The family who own and operate this successful business have thrived during the most challenging financial climates. Why? Because they have kept it REAL and AUTHENTIC. Poor facsimiles of shawarma places come and go, but Shawarma Empire has established itself as being the best BY THOSE OF US WHO KNOW! read more

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Tried the beef shawarma here and quite enjoyed this style of shawarma instead of the Lebanese style I'm used to. The wrap was in a fluffy pita pocket and the sauce had more spices that reminded me of Indian food. The wrap was generous and wrapped well with layers of beef and vegetables for well rounded bites. Nice folks too. read more

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I was letdown by my dining experience here. I only gave the place a go due to it being listed in lists of best shawarma places in Toronto. My order of the beef shawarma was underwhelming. The meat was not juicy, and it was dry. Sometimes, in other shawarma places, this setup was intentional because the sauce was meant to fill that role. That was also not the case here. If there was even any sauce applied at all, it would not matter. It was not anything special to remember. The setup of the place was also very dull. You just have the bare essentials. A generic everyday chair and table to seat guests. That is all. read more

Shawarma Empire - Beef shawarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

We had the falafel sandwiches and they were terrific. Highly recommend their lentil soup and spinach pies. Service is quick and courteous. Usually very busy. Atmosphere is all about take out mostly but some people do eat I. read more

Haven't been here in forever and decided to drop by. Area seems kind of random and parking can be a hassle when it's busy but it's worth it. Service is pretty prompt and polite. Food: Falafel wrap - don't be fooled, 1 pc of falafel in a wrap is a decent amount. Add the fresh veges, pickles, turnips and sauce, you've got a pretty good lunch. The falafel had that nice exterior crispness but a really tender, moist and flavorful interior. All the veges were fresh and add that crunch and brightness to the wrap. Wrap is a decent thickness to hold up all the food inside. 5/5. Chicken shawarma plate - loads of chicken shawarma that's moist and flavorful. Salad is decent portion and quite fresh. Lots of hummus that is delicious as side for dipping. Rice and lentils are really flavorful, lentils cooked well - I think there's some cooked down onions to give sweetness to the rice? Comes with a side of pita. Amazingly flavorful and balanced - 5/5. Price: The price is comparable to other shawarma places but the quality and consistency is top notch. No wonder why parking is always a mess here - it's so popular and for good reason! read more

Shawarma Empire - Chicken shawarma plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

Love everything on the menu, always ask for spicy and let them put everything in your shawarma.

Hands down the best shawarma I've had in a while and trust me, I eat a lot of shawarma!

The best shawarma in the city. And somehow, their falafel is even better. The best falafel I have ever had in my life. Palestinian food hits. The shawarma (beef or chicken) hits. They're served in traditional thick pitas and are stuffed (not wrapper) with huge servings of meat and fresh veggies, pickles, tahini, and super hot hot sauce. Super filling. But if you're hungry (and leftovers) the rice plates are enormous. Actually gigantic. And the flavor does not miss. Served on a bed of Mujaddara rice (rice with lentils and fried onions -- a complete meal on its own) with tabbouleh and classic salad, turnips, onions, pickles, and a huge serving of fresh hummus topped with tahini and hot sauce plus a side of fresh pita for $12/$13/$14 falafel/chicken/beef -- can't be beat. And you will have leftovers because the rice plate is huge. read more

Love the food and the price My Fav falafel Hummus Lentil rice Thaboule It's fresh , I go twice a month ( wish the hot sauce was free) read more

fast and efficient service! portions were HUGE, very generous with the rice and protein of choice. hype is real, will definitely come again read more

Shawarma Empire - beef shawarma plate chicken shawarma plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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Tucked away in a strip mall, lots of middle eastern shops, meat market, etc. If you drive too fast you might miss it! Place your order first with the cashier, pay and wait for your number to be called. As soon as they call your number, they ask, spicy or no spicy? Ingredients are fresh fresh!! You can see several bbq chicken & beef grilling machines turning. Prices very reasonable for the quality of food. It's always busy, majority of the people doing take out! .... And they are always unloading stuff, water, oil, etc.... read more

