Gyros
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Image:Döner kebab slicing.jpg Gyros or gyro (IPA /Template:IPA/ from Greek γύρος 'turning') is a rotisserie meat, or by extension the pita sandwich it is usually found in. In addition to the meat, there are also various salads and sauces inside the pita. The most common fillings are tomato, onions and tzatziki sauce.
In Greece, gyros was formerly (and still sometimes) called ντονέρ [don'er], from its Turkish name döner kebab (literally "turning roast"); γύρος is a calque of that name. The Arabic shawarma and Mexican tacos al pastor are very similar.
Outside Greece, the pronunciation of the word 'gyros' varies.
Gyros and souvlaki are sometimes used as interchangeable terms in Greece. Originally, souvlaki referred to grilled meat on skewers (shish kebab) but it has now come to mean any meat served in pita bread the way souvlaki is sometimes served.
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Variations
Greece
In Greece, the meat is either lamb, beef, pork or chicken. Strips of the meat are put onto the rotisserie, and as the meat cooks chippings are sliced off. In Athens, and most of Greece, a "pita gyro" (very often confusingly called souvlaki) will contain tzatziki, tomato, onion and sometimes french fries apart from the meat. However some places offer different alternatives to the classic ingredients.
In Thessaloniki an order of "pita gyro" includes tomato, onion, mustard and french fries in addition to the meat. Pitas are available in at least three types: 'plain', 'Cypriot', and 'Arabian'. 'Plain' pita is around 22cm in diameter and the thickest and greasiest of the three. 'Cypriot' pita are the same size but somewhat thinner, and are split like pocket bread. Finally, 'Arabian' pitas are crispy, and the flattest and largest.
United States
In the United States, gyros are usually made from sliced lamb, or made from minced beef or possibly a combination of minced lamb and beef. Chicken is a common alternative in many restaurants serving gyros. The pita is similar to a Greek 'plain' pita, although sometimes it is split open. It is usually overfilled, making it hard for people to hold it with just one hand and consume it "on the road" with no hassle like the typical pita sold in Greece. The most common fillings are generally tomato and onion, though occasionally lettuce, olives, or cucumber may be included. The only sauce available is usually tzatziki, sometimes called 'cucumber sauce'. Often times these sandwiches are served in luncheonettes or diners.
Australia
Gyros in Australia are typically based on lamb, chicken or beef, or a combination of those meats. The common fillings are lettuce, tomato, onion, hummus and tabouli. Grated cheddar cheese is also sometimes included, possibly in response to Australian tastes rather than Greek tradition. The sauce is usually a garlic sauce such as tzatziki, but chilli sauce can also be used. A gyros is always served rolled up in a pita bread.
Due to the range of nationalities in Australia, there can be some confusion between similar products such as gyros, souvlaki, döner kebab, and shawarma. All product names are used, depending on the food store, the national group, or community in question.
In parts of Australia, especially South Australia, this food is known (both in the singular and plural) as yiros, based the normal pronunciation of the Greek letter gamma (γ) similar to an English Y. They are known as döner kebabs or yeeros in New South Wales, and as gyros or souvlaki in Victoria (which has a large Greek population).
France
Gyros is a popular fast food choice, also in France, known and sold as sandwich grec (Greek sandwich).