Arabic Wrap vs Shawarma: What Is the Difference?
By the Chipy kitchen ·
Arabic wrap vs shawarma: ask around Karachi and you will hear both names for what looks like the same thing. They are close cousins. Both roll seasoned chicken or beef with sauce in flatbread; the difference is in what else goes inside and how filling the result is. Here is how to tell them apart, and how to choose your wrap at Chipy.
What a classic shawarma is
A classic shawarma roll is seasoned, thinly sliced meat in thin bread with garlic sauce and a few pickles or vegetables. It is quick, light and made to eat on the move, which is why it is one of the most loved street foods across the region and all over Karachi.
What we mean by an Arabic wrap
Our Arabic wraps (some people call them Arabian wraps) use shawarma-style chicken or beef in a tortilla, then add fries and one of our house sauces, so they are more filling than a classic roll. Every one is hand-rolled when you order it.
The Authentic Chicken Wrap and Authentic Beef Wrap stay closest to the shawarma idea: meat, hummus fries, pickles and OG garlic sauce, with no chilli heat. If you want a shawarma-style wrap and nothing more, start there.
Chicken or beef?
Chicken wraps are lighter and some of the best-value dishes on our menu. Try the Chipy OG Wrap with cheese and Hulk sauce, the Crispy Wrap with crispy chicken, or the K-Town Wrap with Korean sauce. Every one is on our chicken wraps page.
Beef wraps are richer. The Hulk Beef Wrap adds cheese and Hulk sauce to shawarma beef, and the Umami Wrap uses slow-cooked beef with mushroom sauce. See them all on the beef wraps page. Cannot decide? The Supreme Wrap rolls beef and chicken into one wrap, with jalapeños, olives, iceberg and OG spice sauce instead of fries.
Mild, spicy or grilled
For a mild sauce wrap, the Mild Spice Chicken Wrap and Mild Spice Beef Wrap use garlic mayo with a gentle kick from jalapeños. For real heat, the Chilli Jolt Wrap is our grilled chicken wrap with spicy sauces, the only grilled wrap on our menu. Mushroom fans have the Mushroom Twist Wrap and the Beefy Mushroom Wrap. Our Mild or Spicy guide sorts every wrap by heat.
Make it a meal
A wrap with fries inside is already filling, but a box of Plain Fries and a dip turn it into a feast. The Chipy sauce guide has pairing ideas, from Garlic Mayo to Hulk. Browse every Arabic wrap and order for delivery until 4:30 AM, or pick up from Maskan Chowrangi in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.