This was the most delicious Mediterranean food I've ever eaten. We had a mezze platter and shakshouka and everything was extraordinary. This restaurant is worth going out of your way for. read more

Pretty good - if you're not going out of your way. They take reservations too so safe yourself the headache! It's very very busy here. Honestly the highlight was the hummus, which it definitely should be. But nothing else really blew my socks off. Truffle hummus was the favourite over the regular hummus. It was just a little bit more flavourful but they are both rather similar overall. 3 of us ordered the shakshuka. It was good but nothing stellar... Just an egg in good tomato sauce - what you see is what you get. We also ordered an e-ja which kind of looks like an egg quiche type of thing, this was my least favourite dish. Oh yes the falafel was VERY very good actually. One of the stand out dishes. And we also really enjoyed the pistachio dessert. Other than that it's a cool casual spot to check out and probably pick up one of their tubs of tahini. read more

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My favourite place in the city for some creative middle eastern eats!! Great quality, super fragrant and good portion sizes. Loved the truffle hummus, falafel (favourite that I've tried) parallel salad. read more

Parallel - Truffle hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Tapa style restaurant but what I love most is the rolling kitchen setup where plates come out when they're ready so you share/test the plates as soon as they're ready vs waiting for all of them to be ready ! Their lamb hummus was unbeatable !! Well textured with warm bread creates a experience you'll want to share again Overall creative flavours ! My favourites were the hummus and the parallel salad ! The parallel salad was lightly coated with dressing but not drenched so you can actually appreciate the body of the salad read more

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Amazing restaurant. The shakshuka is the best I've ever had. Nice service and great food. Can't wait to go back.

As much as I wanted to love this place, I was left very disappointed. The one very positive point was the delicious falafel, which were perfectly crispy and light compared to most other places. Amazing flavor as well. The truffle hummus on the other end, was extremely bland and as liquid as a soup. The Labneh was good but nothing special either. I would, however, get that over the hummus any day. read more

Great food, great atmosphere! We were seated right away inside and were waited on very quickly. I had the arais, which was very tasty between the kebab and the spicy tomato salad. The sesame butter latte was too bitter for my taste and tasted faintly of grinds, but the matcha latte was excellent according to my friends. My favorite dish though was herb falafel on tahini. It was so fresh (all herbs are grown on the top floor of the establishment) and aromatic. Would highly recommend! read more

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Decor is nice and the waiter staff is friendly and accommodating. The food isn't spectacular. I ordered a tumeric latte, shakshuka and a side of falafel. First to start was the tumeric latte, the design was nice and you can see the yellow colour for the tumeric. I was expecting the latte to have a nice tumeric flavour but what I got was watered down milk with yellow coloring. I didn't even taste any tumeric. As for my shakshuka, it was filled with tomatoes paste only. I couldn't even taste any other flavour or seasoning as the tomatoes overpowered everything and my eggs were overcooked by the time it arrived to me (no runny yolks). I also ordered the falafel as everyone on here recommended it but I didn't think it was as good as what everyone have said on here - maybe I'm just not a falafel type of girl. Overall the service was great and the staff were very friendly but food wise, I wouldn't come back here. read more

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This place moved up quickly on the bookmarked places. I am not that familiar with this area as don't venture out here much. This place is nestled in an odd mixture of workshops , industrial warehouse (I think I even heard a few lathe machines at work on a Saturday as well) and an odd park on what seems like a back road. I think they have done well with the space they got as they kept the industrial structure and added neat touches that somehow bring character to this place. The restaurant was packed for starters. The ordering system seems straightforward. One orders at the cashier and gets a buzzer and food is brought over. We ordered the following: Labneh: I am neutral to this dish. This one is a better take on the one's I have tried. Seasoned well with nice olive oil and sweet roasted garlic and tomatoes to boot. Comes with a pita which was very hefty. Shashuka: this dish seems to have become the norm as I see it almost everywhere. A better take on this dish as not as oily as the one I tried recently at the other place. Arais: I am a big fan of this dish and almost seek out the places that serve it so was looking forward to it. Hmm plated nicely it wasn't the version I am used to as way heftier owing to the pita bread they have here. Spiced well though a bit oily again due to the thick pita. The yam on the side was good. Decent take on this dish. The service is functional which is just fine for this space. I missed out on the highly recommended flafel though. I will be back I think to just try that out. 3.5 stars with a potential for a 4 star. read more