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The chicken shawarma was ok: nothing special. There was quite a lot of chicken but on its own it had no particular flavour: just generic seasoned chicken. It was moist enough, with a slight crisp. The sauces were forgettable. read more

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Doesn't look like much based on the plaza its in, but the shawarma was good. They really stacked it on there, didnt skimp on the chicken at all. I can tell its really made well. Would definitely choose this over the osmows. read more

I'm hooked I go there at least twice a week, great food and service, stuff always friendly and eager to serve you, always busy and great atmosphere read more

Absolutely my favourite Shawarma yet. It's located in this dingy parking lot but the place is so busy. The service is very organized and one server per customer. The place is very basic and nothing fancy but the Shawarma has the best flavour. Very deep in flavour, very consistent because I've been there several times. I ordered mixed plates and a side of falafel balls. Btw is the most delicious and light falafel balls ever. Also the sandwich look small but are packed with goodness. Hot sauce was great and they also put in some caramalized onions. Hands down the best Shawarma. read more

Shawarma Empire - Mixed Shawarma plate with a side of falafel balls. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

Amazing shawarmas here! The chicken and beef are both good but my absolute favourite is their falafal sandwich. The best. We crave these often even though it's a bit out of the way for us. It's just that delicious! The falafels are literally made fresh and fried to order. Perfect with all the fresh veggies. We order them with "everything" - all the veggies and sauces! Super small takeout shop. Honestly their service is also amazing, they're so patient with folks, it's always so impressive to see. We always eat a sandwich fresh in the parking lot (piping hot and crispy falafels) and also bring a couple home as well. Cannot go wrong with this spot! read more

Shawarma Empire - Falafel sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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Due to COVID, this review is based on takeout. I have to say, first impressions when i opened the bag at home, slightly disappointed. Portions not very big compared to the shawarma place close to home. My chicken shawarma in a pita was in those small pitas, size of my hand-ish. Whereas i'm used to the full size pita usually. The chicken shawarma dinner, also smaller than usual. HOWEVER, taste wise, DELICIOUS. There seems to be more flavours and seasonings in the meat. My pita sandwich tons of chicken on the top, and i said to my husband, well i'm sure once the chicken is gone, it's just salad in the bottom. Yes under the chicken layer, there was some salad, BUT there was more chicken on the bottom! It's like i won the jackpot! Chicken dinner, same delicious chicken. The rice though is what sets it apart from the other shawarma joints. This was mujadara rice, not just rice that was coloured yellow. Full of lentils and carmelized onions. Amazing flavour. my son gobbled it up so fast and barely left us any. Usually we get a dinner and sandwich and split between the 3 of us. This time since the portions are smaller, there wasn't enough. My only complaint, the pickles, they were mushy, i like a bit of a crunch. read more

I take Lawrence Avenue East going to and from work so I pass by a lot of shawarma joints during my drive. My friend and I were craving some yummy and perfectly spiced meat so we decided to go to Yelp for direction on where the best place to go to was. With a quick search of 'shawarma scarborough,' we sound Shawarma Empire. It was an empire indeed! On Friday evening at around 6, it was busy with customers lining up for take-out. There are 2, 3 tables so dining in is also an option. Both my friend and I live far from here so we went with dining in and enjoying our food on site. Everything is quite reasonably priced and the portions are beyond generous. In a strip mall, there's a lot of parking should you drive here. For under $10, I was able to get the Chicken Shawarma Plate. It was a filling dinner and I had leftovers for Saturday's lunch. Good for: shawarma, hummus, pita read more

Shawarma Empire - Chicken Shawarma Plate (generous portion) - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

