Gyro 360 Opens in Downtown Denton
Located in the space that once housed Denton Deli and Weinbergers, Gyro 360 brings a fresh and tasty concept to downtown Denton, offering yet another type of cuisine to choose from in the Industrial St area at 311 E Hickory St.
Gyro 360 serves up large, made from scratch portions for an affordable price. All the sauces are made in house, the rice is cooked in house and even the falafel and baklava are made from scratch.
Luan Aliji at his new restaurant, Gyro 360.
Luan Aliji, Gyro 360’s owner, took some time from walking meals to guests over the weekend to talk with me about what inspired him to open up his restaurant. “My family always inspires me, especially my father who always had a restaurant when I was growing up,” said Aliji. “I grew up in the restaurant business.” Born in Alaska, Aliji & his parents moved to Richardson when he was one year old and he has been a Texan ever since.
“My parents are from Albania, so I grew up eating the foods - the fetas, the yogurts, the meats.” Denton has definitely accepted what he is bringing to the table with open arms, during the interview we had to pause a couple different times so that customers could compliment the food and space, showing their appreciation for the authentic flavors. Aliji himself is also super hospitable and polite, a hands on type manager who beams with pride at his new business and not forgetting to bestow compliments on his wife who decorated the interior or the space.
View of the Gyro 360 counter and five plants in metal planters on top of the counter.
A sign hanging from the ceiling that says “pick up here” and a sign on a wall behind that saying “kitchen.”
The inside of the space is warm and bright, with booth tables, a high top community table, and then lower tables, giving everyone a clear vision of the TV’s that to our pleasure were playing the Mavs vs Celtics game on crystal clear screens. The low lights create almost an intimate setting, but the open space is busy with conversation and the sounds of the kitchen line. The decorations give the interior a homey feel, almost like you are in your grandmother's thoughtfully decorated kitchen.
We got to try some of the tasty menu items, and our hearts and bellies were swooning for Gyro 360 with the first bite.
“The OG” Original Gyro is flavorful gyro or chicken in a fluffy warm pita, crisp lettuce, the brightness of the tomato and the bite of red onion balancing out the richness of the house special Z- Sauce, a sauce with yogurt, cream, and a special house blend of spices.
Pico de Gyro is a gyro with southwest flavor, the pico adds some spice, and the corn brings a sweetness that compliments the richer flavors. Again, the pita bread is fluffy with just the right amount of chew, and the tasty spiced gyro meat creates such an authentic eating experience and it was hand picked by the team, after trying over 14 different meat options. Shipped in from Chicago, you can’t find another shop serving up this gyro meat in the North Texas area.
Pico de Gyro.
If you’re not craving a sandwich they also have make your own bowls, they start off with a base of ingredients and then you can add in your own. The basmati rice is vegan, delicious, and makes a great alternative for a lighter option. You can get gyro, chicken, or a combination of both, or falafel which is also made in house and vegan. All your favorite gyro ingredients are on top, lettuce, onions, tomato, and you can add additional topping like cucumber or corn, and then the house sauce drizzled over everything so you get some with every bite and get that perfect combination of sweet, salty, savory, and bright.
Make your own bowl!
The Feta Fries make a great starter to split, or to share as a side with your meal order. Light, fluffy, and crisp the fries are covered in the house sauce and topped with a generous amount of feta. I’m going to let you in on a secret, I hate feta, but you gotta try everything twice, and these fries are crispy, creamy, and addicting. It was hard to stop eating them and put everything down to continue typing.
The honey baklava is while supplies last for a reason, made from scratch with a heat from the spices, and a sweetness from the honey, served cool and created a refreshing bite. You should definitely leave room for dessert. Our bites were gone before we could get the camera back out.
If you're looking for some off menu items, check out the specials border next to the counter where you order, featuring items like the Gyro Melt, a pita with gyro, sauteed onions, cheese, and the house sauce, topped with another piece of pita bread.
Open from 11am to 11pm , and coming soon when you have late night weekend cravings, they will keeping the doors open and serving up food until 2am.