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In two words: delicious and thoughtful. Every dish was mouthwateringly delicious. And every detail in this restaurant was thoughtfully attended to, whether it was the food, decor, or service. The falafel was the best I've ever had! Fresh, crisp on the outside, and smooth and flavourful on the inside. The beet tahini was a nice finish. The branzino bandora was a mild, crispy fish with bold, intensely flavourful cherry tomatoes. Yum. The grouper was good -- served in wax paper with veggies. The parallel cookie was AMAZING! Baked fresh in a cast iron skillet, the still hot chocolate chip cookie was topped with tahini, vanilla ice cream, and fresh mint. Just divine. read more

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My friends and I spontaneously decided to come here for dinner and I'm so glad we did! I ordered the arais which was so delicious. The meat was juicy and very flavourful and on the side they gave me a giant roasted sweet potato. My only complaint is that I only got 3 pieces of arais but a giant sweet potato on the side, so it almost seemed like the sides were outweighing the main course. Nevertheless, the food was all delicious and I would definitely want to come back. If you're coming here for dinner make sure to call and order in advance! Around dinner time they're very busy with lots of orders, and we ended up waiting around 25 minutes before our food was ready. read more

Wonderful Israeli food, Recommend it highly! Great spot for lunch or dinner Delicious food with flair not to be missed read more

I wanted to love this place. I eyed the Instagram posts of this place for months and was excited to try it. The restaurant is located in a converted warehouse (I think?) it looks like a garage on the outside and thought the vibe was fun for Sunday brunch. Both the food and service were underwhelming. Upon sitting down, it took at least 5 minutes for water to be brought to us (not to mention it was 32 degrees outside). We ordered the small hummus to share and each got a shakshuka. The hummus was extremely oily with an overwhelming flavour of tahini. It came out with one single pita to share ... the menu noted that extra pita were $0.50 each. I would have appreciated if the pita was at least cut or grilled. The shakshuka was served in the cast iron skillet so it was stayed hot the entire time, which I loved. I found the flavour to be a bit too spicy and would have appreciated some indication on the menu. We did buy some halva to go which was delicious. read more

Parallel - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I live in the area and came here for lunch on my way out of town. I asked for a table for one and the host didn't want to seat me. She said point blank there was no room, and she didn't even give me an estimated wait time. When I asked, she said it was a 40 minute wait, but when I said I was happy to wait, a seat at the back of the restaurant magically became available. In fact, there were three open seats and by the time I finished eating, the restaurant was nearly empty. Not sure if they acted that way because 1) I was by myself, 2) I had a suitcase, 3) I'm black, or 4) she thought i looked too "poor" to be worth their time, but it felt like a very clear and hostile attempt to shoo me out of the restaurant and left a VERY bad taste in my mouth. I'm actually really disappointed because I'd been meaning to try this spot since last summer. The shakshouka was good, miss jessop cocktail was fine, turkish coffee was weak. The server was as kind and considerate as the host was rude, but I won't be coming back and will be telling my friends and family about this uncomfortable experience. It was entirely unacceptable. read more

This block got a whole lot brighter with this happening Mediterranean place. Walked in on a Wednesday night, still super busy time to go. Was seated right away. Great service! Our waiter was very nice and accommodating. We had the falafel in beet tahini sauce to start, one of their salads which was the special that night, and their grouper en pappiloy dish. Everything was amazingly good. Each dish was very fresh. Great balance of colour and flavour. Can't wait to try other dishes on the menu! read more