I thought it was alright, the ambiance was alright with not very much decor. service was good, but the shawarma was more tropical, having a lot of vegetables and less chicken that i would have liked. read more

really tasty shawarma! I could say the best in Toronto The place where it is located is not pretty but the food is delicious read more

The food here is top notch. I had the chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, falafel, and mjadara. All delicious and top notch. read more

Shawarma Empire - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

Yummy shawarma. Always go here if I'm in Scarborough. It's gotten a little pricey which sucks

Whether you're someone who has loved shawarma forever or who first tried it after seeing 2012's The Avengers movie, you know how delicious this handheld wrap situation can be. Especially when it's a good one. So what is a shawarma? It's a dish from Middle Eastern cuisine that consists of seasoned meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical spit. Originally made of lamb (so look for lamb if you want the orig), today's shawarma may also be made with chicken, beef, or other meats. Thin slices of meat are shaved off the cooked surface as the spit continuously rotates. The word "shawarma" refers to the turning spit itself. Commonly served as a wrap, there are usually an array of additional toppings to choose from; diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, pickled vegetables, and tahini sauce, among others. Most people have their favourite shawarma place, I know I do. It's called Barakat and is located in London, Ontario. But when I heard that blogTO had named Shawarma Empire as the #1 Best Shawarma in Toronto, I naturally had to try them for myself. You'll find Shawarma Empire in Scarborough, so be prepared to go on a little journey. They're located in a strip mall that is filled with other Middle Eastern businesses which was my first clue that this place is actually legit. Going inside, it's a very fast food-style operation, which is to be expected. The walls are sky blue and there isn't very much going on for decor. But who needs atmosphere when all you need to feast your eyes upon are the three rotating spits, packed tall with chicken and beef. The menu offers sandwiches (they're calling them "sandwiches" but these are essentially the wraps), plates, salads, and side orders. I've never been much into the plates at these places because I always just want a shawarma - and to me that translates to a wrap in my hands. Another thing that I should clarify is that while I am well aware that shawarma can involve any type of meat, to me the ubiquitous choice is chicken. Therefore, when I say "shawarma," I am referring to a chicken wrap 100% of the time. In addition to offering chicken or beef they also do falafel and it's always nice to see a veggie option. First, I grabbed a canned Pop from the fridge on the side. I instantly grabbed a Vimto, which appeared to be the most appropriate beverage available. This drink originated in England but is now the dominating beverage of choice in the Middle East. The flavour is made up of grape, raspberry and blackcurrant. Although it pretty much tastes exactly like a cream soda. It's really good! To eat, I ordered 1 Chicken Shawarma ($5.99). (You can also order 2 Shawarma for $9.99, so that's a nice little deal.) I was asked what I wanted on it, to which I replied "everything" and if I wanted it to be spicy, I said "yes." It didn't take long until my hot pocket of goodness was in my hands. The first thing that I noticed to be uniquely different about Shawarma Empire is the bread. Instead of using a wrap (like every other place that I've ever tried) they are stuffing pita bread instead. I felt good about this. Is it more authentic this way? Did it get changed to a tortilla-style wrap in North America? Probably. That sounds like something that we would do. My "sandwich" was filled with cucumber, tomato, pickles, pickled turnip, parsley, and lettuce. A spicy sauce was added. I'm sure that there was also a tahini (or comparable) sauce used as well. Many places do a garlic sauce. Most of all, I was impressed by the generous pile of chicken jammed into my pita. They certainly did not cut any corners there. Every bite that I took was alive with big, savoury flavours. The chicken involved that perfect textural mix; some perfectly caramelized crispy pieces along with tender juicy ones. I also found the seasoning on the chicken to be quite unique. It seemed bolder and more involved than what is available at a typical shawarma shop. Again, I found myself leaning toward the assumption that this particular offering was likely closer to "the real thing." All of the vegetables were bright and fresh, my all-time favourite being the neon pink pickled turnips. (If I walk into a shawarma shop that doesn't offer these, I'm out.) The pita bread was warm and chewy. I really, really liked this shawarma. I can confidently say that it's the second best shawarma (see my definition above) that I've ever eaten and very likely the most authentic overall. I noticed that desserts were an option and decided to load up. Baklava ($2.25) is on the menu, however Kanafeh (one of my favourites) is not. Although I could see it sitting there, taunting me. Upon ordering the kanafeh, the friendly woman preparing my order lifted out a huge piece from the pan, put it into a container, and proceeded to douse the dessert with a liberal amount of sweet syrup on top. Upon doing a slight bit of research, I wouldn't be surprised if Shawarma Empire gets their kanafeh from neighb read more

