A few weeks ago I checked off one of my New Year’s Bucket List items:  I went to J’s Pitaria.  I have been dreaming about going back ever since.  I don’t think I’ve ever done an entire post on one restaurant so, the fact that I am today is really saying something.  J’s Pitaria is a Mediterranean style restaurant that makes fresh, healthy food from scratch with the highest quality ingredients.  And you can tell!

This is a Mediterranean style restaurant but not the Mediterranean I’m used to.  A lot of the items remind me of Greek food (hummus, gyro, tzatziki, baklava) but many things I have just never heard of before.

For example, they make their own Sumon Bread.  Sumon bread is kind of like pita bread but also, not.  Maybe a little more bready than a pita?  This is my layman’s description, as I am clearly not an expert on this type of food.  It is delicious! Kajmak is a buttery, Mediterranean style cheese.  That is how it is described but I cannot express in words how amazing this stuff is.  I want to put it on EVERYTHING!  Then there are just words I have no idea how to pronounce but am more than willing to learn what they are: Maslenica, Pljeskavica, Lahmacun, Ustipci, etc.

We went to J’s Pitaria for lunch as a family.  We each got something different.  I wanted to try all the things but at least I got to try a bite of 4 different things.  We did not need 4 things but more on that later.

A got the Chicken Panini. It was delicious and she really liked it.  She is the most picky one in the family so if she likes something it’s a win!  Plus it had spinach on it so… yay vegetables!

Husband got the Cheesesteak sandwich.  This is NOT the cheesesteak you are thinking of!  It is so much more.

I got the Döner Kebab.  Sumon bread stuffed with marinated rotisserie beef (or chicken, but I got beef) lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, tzatziki… very similar to a gyro but in more of a sandwich form.  It was soooo good!

Originally, E and I were going to split the Sarajevski Cevapi (sumon bread stuffed with house made grilled sausages, kajmak and onions).  But I really wanted to try the Döner Kebab too, so at the last minute I ordered my own sandwich. For me, the Sarajevski Cevapi won the day.  Everything was delicious but this was just on another level!

Those sausages were simply amazing.  And as you now know, kajmak is my new favorite thing.  I know I said I want to put it on everything but I would be just as happy (maybe even happier) eating it with a spoon.

So, I was told that these were large portions.  I knew that.  But I had no idea.  We ate these 4 sandwiches for 3 different meals.  So when you are told to split the sandwiches, Split! The! Sandwiches!  But I also understand if you want to try all the things and need to order too much.  It happens to us all.  The pictures above do not show scale.  My sandwich was the size of a dinner plate.  This one helps show scale a little but you will be amazed by the portions.

Again, 4 people got three meals out of 4 items.  That is 12 servings!  The cost per meal really averages out when you think about it.  Here is a picture of our dinner the next night.  I cut up the leftovers into 4 wedges each and added some veggies.  We also had some avocado toast so I added that to our dinner platter.  I mean, it’s a lot of food.

I can’t wait to take my dad there.  He never thinks there is enough meat on his sandwiches.  He will be so happy.  I want him to try those sausages and he will truly appreciate how everything is made from scratch.  Because he makes his own sausages too (but his are Italian).

I’ve been dreaming of the Sarajevski Cevapi since we ate it last month.  Talking about it again today I might have to go get one for lunch.  But the problem is there were so many other things I wanted to try.  The hummus!  I love hummus and I bet theirs is amazing.  I’ve never had falafel which is just crazy.

They have toasted somun bread and kajmak as an appetizer.  Like a grilled cheese sandwich.  I clearly need that in my life.

And I just saw their flatbread pictured on Instagram.  It was so beautiful and looked so healthy.  I feel like I lost weight just looking at it.

On the flip side, we didn’t get any of their desserts. They all have nuts in them and I have one who is allergic to nuts.  But I might have to get one when I go without her because they sound heavenly.

I really hope you will give this restaurant a try.  If you don’t live close by, it is worth the drive.  You can even order online for pick up.  That way you don’t have to wonder if they ran out of your favorite.  Plus, they sell frozen Mediterranean pies!  I don’t really know what it is and it doesn’t look like any pie I am familiar with but I can’t wait to try one.  Probably would have been perfect for Super Bowl.  But March Madness is right around the corner sooooo….

J’s Pitaria
91 Concord Plaza Shopping Center
Saint Louis, MO 63128, US
314-270-8005

Open Tuesday – Sunday, check the website for their hours.

I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!