Elie's Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: What to Order and What to Expect

What Elie's serves and why it matters

Elie's Authentic Lebanese Cuisine is a family-run deli in South Carolina that makes Lebanese food from scratch—not the Americanized versions you find in many chain restaurants. The owner, Elie, prepares dishes using recipes and techniques from Lebanon, which means you get fresh flatbread baked to order, meat seasoned with spice blends like sumac and za'atar, and vegetables that taste like they came from a market in Beirut rather than a warehouse.

What sets Elie's apart from other delis is the commitment to doing things the traditional way. The hummus is made daily from chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice—not from a tub. The tabbouleh is heavy on fresh parsley and bulgur, not lettuce. The shawarma meat is marinated and cooked on a vertical spit, not pre-sliced and reheated. If you have eaten Lebanese food only at chain restaurants or grocery store counters, Elie's will show you the difference.

Key Takeaways

• Elie's makes flatbread, hummus, and marinades fresh daily, so the flavors are stronger and fresher than mass-produced versions.
• The menu includes traditional Lebanese sandwiches, platters with grilled meats and vegetables, and sides like baba ghanoush and fattoush salad.
• Lunch is faster and cheaper than dinner; platters come with rice, salad, and flatbread, so one order feeds two people easily.
• The deli is small and often busy at lunch, so expect a short wait during peak hours or order ahead by phone.

What to order: sandwiches versus platters

Elie's menu splits into two main categories, and which you choose depends on your appetite and how much time you have. Sandwiches are wrapped in the house-made flatbread and come with a small side of hummus or baba ghanoush. The shawarma sandwich—thin-sliced marinated chicken or beef—is the most popular order. The kafta sandwich, made from ground lamb and beef seasoned with parsley and onion, is denser and more flavorful if you want something heavier. Both are filling enough for lunch on their own, and they cost less than platters.

Platters are the better choice if you are hungry or want to try multiple flavors. A typical platter includes your choice of grilled meat (chicken, lamb, or kafta), a pile of rice, a fresh salad, grilled vegetables like tomatoes and onions, and flatbread on the side. The portions are large—most people cannot finish a platter alone. Platters cost more than sandwiches but give you more food and more variety in a single order. If you are dining with someone, one platter can easily split between two people.

Sides and appetizers worth ordering

The sides at Elie's are not afterthoughts; they are dishes in their own right. Hummus comes topped with olive oil and pine nuts, and the texture is so smooth it barely needs the flatbread—though you will want it anyway. Baba ghanoush, made from roasted eggplant, tahini, and lemon, has a deeper, earthier flavor than hummus and works well if you want something different. Tabbouleh is bright and herbaceous, loaded with fresh parsley and bulgur wheat, and serves as a palate cleanser between bites of meat.

Fattoush salad is a Lebanese staple made with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and crispy pieces of fried flatbread, all dressed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette. It is substantial enough to be a light meal on its own. If you order a platter, skip the extra salad and add one of the dips instead—you already get salad with the platter. The grape leaves (dolmas) are stuffed with rice and herbs and steamed until tender; they are an excellent appetizer if you are sharing.

Timing, location, and how to order

Elie's is a small deli with limited seating, so the experience depends partly on when you go. Lunch (roughly 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) is the busiest time, and the line can wrap around the counter. The wait is usually 10 to 20 minutes during peak lunch hours, but the food moves quickly because Elie's staff works efficiently. If you want to avoid the wait, call ahead and order by phone—your food will be ready when you arrive, or close to it.

Dinner is quieter and gives you more time to sit and eat, though the deli closes earlier than many restaurants. Check the hours before you go, as they vary by day and sometimes change seasonally. The deli is cash-friendly but also takes cards. If you are ordering for a group or a catering event, call ahead to discuss quantities and timing—Elie's can prepare larger orders if you give notice.

What Lebanese food is and why it tastes different

Lebanese cuisine sits at the crossroads of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, which means it uses olive oil, fresh herbs, and lemon juice the way Italian food does, but also incorporates spices like sumac, cumin, and cinnamon in ways that are distinctly Lebanese. The food is not heavy or fried; it is built on grilled meats, fresh vegetables, and legumes. Bread is central to every meal—not as a side, but as an edible plate and utensil.

The flavors are bright and layered. A single bite of shawarma includes the warmth of the meat, the tang of the marinade, the herbaceousness of the flatbread, and the creaminess of the hummus or garlic sauce. This complexity is what you lose when food is mass-produced or sits under heat lamps. At Elie's, because everything is made fresh, each component tastes like itself, and together they create something more interesting than the sum of the parts.

Dietary considerations and customization

Lebanese food is naturally accommodating to many diets. If you are vegetarian, the hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, fattoush, and grape leaves are all meat-free and filling. The flatbread is typically vegan, though you should confirm with Elie's. If you are avoiding gluten, ask about the flatbread—some Lebanese delis make it from wheat flour, but some offer alternatives. The grilled meats and vegetables can be ordered without bread or rice if you prefer.

Elie's staff is used to customization requests. If you want extra garlic sauce, no onions, or a combination of two different meats on one platter, ask—they will accommodate you. If you have a severe allergy, tell them directly so they can prepare your food separately and avoid cross-contamination. The deli is small enough that the people making your food can hear your request and take it seriously.

How Elie's fits into South Carolina's food scene

South Carolina's restaurant landscape is dominated by barbecue, Lowcountry seafood, and soul food—all of which are worth eating. Lebanese food offers something different: it is lighter, more herb-forward, and built on techniques that have been refined over centuries in a specific region. Elie's brings that tradition to South Carolina without pretension or high prices. You are not paying for a trendy concept or an Instagram-worthy plating; you are paying for food made the way it has been made for generations.

The deli also fills a gap for people who want to eat well but do not have time to cook. A platter from Elie's is faster than most sit-down restaurants, cheaper than most delivery options, and tastes better than most fast-casual chains. It is the kind of place where regulars know their order by heart and newcomers leave wondering why they did not find it sooner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get my food without flatbread or rice?

Yes. Elie's will prepare any platter with just the grilled meat and vegetables if you ask. They are used to customization and will not charge you less—the price stays the same—but they will make it exactly how you want it.

How much food should I order for a group?

One platter feeds two people comfortably, sometimes three if you add sides like hummus or salad. If you are ordering for four people, two platters plus a few appetizers is a good starting point. Call ahead so Elie's can prepare everything at once and have it ready when you arrive.

What is the difference between shawarma and kafta?

Shawarma is thin-sliced meat (chicken or beef) that is marinated and cooked on a vertical spit, then shaved off as it cooks. Kafta is ground lamb and beef mixed with herbs and spices, then grilled. Shawarma is more tender and juicy; kafta is denser and more herbaceous. Try both if you are unsure which you prefer.

Is the food spicy?

Lebanese food is flavorful but not typically hot. The spices used—sumac, cumin, cinnamon—add depth and complexity rather than heat. If you want spice, ask for extra hot sauce on the side. Elie's will provide it, and you can control how much you use.

Do you need to make a reservation?

Reservations are not necessary for walk-ins, but calling ahead during lunch rush is smart if you want to avoid a wait. For large groups or catering orders, call ahead to confirm they can handle the size and timing of your order.