The folks at Shawarma Empire have known me for years…read more This is the real deal Levantine food. How do I know? I lived in the Middle East for over a decade. This place is SPOTLESS, the food is FRESH, the mujadarah rice outstanding. The marinades they use for the beef is addictive. Simply put: the best shawarma, rice and lentil soup in Ontario.

Tried the beef shawarma here and quite enjoyed this style of shawarma instead of the Lebanese style…read moreI'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.

Being from Miami, we unfortunately don't have a ton of amazing Middle Eastern food, which is why…read morewhenever I'm in Toronto, I try to hit up as many spots as I can. For the last few years, Alpha's has been my undisputed #1... but I can officially say Ghadir's chicken shawarma may have taken the top prize. Amazing sandwich & fries. Super fresh, super flavorful, and everything you want in a good, authentic shawarma. Absolutely loved it & will definitely be back!

Tucked inside a Scarborough grocery hall, Ghadir makes no attempt at pretense, and that is…read moreprecisely its charm. The cooking is honest and generous, platters built to feed a family rather than to flatter a photograph, priced with a fairness that feels almost old fashioned. You taste the culture in it, that instinct to keep the table full and everyone around it looked after. The service carries the same sincerity, warm without performance. The room is functional rather than designed, so those hunting for atmosphere will find it in the bustle rather than the decor. A small price, and an easy one to pay. This is a place worth going out of your way for, and worth supporting. Go.

I have been to multiple naan and kabob before and the food is always so good. My go-to is the…read morechaplee plate, it comes with two patties, salad, rice and naan. The beef patties were really flavourful and tender. The rice and salad are the perfect pairing and fills me right up. The naan at this location wasn't very fresh, the bread was a little hard. I came here around 1:30 pm on a Sunday and only a few tables were occupied. The service was really good and the food came out pretty fast.

The OG Naan and Kabob. I've been coming here for years and it just seems to be getting better over…read moretime. They have updated their menu and continue adding quality options. Make sure you get some eggplant and boulanee with your food! This restaurant is great for small groups with shareable options - good spot to bring coworkers for lunch. Restaurant is beautifully decorated with good vibes and friendly service.

Amazing food. Nice ambience. Friendly service. The chef came to our table to say hello.read more

Wow we are walking distance from Darna but it took us five years to finally try it. We've been…read moremissing out! Well-lit, slightly modern looking decor, comfy atmosphere that's pretty casual. Lots of different people helped us out, took our order, brought food etc. but it felt like the service while good, was just slightly below great. We got the veggie clay pot and the mixed grill to share between two people, and my son got a fattoush salad and the kebbeh. The mixed grill was great, all the meats were flavourful, and tender/juicy. It came with a lamb/beef kebab, some beef tenderloin, and some chicken. I think there were roast potatoes too, but my memory is a bit fuzzy on that part. The veggie stew was poured onto a plate of bulgur and was really really good. Lots of flavour, all the veggies (carrots, cauliflower, onions, etc.) were tender. the juices ran through the bulgur which made for a great side dish to go with the meat. The kebbeh was tasty but still a bit disappointing -- there were only three, and didn't feel like quite enough to make a meal. Luckily the fattoush salad was huge otherwise my son would have left the restaurant hungry. Compared to some of the dishes we saw on other tables, this dish seems to be an outlier in terms of quantity of food, and it's certainly not worth the $28 price; I wouldn't recommend it. Despite the disappointment with the one meal, all the food was delicious and I still felt like the meal on the whole was good value, and I wouldn't mind going back to try some of their other dishes.

