My quest to find a real gyro sandwich in Midtown never takes a vacation. So when I spotted this sign on 34th btw. 8+9th in the window of Lezzette, my curiosity was piqued. Sure, it’s out of the technical Midtown Lunch boundaries. And Lezzette looks more like a generic Midtown deli, than an authentic Greek restaurant. But whatever. “Homemade Gyro”! How could I not?

Now, my idea of a “real gyro” might not be in line with everybody else. I’ve never been to Greece, so when I say “real gyro” I’m still talking about the standard prepackaged gyro spits you find here in the states. What makes a good one (IMO), is when the restaurant allows the meat to fully cook on the spit, before slicing it off. And, the sandwich has to have real tzatziki. White sauce aside, there isn’t a street cart in all of Midtown that takes the time to let their gyro meat cook properly. They all cut it off in chunks, and cook it up on their flattop. Makes for a delicious plate of halal food, but not a real gyro. Gyro II does it right, but their yogurt sauce is weird and sickly sweet. I like the Famous Chicken place version, but the best is probably at Uncle Nick’s- but you have to travel to 9th Ave. for that one.

But Lezzette is different than all of those places. When they say “homemade gyro” they mean homemade gyro. Check this bad boy out. This is real meat, wrapped around a giant spit. It’s beef (not lamb) and the flavors are more Middle Eastern than Greek… but look at that thing! You’ve got to respect it.

The sandwich comes as a wrap, instead of in a pita, confirming that it’s not really Greek… but it was pretty tasty. I will always prefer lamb over beef, and it won’t satisfy your American/Greek gyro fix. But it’s a great wrap, especially if you prefer your gyro to be made from real meat. There’s a good mix of Mediterranean spices in the meat, and the whole thing is balanced well with the lettuce, tomato, and yogurt sauce. I don’t know if I’d travel far out of my way for it, but if you work in the area, Lezzette should definitely be in your rotation.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Real meat!  On a spit.  How can you argue with it?
• If you like gyro sandwiches, but prefer beef over lamb- this is your place!

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• I prefer Greek spices over Middle Eastern spices
• I prefer lamb over beef
• I prefer pita bread over a wrap

Lezzette, 369 W 34th St (btw. 8+9th), 212-244-8301