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Parallel was absolutely not on my radar at all, but a glowing tweet from a prominent Toronto food writer ensured that I'd be there sooner rather than later. The place is basically in the middle of a small industrial area, so it's not super easy to get to, but it's definitely worth the effort. I ate: Arais ("Lamb & Beef Kebab Filled Pita, Yam, Tahini, Spicy Tomato Salad"): First of all, the crew at Parallel gets points for presentation. This is a stunner of a dish. And it tastes amazing, too. The Lamb & Beef Kebab Filled Pita is a little on the small side, admittedly, but it's bursting with flavor. The salad and yam are quite good as well, but it's the layer of creamy, delicious tahini underneath it all that really solidifies this dish as a true winner. I'm definitely curious to try some of Parallel's other dishes, if what I ate on my first visit is any indication. read more

Parallel is such a great addition to the food scene on Geary! I stopped for a quick bite with my grandfather. It felt a bit hipster when we walked in, but he liked the food and the friendly staff. We were greeted by warm smiles and were offered samples of halva. The halva is made in-house; both samples had a great taste and texture. The roast beef sandwich was amazing! So flavourful. The pita was fresh. It's was served with a salad that burst with flavour -- the fresh mint and dressing were delightful. The turmeric latte had the perfect amount of turmeric. I'll definitely be back soon! Parking is limited because it's a busy street and there are many businesses -- mechanic shops, restaurants, bakery, etc. -- in the area, but you can find a spot within a block or two. read more

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Everything has been amazing at Parallel! I've gone over five times and will continue to go until I've tried everything! This is also a place where you can go to impress your parents and calm their "I'm worried about the choices you're making in your life" vibes. I've taken both parental units on separate occasions and they really enjoyed themselves and they stopped nagging me as soon as we entered. read more

Parallel - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My favorite middle eastern food place. The salad is great and the pitas are nicely cooked. Their hummus might be the best thing they offer on the menu. It is full of flavor and so authentic. Im constantly telling people to go try out Parallel since it is good for someone who has never eaten middle eastern cuisine. Great experience overall. read more

Parallel brothers is tucked into an old warehouse in the up and coming neighbourhood on Geary avenue. The resto specializes in middle eastern cuisine and is known for its different renditions on hummus. This hidden gem is super hip; from the instant you walk through the door you are consumed by the delicious smells and funky house music. For dinner we decided to share several plates. We started with the parallel salad. This dish is a combination of kale, sweet potato and black lentils. It is finished with little goat cheese gems and a sweet beet sesame butter. The combination of hearty legumes with the contrasting sweetness of the dressing and beet drizzle is the perfect contrast to the earthy kale. We then had the herb falafel that came atop a beet sesame butter. The falafel as super crispy with a vibrant green interior. The falafel is enhanced with different herbs that give it a bright flavour. For main dishes we shared the chicken thighs and Ragu hummus. The chicken was tasty but a fairly generic dish. The Ragu hummus was totally unique and is reminiscent of a beef bolognaise pasta sauce, however it comes atop a heaping pile of hummus. This restaurant is amazing and certainly knows how to do hummus creations well. read more

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One of the best Mediterranean restaurants outside of the region with fantastic Israeli fare. You're missing out if you haven't tried it yet :-) Truffle hummus - I couldn't believe how amazing the hummus was. Might be due to the whole homemade in-house tahini!! Falafel - let's be real, who doesn't love a good falafel, but good just isn't good enough sometimes, these falafels are GREAT! Salads are fresh, crispy and tasty. This will definitely hit the right notes. Don't let the racist reviews get in the way of a tasty meal ;-) read more