You can find shawarmas on every street corner in Toronto (or just about), but here you get Middle…read moreEastern seafood. Given that much of the Middle East borders the Mediterranean, the lack of Middle Eastern seafood in Toronto is sad - but Ghadir Fish does its part in representation! They get 4.5 stars. Jumbo shrimp were grilled over charcoal. They were very fragrant & pretty tasty. It came with 3 (!) sides. Rice was good - fluffy & spiced with a noticeable cumin flavour. It was not salty despite its look. Batata Harra (spicy potatoes) were good: a bit crispy. The dish also came with bread (for the baba ganoush, maybe) so don't overload on carbs with your choice of sides. The bread was a bit old & pre packaged but I just took it as a bonus anyway. The baba ganoush itself was decent. Portions are big here. If you choose mixed vegetables they're just tossed with olive oil and garlic. The red sauce on the side was slightly spicy - more tart. It was good too. You can get whole fish sold by weight here too. They have some Middle Eastern drinks, like Mirinda Green Apple from Egypt & Mirinda Citrus from Saudi Arabia.

I don't give out 5 star rating willy-nilly but this spot wow. The choose your catch aspect where…read moreyou choose the fish you want from the ice and then the frying or grilling part and even the spices they use. Perfect. The tabouleh and baba ganoush were great too. Service took a while but I mean it makes sense so you can't complain. The ambiance is really unassuming but you're here for the food and that's it. Great experience

Easily the best buffet in the area. While the selection isn't huge, the food quality and taste is…read morehigh. I much prefer this to any of the bigger (and busier/pricier) asian buffets. Pro tip is to come for lunch since it's cheaper ($25ish) and has pretty much the same selection. I've been for dinner but the roast meats they offer end up being dry (as with all buffets) so it's not a big loss. Service is great for lunch since it isn't as busy. Ambiance is quite nice with the tree in the middle of the restaurant. Overall this is a great place to try mediterranian food and have a buffet for a reasonable price. It's no Bib Gourmand reco but it's certainly worth a visit if you're in the area. Haven't tried the take out side of the restaurant so no comment there.

Jerusalem is located on Leslie and Nymark, in the Nymark plaza…read more Decided to try their Maza plate this time as it was a special BOGO. Interior seemed clean. They were preparing for the dinner that night. Food was ready in a timely manner. The baba ghanouj was my favorite then the hummus and then the tahini. The tabule salad is very fresh and parsley forward. The vegetables and pickled items were all quite fresh. The 3 falafel balls came out hot and crispy, moist and flavor inside. Comes with side of pita. Definitely recommend this restaurant.

It's been a few years since I wrote my review on Maimana so I figured it's time for an update…read more.. especially considering how many times I've eaten here! Over the years they've added various new items to their menu. Just when I think this place can't get any better, they add items such as Bolani, Quabili Rice and Dolma (just to name a few). It's getting harder and harder to settle on just one item for lunch or dinner. I want them all! The service is fabulous, the food is fabulous... clean, lean and healthy eating. You can't go wrong. This is one of my most favourite restaurants and the benchmark for which I rate all other Afghan restaurants. Go. Eat. Enjoy. xx

Listen I love this restaurant and have been a regular customer since the first week they opened in…read moreAjax. The food is consistently good and delicious, however their online ordering system is the absolute worst. This is the fourth time where my I have placed my order for pickup, I arrive at the scheduled time and the counter staff are perplexed and unaware of my order has been placed and accepted ( with both app and text confirmations). I have heard from the staff on each occasion is that it has something to do with the broken but quasi-functioning tablet. For my sake and on behalf of others, I will gladly purchase a replacement device so this issue is resolved once and for all.

First time trying Armenian food, but definitely not the last! The whole experience was wonderful…read morefrom start to finish. The restaurant is tucked inside a charming little house with a deck out front, string lights & such a cozy feel. When we arrived, it was packed with couples young & old and families, and the whole atmosphere felt low-key, warm & joyful. We ordered wine and a few things from the menu: Fattoush Salad, Sarma (grape leaves), Cheese Borak, dips (hummus, moutabbal & lavash eggplant) and Shish Taouk (chicken kabobs). While there are similarities to Middle Eastern food, there were some subtle differences I really loved, especially the chicken, which was incredibly moist & flavorful, and the Cheese Borak, which I'd never had before and was SO good. Everything we tried was delicious, the service was wonderful, and I would absolutely come back.