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Just found this on yelp today and went today and saw it was really highly reviewed. This place was in the middle of no where. They had a good deal where you can get two shawarma for 9 bucks it looked small at first but they pack that bread with meat and boy was it flavourful I got a beef and chicken four shawarma cost me 20 bucks not bad very friendly owners the hot sauce not to spicy it tasted really fresh with the Parsley and the vegetables defiantly the best shawarma place I tried so far read more

Shawarma Empire - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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I think my journey to find Toronto's best Shawarma has come to an end. A few years ago, I had the most delicious chicken shawarma in Toronto, turns out the owner was Lebanese (which is the best) eventually he moved back to Lebanon and since then I haven't found a decent place. Shawarma Empire had amazing reviews but I'm sure that those people are not accustomed to eating traditional shawarma. First off, the bread they use is very very thick, and small. Secondly, they put the meat at the bottom and sorta layer the toppings but traditional shawarma is supposed to be a bite with all the toppings and meat. My first bite was all pickles and then as I went down it was lettuce. In terms of the meats, I tried both the chicken and beef. The beef was a bit on the chewy side and tough. The chicken was not bad, pretty juicy but maybe needed a bit more flavour. Now, overall I feel as though tons of people would enjoy this shawarma. However I thought it was average at best. Keep Eating, Angela read more

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The name gave me a laugh. "Shawarma Empire" - you got to be a hell of a shawarma restaurant to call it an Empire! Looking at the exceedingly 5 star rating, I was right around the corner and being lunch time I decided to try it out. It is a neat little place with a few tables. Would recommend taking out as the parking usually gets filled due to all the shops nearby and its not very appetizing to have your meal when hoards of people are standing before you waiting for the pickup order. I gave a quick look at the menu and ordered the Shawarma Plate. The guy was kind enough to explain me that it comes with salad and rice and could make it complete salad and rice as needed. I went with half and half. The Salad bar is screaming out freshness. I loved all their unique vegetables. It was quick and I was soon at the counter trying to pay for my order. Then an interesting incident happened that made sure am giving this restaurant a 5 star rating. Being from US, I only had my International Credit Card with no Canadian dollars on me and the restaurant only accepted Debit Cards or Cash. I said to the lady at the counter that I was sorry that I didn't notice the sign and asked her to cancel the order as I had neither of the payment methods. She hardly batted an eye and in an instant gave me the bill and said "That's okay Brother, pay me next time when you come by.. Have a good lunch". I was emotionally moved by this random kindness! And of course, I had a great lunch that day - it is still the tastiest food I have ever eaten from a restaurant. I understood that its not just taste that makes a food tasty - Kindness counts! I repaid my debt the next day thanking the lady again for her instant kindness and great food! Definite recommend! read more

Shawarma Empire - Chicken Shawarma Plate! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

