Where “Yiros” Comes From
A yiros is a wrap made from thin slices of grilled meat, usually lamb, chicken or pork, rolled in pita bread with salad, tomato, onion and tzatziki. It comes from the Greek dish “gyros”.
Greek migrants brought the dish to Australia, where it became a popular takeaway in cities such as Melbourne and Sydney.
“I’ll have a lamb yiros with the lot.”
How Aussies Actually Use It
You’ll hear it at takeaway shops and lunch counters.
In Real Life
The yiros is a favourite quick lunch in Australian cities, especially where there are many Greek families. It’s eaten in the hand, wrapped in paper to catch the sauce. “With the lot” means you want everything on it. You’ll see the word spelled in different ways, but the order is always the same: meat, salad, sauce, bread.
Quick Questions
How do you say yiros?
YEE-ros, as in the Greek word.
Is yiros the same as souvlaki?
Not quite. Yiros uses sliced meat from a rotating spit, while souvlaki is meat grilled on a skewer.
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: YEE-ros.
In conversation:
- Let’s grab a yiros for lunch.
- A chicken yiros, please.
- He ordered a yiros with extra sauce.
Good to know: You’ll see several spellings, including “gyros” and “souvlaki”, and Australians can have friendly debates over which name is right.
See also: Milk Bar
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