A new restaurant specializing in shawarma and other Iraqi cuisine is ready to make its debut in Vienna.
Mashahweez Shawarma and Grill will welcome its first customers in the Vienna Shopping Center at 128 Maple Avenue West with a soft launch tomorrow (Wednesday).
“We’re putting the final touches on everything now and getting ready to welcome everyone in,” general manager Abdullah Alshawi said.
Taking the place of Maru Korean Cuisine and Sushi, which consolidated its operations at the Providence Place Shopping Center in Merrifield this spring, Mashahweez will serve halal shawarma, kababs, falafel and other traditional Iraqi dishes that Abdullah grew up cooking with his father, Ibraheem Alshawi.
Also the restaurant’s owner, Ibraheem Alshawi had worked in the food industry in Iraq before the family immigrated to the U.S., his son previously told FFXnow.
Abdullah had worked as an emergency medical technician and was planning to attend medical school when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With activities limited to their Ashburn home, the family bought a machine for making shawarma and later began serving the food at local community events.
“People loved the food, and many kept asking us when we were going to open a restaurant,” Abdullah said by email in May. “The demand from the community became so strong that we decided to create Mashahweez.”
Initially opening from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mashahweez will roll out its menu in phases as the team gets settled in. Early offerings of shawarma, fries, handmade falafel and hummus are expected to be eventually joine by kababs and other grilled dishes.
“Our grand opening will be in a few months, once we roll out our full menu,” Abdullah told FFXnow yesterday. “The operating hours may change by then as well, depending on what works best after we’ve been open for a while.”
The 1,900-square-foot restaurant will feature an open kitchen, giving patrons a view of the rotating shawarma spit. Abdullah says he’s “especially excited” about the new custom wallpaper, which includes a portrait of him and his father and even a nod to FFXnow’s initial article on Mashahweez.
According to a shared photo of the wallpaper, the design doesn’t directly quote FFXnow’s story, but it includes a quick summary of the Mashahweez’s mission under the heading “Fairfax County Local News”:
Built on a father’s dream and a son’s dedication, Mashahweez is more than a restaurant it’s a family legacy. Every shawarma tells a story of tradition, hard work, and the flavors of home, shared with our community one meal at a time.
Abdullah has said his goal is to give local residents an authentic taste of Middle Eastern cuisine that’s “fresh, flavorful, generous, and made with passion.”
“We’re excited to finally open our doors in Vienna!” he said.
