTELY return here the next time I am in Atlanta. Every item we ordered was delicious, and I am still drooling over the rosemary chicken!

I’ve been having food dreams about their rosemary chicken. Holy crap that’s freakin amazing. I’m always skeptical about chicken from restaurants, but it was perfectly cooked and soooo tender!
I called in to do a catering order and Nasri was amazing. He was so helpful and really broke everything down. He helped suggest what to order and also told me which items would travel well. Their service is 5 stars alone!
I ended up getting the rosemary chicken, chicken kababs, veggies, potatoes and the salad. Everything was really good. I ended up taking home the chicken leftovers and eating it all!!! I’ll definitely be back again!

What a find! Plain and simple.
The pros:
1. Fantastic food at a fantastic price, considering how you much you get in your meal. Fantastically cooked Mediterranean and Middle-​Eastern fare from an actual resident of the area. Kameel makes this food with true love and he spreads that love to his customers. Everything on the menu is made fresh, savory, and you get a lot of food. Show up with a good appetite because you will be full by the end.
2. To Kameel. You are a great man who truly appreciates his customers. Speaking with people, telling them you love them, and honestly feeling it makes me proud to eat here (even if it is during one specific time period each year). I’ve read about his philanthropy as well. Employing refugees so they can get a start on their new lives makes you the wealthiest of people in the area. This is also why I support your business. Thanks for the fantastic food and even better friendship.
If you haven’t eaten here you are missing out on one of the hidden gems of Atlanta. He chose a food court to share his vision when he could have opened a fancier place that would no doubt earn him a spot on the Food Network or Top Chef.
Some hints since there are no negative things about this place:
1 Lunch time gets very busy so plan accordingly. I hit this place during Dragoncon each year and seating is at a premium. Try to be willing to sit with a stranger or two and make some new friends because it’s worth it here. Your food will be fresh because people have started picking up the taste and value of his meals.
2. It’s in a food court and could be easily missed if you don’t walk through it towards one of the skyways to the Marriott. It’s right there as you’re about to head out.
3. Since it’s down near the hotels parking is also at a premium. During peak times parking fees are ridiculous ($ 40/​day). I advise taking MARTA to the Peachtree Center Station and getting out on the east side of the street to get here.

A few years ago, I noticed that my friends kept checking into (and reviewing) a place called Aviva. I kept hearing all these rave reviews, but it was weird. After only bits and pieces of info, I didn’t really look further into it. To an outsider, it looked like some mall food court place nestled downtown.
As time progressed, I noticed that the review count kept climbing, and this place still had 5 stars. But still, I didn’t have much to go off on. I figured with the hours it posts (M-​F lunch, weekends on occasions), I would never get the chance to try it out. This past week while I was in town, I noticed on my mom’s kitchen table an AJC article (here is a video post about it:
) about Kameel Srouji (the owner of Aviva) and his restaurant, and his almost cult-​like following. Now, this article was very intriguing. Now, I only needed the time to go to this place– since I didn’t have a rental car, and I was staying up in Alpharetta.
I also forgot my best friend of 24 years works at SunTrust downtown, and he just recently moved closer to his work. SunTrust is pretty much connected to Peachtree Center, where Aviva was located. He lives 3 blocks away. Again, now I just needed the time to go. He said everytime he (my buddy) walks around, he said there are lines at Aviva. Rightfully so. We had one slight advantage– it was Columbus Day, and he had off. Since he had off, it was safe to say the majority of other people around also had off. This was it. The time to see what this place was all about.
We walked there, and it was great. I heard Atlanta had been graced with storms the past couple of weeks. The walk there would have never showed. We took a maze through buildings and hotels, and then finally, ended up at Aviva. And it was great– there were no lines. We walked up, and saw what they had to offer– and went right for it. The menu items are on 3 TV screens (they recommend getting a platter to try the sides) behind the counter.
I figured I would make it simple. and get a chicken shawarma platter with green beans & mushrooms, and grilled veggies. While we were in line, Kameel came up and gave us each a cup of chicken and leek soup (yo, that was some of the best free soup I have had!). I proceeded to walk to the check out, and paid. For 3 meals and drinks, it came to just over $ 40.
Mind you, if you eat in, you aren’t eating on styrofoam plates. They do serve their food on dishes and with silverware. We sat down, and were ready to dig in.
I really enjoyed the flavors of everything. I loved my chicken. The rosemary chicken (which my buddy’s gf got) was incredibly juicy– it was hard to resist to take a piece. As we were enjoying the meal, I noticed a 2 things– Kameel was in the background singing how happy he was, and they were playing music that felt like I was in a magical spa somewhere. My dining companions even noted if they were as ¹⁄₁₀^th as happy as Kameel, that would be the happiest they have ever been.
In a nutshell, I see why people rave about this place– it’s clean, it’s upbeat, it has more positive energy flowing through it than a nuclear science project, and the food is fantastic, filling, and healthier than most places. I am definitely glad I picked this over Gus’s (I heard they brought it from Memphis to Peachtree Center!) that day.
Upon leaving, Kameel, and his son were very thankful for us visiting. I told them I would be back the next day to get some more. Sure enough, before my flight, I went back! Unfortunately, they were not serving yet, so I couldn’t fill back up. If you are in the area, this is not to be missed!

We found Aviva by Kameel during our short trip to Atlanta last week. I have to admit, I am not a fan of the prices, I feel like its way too high. But, they serve good food in a Chipolte line style. I ordered the the beast wrap which includes chicken swarma and 3 falafels inside the wrap. The server was only going to include 2 falafels in my wrap so I immediately spoke up and corrected her, I am going to get all items included with my $ 10 wrap. My boyfriend got the chicken schwarma plate with 2 sides and some pita. We noticed the tahini sauce is not the traditional recipe, its more of a twist with a ton of cilantro. The chicken was seasoned perfected and cooked just right. Our two orders came out to $ 23.
I am glad I took the time to try it out, it was pretty good. I just wish it was more affordable.

Number 1 Restaurant in Atlanta? How can this not be on the top of my radar? In the past, I watched as the reviews added up and the average Unilocal rating still remained 5 stars. My sister works right next to the Peachtree Center, so I knew I had no excuse to give Aviva by Kameel a try.
The restaurant is located in a food court, tucked away in a small corner by the entrance. A juice bar is right in front, but I went straight to the back for the real food. I skipped lunch and I was cutting it close for the 4pm close time. However, once I entered the restaurant around 3:45, it was still popping. There were a few people in line in front of me. The owner was serving samples to them, and when he noticed me, asked if I’d been helped and offered me soup samples. After I ordered my Chicken Shawarma wrap, I tasted the two soups on display, the creamy chicken and veggie and the Mediterranean seafood. Both left my tastebuds in a frightening disarray. The soups were both an explosion of flavor in my mouth. I wished I had ordered the soups over my wrap, but it was still great having this sample.
I paid for my Chicken Shawarma wrap and an order of the Vegan Baklava at the register. The baklava is considered vegan due to the butter replacement they use: olive oil. The price wasn’t listed but I jumped on the chance to eat the Greek dessert.
My wrap was awesome. It was HUGE and hot and full of chicken and different garnishes: from the eggplant to salad to all these different things that I can’t even think to name but the server listed out for me. She asked me if I wanted all of them on my wrap and being adventurous, I agreed to her suggestion. Once again my tongue and brain exploded with all the flavors running around in my mouth.
Overall, a new and fun experience, both for me and for my mouth. I’ll have to try the lamb gyro and falafel next time, as those seemed very popular, too.