I tried their parallel salad last time it was so delicious. That's why I invited my friends to eat there and I made a reservation for today for four people. When we arrived they just put four people really small table like two people table. I asked to change my table to the waiter and she insisted big table are reserved.GUESS WHAT? When she asked the manager table is not reserved. Then we ordered foods. Presentation was good but taste very low quality except the salad. And also prices are high for that food. Finally we want to 2 bills when we are paying my friend doesn't want to give to much tips because of the food taste and also service. After my friend paid the money, the waiter was a bit rude and said why she gave less tips, there was a rate that was not given below her, and we explained, but she was not satisfied. If we have to give tip so much, why give tip or custom tip has the option ? read more

This is an awesome restaurant. The spicing is impeccable, the presentation beautiful, service is great, I love the patio. I've worked and cooked in restaurants and know excellent food. Top notch! RH read more

Pathetic service, decent food. We visited on a weekday evening for dinner. The restaurant is an industrial type area and getting a parking may not easy. We had a toddler and asked for a low seating table. There were 2 empty tables, but hostess did not give it to us because there was reservation almost an hour away! Then she forced us to sit on uncomfortable highrise communal table only when other similar communal were empty. When the food arrived there was no cutlery and plates. When we left the all tables we had originally asked for were still empty ! The food was good, we tried falafel, labaneh and fried cauliflower. Overall the experience was bad, but we may come here again for food. They don't do takeouts... read more

Great atmosphere, delicious good, must try the chicken shawarma, parallel salad and the beef skewers . Fresh taste of herbs and well seasoned. Fast service. Busy place . read more

I cannot day enough good things about this place. I finally tried it yesterday with a friend and we are obsessed! I consider myself a hummus connoisseur, have tried them all, made an occasional batch, but nothing compares to the Parallel truffle hummus I tried last night. It was to die for and the pillowy hot pita was the perfect thing to dip. We also got the falafel balls which were amazing! Our waiter explained to us all of the fresh herbs that go into them which explains why they were so green on the inside, plus they come on a beautiful bed of beet tahini. Our server was named Jeremy and he was amazing and so helpful. the environment was also stunning! We sat up top and the view was really cool. Can't wait to return ASAP, perhaps for some brunch read more

Parallel - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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The menu is limited, and the options that are available are overpriced and underwhelming. Worst of all, the service is terrible. The restaurant is unbelievably pretentious, despite being located in a sketchy area. I had the worst experience tonight. The staff were rude and inattentive. It was especially disappointing because I frequently ordered from Parallel during the pandemic. The service was so bad I'll never eat there again. read more

Delicious brunch spot! Went there with my bff and we shared and enjoyed their falafels, the shakshuka and the Iraqi omelette! The flavours were authentic and the home made tahini was stellar! The only things disappointing was the service was a bit off and the drinks (sesame latte) was not that flavourful. Recommend getting reservations online before you head there as it got busy pretty quick for a Sunday morning. Good ambience - open concept space with tons of light! Definitely recommend it for a small or mid sized group! Also wish they were not too stingy with their pitas and didn't charge extra $1 for hot sauce.. ‍ read more

Parallel - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I love hummus! And if you're looking for a fresh Mediterranean meal then this place does a fantastic job. Great with flavours and portion sizes as well, highly recommend this spot. Your stomach will be full for hours! read more

Parallel - Falafel, shakshuka, hummus & pita - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Really disappointing. First the good: our waitress was super friendly! And the fried akkawi was delicious, could have eaten 10 of them. The ambience was also really nice, loved the decor. The rest of the food? Really bad. They must have been trying to get rid of all their garlic because EVERYTHING tasted only like garlic. None of the dishes had any distinct flavour. The Hummus had the consistency of whipped garlic. The Labneh, Mushroom Mix, Fishawarma, and Labneh tasted like a different preparation of garlic. Way better Middle Eastern food can be found in Toronto, including Little Sito, Byblos, Tabule, etc. The kitchen was also a mess. We kept getting wrong dishes and some of the food we ordered never arrived (we couldn't try the Fattoush). It also looked like the kitchen was using Compliments ice cream for the dessert. Please don't chart ~$12+ for a dessert using a private label ice cream brand :( No idea why this place was as busy as it was. read more

