The JJ's Shawarma Story
JJ's Shawarma is a beloved Ottawa shawarma restaurant on Colonnade Drive in Nepean, specializing in fresh, hand-carved shawarma wraps, platters, and authentic Lebanese classics. Serving the Ottawa community for over 20 years with 100% halal-certified meats and house-made garlic sauce.
Every shawarma is carved fresh from the spit — never pre-sliced, never reheated.
Our garlic sauce is made in-house daily using a family recipe passed down three generations.
We source our pita from a local Ottawa bakery that delivers fresh every morning.
Halal-certified meats, hand-seasoned with our proprietary 12-spice blend.
Meet Our Team
The passionate people behind every dish
Marco Bianchi
Owner & Head Chef
Born in Ottawa to Italian immigrant parents, Marco grew up making pizza in his family's kitchen. After training in Naples and working in pizzerias across Italy and Canada, he opened Andiamo in 2016 with a simple mission: serve honest, handmade pizza with the freshest ingredients at a fair price. He still stretches dough and oversees every recipe himself.
Luca Ferraro
Pizza Chef
Luca brings over 10 years of pizza-making experience from restaurants in Rome and Toronto. He joined Andiamo in 2019 and runs the pizza station, ensuring every pie comes out with a perfect crust, balanced toppings, and that signature Andiamo char. His hand-tossed technique is something customers love to watch through the open kitchen.
Samira El-Khoury
Kitchen Manager
Samira keeps the Andiamo kitchen running smoothly across both locations. With a background in restaurant management and a culinary diploma from Algonquin College, she handles everything from ingredient sourcing to food prep scheduling. She is the reason the quality stays consistent whether you order on a Monday afternoon or a Saturday night rush.
Emily Nguyen
Front of House Manager
Emily has been with Andiamo since the early days and knows most of the regulars by name. She manages the counter, handles catering inquiries, and makes sure every customer leaves happy. Her upbeat energy and attention to detail keep the front of house running like clockwork.
Jordan McAllister
Delivery Coordinator
Jordan manages delivery logistics for both Andiamo locations, coordinating with third-party apps and in-house drivers to make sure every order arrives hot and on time. He also handles large catering deliveries and has a knack for optimizing routes across the south end of Ottawa.