As we drove through the parking lot, I kept asking 'is this it?!' And the answer was no, until we got to the upteenth lacklustre storefront. Do not let their minimalism deceive you. The food and service are phenomenal. I've been trying to find a go-to shawarma joint in the GTA for the longest time, but my search was uneventful - until now. This is my favourite shawarma place in the GTA! Let me tell you why. First off, the quality of the food is amazing. The meat is hot and the salad is fresh. The rice that you get with your plate is actually mejadra, which is a lentil rice. Never gonna complain when handed rice with some delish protein. Condiments are amazing, but the hot sauce has got a kick so proceed with caution. I've tried the plates and really like the chicken, but that's just a personal preference. Their shawarma sandwiches are also unlike those that I've seen before. It is a whole lot of meat encased in a pita pocket, unlike your typical pita wrap twist. This is a whole lot cuter. Grab a slab of baklava on your way out - it'll complete the meal! The best part of all this is that you can feed a family without busting the bank. Overall, this is some darn good shawarma. I was scarfing it down so quickly, I forgot to breathe. Aside from the food, the service is also great. They try to be quick with the all the orders and very sweet. Some helpful tips are get your order to-go as their seating is limited. Also, cash only (they have an ATM there but best to avoid their fees and get another sandwich). read more

Shawarma Empire - Mixed chicken and beef plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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Their marinade on the meat is like nothing I've tasted before, unique compared to all of the other places in the area, the prices and fair and the food is always delicious The portions are always great and the employees are all polite and friendly Their falafels are to die for, moist and tasty with a thin crisp outside to hold in all of that flavour Place can get really busy during lunch and dinner hours, I find it easier to call ahead and place your order so it's ready when you arrive Parking can sometimes be difficult but it's well worth it even if you have to walk! read more

One of the best shawarma in Scarborough and I will be back for more. My daughter loved it too.

Came here on a Sunday evening after seeing all the good reviews. The first thing I noticed was that the parking lot was busy and the spaces were narrow - I'd recommend parking in the next lot or across the street if you go here. The line up was quite long when I arrived but my food was ready pretty fast once I ordered. I got two chicken shawarmas for $8.99, as beef was sold out by that time :( Food: The shawarma was filled with chicken, fresh vegetables and sauce. I found that the portions were smaller than other places, but the ingredients looked and tasted fresh. After taking my first bite, I was disappointed that it wasn't warm enough. I ended up putting the remainder of my shawarma in the oven when I got home. Value: I wasn't impressed by the taste of Empire's shawarmas, but it is definitely an inexpensive option. I wouldn't make a special trip to come here, but this is an decent place to grab a quick bite if I'm around the area. read more

Shawarma Empire - Chicken shawarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

This place is rated highly so I gave it a go. No frills shawarma joint. I got the mixed plate to go. Service - 4/5; super friendly staff and the assembly line is well organized Food - meat was perfect, a balanced mix of the crispy bits with the moist morsels makes this the standout portion of the food. The accompanying veggies - not super fresh; tahini was spot on, hot sauce (left very little to the imagination); the hummus was fresh and the pita not so much. Overall a mixed bag so 3/5 here. This place made it into blog to must eats and although I'd try it again, I prefer the place across the street! read more

Solid 4.5 stars. Meat isn't piled at the top or bottom, and well mixed with the salad. The only thing keeping it from a 5 is the falafels, which aren't that good, even with tahini or yogurt. The lentil soup is amazing. I have no idea what they put in it to make it so addictive, but I always get at least two bowls here. Mix some of their lentil rice in and you will get a good, solid meal. If you go on a Saturday, parking can be a nightmare and wait can be a bit long. read more

I can see why this place gets so many positive reviews. Service is friendly and efficient. There was a line up when I got there for lunch. But the line moved pretty fast so there was not a lot of waiting involved. I ordered two chicken shawarma wraps for $8.99. It exceeded my expectations! The ingredients were very fresh and the chicken was delicious. It was a little on the small side but I guess considering the price, and the fact that the pita was filled right up, you can't go wrong. I couldn't find a parking spot in the strip plaza, so I ended up having to park on a side street. I look forward to returning for more delicious shawarma. read more

Shawarma Empire - Chicken shawarma sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