This Armenian restaurant gets 2.5 stars…read more Tanabour was rich, thick & creamy. Yogurt & mint meant it was a bit of an acquired taste, but it was decent.  Samsak was decent. The crumb was crumbly, though slightly dry. The beef tasted decent, though it was a little dry.  Ghacourma was alright. The beef was slightly dry. It came on rice which was confusing given the menu description. We got complimentary prepackaged lavash & pita on request to make the sandwiches, but given how simple the flavour was the sandwich didn't work as it was too dry & plain (since the bread was even drier & less flavourful than the rice). The dish was rather one dimensional without any sauce as the beef was very simply cooked. The rice was also simply cooked with pine nuts.

My go-to Shawarma spot in Scarborough. Freshly prepared right in front of your eyes. Lots of…read moretoppings whicha re customizable. I got the Chicken Shawarma Platter. It comes with Pilaf, Spicy garlic potatoes, Salad, Hummus, Garlic sauce, Hot sauce, pickled veggies and Chicken Shawarma and Garlic Pita on the side. Excellent combo! My husband got the Spicy Beef Shawarma roll which was tender, flavourful and juicy. Both tasted sooooo goodddd I am their regular customer and will be for the upcoming years as well.

I enjoyed a mixed shawarma here -- it was tasty with the sauce and pickle. The meat itself was…read moreokay, not as tender as I would like, but the serving was generous, with pieces of meat that were thicker and larger than typical. Their Baklava is delicious. They sell boxes of it for takeaway also. I'd recommend it.

Yalla by Paramount is a fresh and vibrant addition to the Middle Eastern food scene, offering…read moremodern touches to the classic flavours. The menu offers great variety of salads, bowls, pockets and sweets. Each menu item is fresh and full of flavours. The space is cozy yet feels lively and the colourful decor makes it welcoming. There are a couple of tables available for dine in; it's also great for takeout. We ordered "Beet Tabbouleh Salad", "Freekeh Salad", "Veggie Cone", "Falafel Cone", "Hummus", "Shrimp Rice Bowl", Chicken Shawarma Pocket" and "Beef Shawarma Pockets". Pockets are creative and one of their kind; definitely a must-try. Every dish was fresh and delicious and presented beautifully. In-house hummus, tahini sauce and tzatziki add extra flavour to every meal. The chef and manager are very friendly and make sure everyone has a great experience.

This is a new concept restaurant from Paramount Fine Foods. The restaurant is smaller and for more…read morecasual dining. There created Shawarma Pockets and Cones, while maintaining thei traditional Wraps and Bowls. They soft-opened on 2025-06-30. The Pockets and Cones are more affordable and can allow for a quick meal. In this instance, Yalla means "let's go". I ordered the following: 1. Beef Shawarma Pocket ($7.99). 2. Shrimp Rice Bowl ($11.99). 3. Mushroom Bowl ($11.99). 4. Canned Pop ($2.50). 5. Rice Pudding ($5.99). 6. Mouhalabieh ($5.99). 7. Meghli ($5.99). Obviously I didn't eat it all; I was bringing most of it home. The Beef Shawarma Pocket is ingenious since that alone was good for lunch. The Beef Shawarma was delicious! The ingredients for the Shawarma has changed to now use Top Sirloin and Lamb Fat. Lamb fat is tastier and more moist than Beef fat. The shrimps were perfectly grilled with accompanying sauces. The turmeric rice was fragrant and moist. The rice has 7 spices and cilantro in it. The Meghli dessert was an amazing dessert. It is tasty and refreshing. It is said to have very healthy and energetic properties; women who recently gave birth would eat it to revive their energy. It has aromatic rice pudding, cinnamon, caraway, and anise, topped with crunchy nuts. I will report about the other dishes when I try them at another time. There is adequate indoor seating (tables and counters) and outdoor seating (two small tables). The vibe is green and red, their restaurant colours. Paramount features Lebanese and Syrian cuisine. There is free WiFi. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, but there is no door-open button. There are separate male/female washrooms downstairs, so they are not wheelchair accessible. There is paid neighbourhood street parking. Review 2025-125