It's been awhile since I've felt compelled to write a review-- but Parallel DESERVES it. This place is so delicious. We went for brunch (waited 30 mins, walked up to McDonald's by Galleria for a coffee to kill time). I would recommend making reservations because it was packed on a Sunday morning). Ordered the Fatoush salad, one of the best and got the Shakshuka with hummus (rather than just Shakshuka, might as well do it up!). I can't recommend enough, I'm already planning my next meal there! read more

Found this place on opentable and it did not disappoint. Very LGBTQ friendly and an open environment suitable for all people. The menu looked kind of small but made me throb. The food was exquisite and every dish was gave more than the last. Overall 7/7 would come back here any day of the week read more

Parallel - Counter clockwise starting from top: sundried tomato tapenade, Beet Tahini, Walnut & Lemon Pesto, Truffle Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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The flavour of their truffle hummus is "unparalleled." The truffle hummus was my favourite. It had small, savoury button mushrooms on top, and some herbs. Lots going on with it. Strong flavours of tahini, or "sesame butter" as they call it. The labneh was also quite good. The salad of their namesake has a pink dressing because of the beets, and a tasty goat cheese on top. The menu says they use ethically-sourced local meat only, which is nice to hear. The sumac and basil cocktail is quite delicious. One of the few places I've ever seen the Lebanese liquor Arak on the menu. I didn't get a chance to try it but maybe next time. The portions are quite filling. 3 people can share 4 items. Nice patio. There's still some items on the menu I'd like to try, and others I'd like to have again, so I'll definitely be back. Still craving that truffle hummus. I had hummus at Tabuleh and it just wasn't the same! read more

It pains me to write this review as the food is 4 stars. With food better than average and visually appealing... the service unfortunately failed quite miserably. Not only for me but for most other patrons to the point people walked out after the order screw ups, lost orders, and not refunding the full amount paid for a meal never received (we heard they only refunded the food and not the tip... what??). In a new hot spot on Geary St, Parallell is in a converted old garage space. It's modern hipster cool as the exposed ceilings on the vaulted 2(+?) stories stands among the commercial machines. It has it's own little indoor herb garden as well. It reminds me of a very cool loft space. The kitchen is open among the incredibly busy setting... we arrived to a huge line up. Tables were all fully taken and we were told the line up wasn't moving because they were no longer taking orders. Quick note about the parking situation... good god it's hard. You need to probably drive around a few times to find a legal parking spot. Only street parking is available... if you can find it. Service here is what failed Parallel to live up to it's fullest potential. On a Saturday, to call it organized chaos would be generous. It was dazed and confused, haphazard, and lazy. Often times, it felt most people (other than the cooks) were just dialing it in. The line up was at least 20 minutes long before we even got to the front to even order. The person at the cashier looked stunned... as if they were unable to do more than go 'uh huh' because of the mounting line up and pressure to do things quickly. He never explained once how the place worked... I learned the hard way, coffees were different than the food ordering, it's mostly self service as you get your own utensils, water, and return the dishes, and you should have someone in your party get a table before you even get to the ordering. It would have been nice to get a minute intro to that or be able to read something along the very long line before hand. As for the food delivery... very confused servers may give you the right order. They are not sure what they're handing to you all the time and can actually give you the wrong dish to the wrong person. What maybe neat but totally doesn't work is that you get a numbered buzzer that helps track the location of the number so the servers should know where to deliver. It doesn't work in practice as we saw a few times wrong delivery to wrong tables and then they take buzzer away to only let people to receive half orders with no recourse to get the rest of the meal. Just... unfortunate. Chopped Salad - This is not your Canadian Grandma chopped salad. This is a full on onion assault on your taste buds. There are no leaves to this salad but it has cucumbers, (lots of) onions, parsley, tomatoes, chick peas, boiled egg, and nicely heated tahini. It was a nice light lunch for those who want a bold flavour. I just found it a bit too strong on the onion but that's just me. 3.5/5 Parallel Salad - A visually stunning salad with the vibrant raspberry pink beet tahini drizzled over a lush salad of kale, sweet potatoes, goat cheese, walnuts, and a bit of lentils. The citrus dressing on the leaves was a nice burst of light flavour to cut through the more richer tahini. Just a great vibrant light lunch salad. 4/5 Falafel - The star of the food dishes... honestly, really good. I've been on a major search in the GTA to find a falafel half as good as the ones I've had in Dubai. It's been a desperate search but Parallel has made some deliciously spiced and nicely crispy versions that reminds me of my time in UAE. The crunchy exterior gives way to a vibrant emerald green and deliciously spiced (is that garlic and cumin I detect?). This came fairly fresh and hot from the kitchen with a bit of mild creamy tahini. Very good. 4/5 Flat White - Highly acidic and barely drinkable. I dont think we made it half way through this cup. It was very sour as if the oils on the bean turned rancid a bit. It didn't make for a good way to end the meal. 2/5 I did read a 1 star review from the couple near us who had to leave empty handed because of the service screw ups. I believe they werent refunded everything they paid for no food either. It's unfortunate they took down that review as I don't know the full account but heard enough. Actually, there are a few 1 or 2 star reviews on this place that has gone missing all of a sudden. It's really quite weird. I do want to say if they do improve the service, it would be a great casual lunch spot. With what I experienced, it was pretty terrible and I dont think I could in good conscious recommend this spot ... even with the best falafels I've found in Toronto so far. read more

