New Family-Run Middle Eastern Restaurant Coming To Vienna

VIENNA, VA – A new, family-run Iraqi restaurant is coming to Vienna this summer.

Mashahweez, which means “barbecue” in Arabic, will focus on shawarma, halal meats, Iraqi-style grilled food, kabobs, falafel, hummus, sandwiches and other Middle Eastern favorites, manager Abdullah Alshawi told Patch in an email. Abdullah’s father, Ibraheem Alshawi, owns the restaurant.

Alshawi says they plan to serve customers with care, with spices imported from Iraq, halal meats and shawarma prepared in traditional Iraqi style.

Mahshaweez “is not just a restaurant idea, it is a family story built from our love for cooking, our culture, and bringing people together through food,” he said.

This chapter of that story began during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the family bought a shawarma machine and began hosting community events, which ended up drawing crowds of more than 100. “[P]eople kept asking us when we would open a restaurant,” Alshawi said. “That support and encouragement from the community is what pushed us to finally create Mashahweez.”

They chose Vienna because of its strong community, local spirit and because of their many connections to the area.

“Our goal is to give people the real taste of shawarma and Iraqi barbecue — fresh, flavorful, generous, and made with passion,” Alshawi told Patch. “We want customers to feel welcomed from the moment they walk in and to experience food that feels both authentic and comforting.”

The Alshawis hope to open within the next 30 to 45 days, and to launch their menu in phases, starting with shawarma, falafel and other simple favorites and then adding more barbecue options.

Visit Mashahweez when they open at 126 Maple Avenue West or find them on Facebook, Instagram and on their website.