This is my favorite place to get affordable, delicious shawarma sandwiches and plates. They fill the pita with flavorful meat, fresh veggies and yummy hummus and sauce. The plates come with a pita so you can actually make 2 pita sandwiches and still have more meat, veggies, rice and lentils, and hummus leftover. Their goal is speed and quality. You place your order at the back then move to the assembly line where you see them making your order (you can tell them what you want and don't want on your food), then you move to the cash register where you grab your drink from the refrigerated case then pay cash for your order (they don't accept cards) and pick up your food to the right of the cash register. Don't worry if there's a line up because it moves quick. There are only three small tables to sit at but most people order to go. It's a hole in the wall place that serves up savoury, mouth watering food. read more

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Came here Friday night around 8PM and there was a slight lineup outside the restaurant. Since the place is fairly small, they only allow around 5 people inside at once. However the staff were super efficient and waited for less than 10minutes before going inside! We ordered chicken & beef shawarma, chicken & beef sandwich, and Baklava for dessert. The staff were so friendly and kind, they added a Kanafeh free of charge for us to try! Personally, I loved the chicken shawarma and beef sandwiches the most. As someone who has never tried either Kanafeh or Baklava before, they were both slightly too sweet for me, but my family enjoyed them! With the delicious food and friendly staff, no wonder this place has such high ratings and lines to get in! If you're around the area, definitely drop by for a visit. Just FYI - the restaurant takes cash or debit only! read more

VEGAN OPTIONS - Yes. But I chose non-vegan options. I adore this place. Their falafel is delicious! And consistent. And made to order. Their fries are tasty. Their toppings are super fresh. They are consistently slammed, but the quality of the food is consistently on point. Whenever I am in town I go out of my way to frequent this spot at least once. My husband loves the shawarma - especially the chicken. The only downside to this spot is the parking lot. It's slammed, and people can be a bit careless. My tip is to park further down within the plaza. Otherwise, no complaints about anything. The staff is really friendly and patient. They take their time with each order, and make sure that everyone gets the freshest and hottest meal. Plus, the double sandwich deals are a great value! read more

Shawarma Empire - Menu - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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The good thing is they have big screens to protect the food from people hovering over the counter. The bad if you care, is that noone wears gloves while they're handling your food. Though they wear masks. The food is decent but nothing too crazy. It may taste better if they could toast the pita. I got the chicken schwarma pita wrap. The size may look small when they make it, but they do stuff it so it's a good amount. It looks to be family owned and a lot of locals go here. But like I said, if you don't like the idea of no gloves on...don't come here. read more

Shawarma Empire - a person holding a sandwich wrapped in paper - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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THE. BEST. SHAWARMA. Hands down. The best in the city. The people are super friendly and generous portions. Two beef shawarmas are now $13.99 and chicken shawarma is $6.99. The meat is juicy and flavourful. They also don't scrimp on the toppings/fillings and sauces. Hummus is delish! They also have ayran, fruit juices and baklava for sale to finish off a great meal. Plaza is sketchy AF, so just fyi. Don't get weirded out by it! read more

The best shawarma I've tried so far and I've ordered from many different places. If it was nearby I would buy it all the time but I have to order it online which can be expensive. I highly recommend trying it if you haven't already. read more

I used to frequent other shawarma places along Lawrence nearby to Empire. All this time, I was missing out on a place that truly blows all the other ones out of the water, and is in true contention for the best shawarma in Toronto. I usually use the beef shawarma as a measuring stick for shawarma places. Don't get me wrong, I love chicken shawarma, but I find that many places get chicken right and beef wrong. Fear not, Empire gets them both right and amazingly flavourful. The way the shawarmas are made, continually layering meat and veggies, make it so that no bite is too much to one side, and it's very well balanced. What's also cool is that they use thicker pockets, instead of the usual thin pita wrap, and it does a good job holding it's own with all the goodies stuffed inside it. The baklava is also great, and is an excellent way to end your meal on a high note. Service is fantastic, and the staff are always smiling and eager to feed you. I lied. This place isn't in contention. This is the best shawarma in Toronto. read more

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