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Food was amazing! Parallel salad is the best salad I have ever had! Friendly and very attentive staff. Great little patio for a date night or group date with friends. read more

Wow did we ever enjoy this establishment. I've heard shit things about there dinners but the brunch was fantastic! Highly recommend! The server looked at me once and knew how much food my fat ass would need to be satisfied. He was right! Thanks Guy! read more

Parallel - All the goods. - Mediterranean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Not sure if it was an off night, but certain dishes just didn't taste all that great. The hummus was not smooth and creamy. It was a bit dry and grainy. Tabouleh salad was delicious though. The chicken dish is HUGE, so be warned. Pita was very nice and fluffy. Falafel tasted slightly bitter from the darkened exterior. Very fluffy on the inside though. I've had better tasting falafel though - there was just something missing in this (maybe needs more seasoning?). Parallel is good enough to try once, but I will not be coming back. To be fair, my expectations were high as I have been waiting for years to try this place. Unfortunately, not all expectations were met. read more

After stumbling upon this place, it's all I can think about. The place is a store front and cafe for what really is a tahini-erie. I.e these guys are grinding sesame seeds with a refurbished stone grinder from Syria that's 150 years old, to make silky smooth tahini. They currently have three flavours, beet, smoked, and regular. All of which are excellent, the smoked being my personal favourite. In terms of the cafe, they have some really interesting modern twists on classic dishes, but not straying too far. The menu is small but packed with flavour (and fat, so great for vegeterians, but a splurge for calorie counters). From the Israeli middle eastern side, you'll find the mushroom hummus dish (they call truffle hummus) and from the Lebanese side, Arais. It's hard finding a good Arais in Toronto, and theirs is really quite good. The halwa's have interesting fusion North American flavours. The juices/shakes are significant. But by far, the star for me is their falafel. I was born and raised in the Middle East, and I'm in and around the region fairly often, but no one has made falafel this good in my life. Bravo to these guys. To sum it up, come here for a modern take on middle eastern food, not straying too far from the original dishes. Note that this is a cafe however at the end of the day, not a restaurant. read more

The food 11 out of 10 The service (and Olly) 11 out of 10 The style and space 11 out of 10. What a sweet gem. Can't wait to return ... The food is insanely amazing. read more

Great food and service. We will be back for more. It was quiet inside when we arrived for 5pm but it picked up fast