Zezafoun Syrian Cuisine located along Manor Rd near Yonge St serves up homemade, authentic Syrian…read moredishes in a cozy space. I've heard many good things about Zezafoun and was excited to finally try the place. The restaurant has about ~25 seats for customers indoors. They do have a small outdoor patio for when the weather gets warmer. Reservations are recommended during busy peak dinner or brunch times, however it is possible to get a table if you do walk in as well during non-peak times. I dined at Zezafoun with a party of 3 recently on a Sat evening. We didn't make reservations but walked in around 6:30 and was able to grab a table. It wasn't too busy that early in the evening but as the night went on the restaurant got busier. Service was great and friendly. Staff gave us plenty of time to decide what to order as well as gave us recommendations as well. The interior is warm and cozy. For drinks, I ordered the pomegranate juice which was unique and delicious. One member of my party ordered the rosewater and lemon juice which was refreshing and light. They also have Syrian coffee and tea as well on the menu which I will try next time! Food wise, we ordered and shared the following dishes: - Falafel plate (chickpeas patty fried and served with a side of tahini sauce) - Hummus (homemade chickpeas, tahini, lemon and garlic with a touch of olive oil) - Fattoush salad (Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, radish with Zezafoun dressing topped with crispy pita bread) - Kebbeh labanyeh (beef kibbeh in a cooked garlic yogurt stew served with side rice) - Maldoum (beef kufta wrapped with delicious eggplants in tomato stew and served with a side of rice) - Makloubeh (layers of rice, eggplants, and ground beef with tomato sauce served with side yogurt or salad) Food was delicious and unique! I've never had authentic Syrian food like this before and it was a delight. The appetizers we shared (falafel, hummus, and salad) were great to start the meal. The hummus was creamy and the falafel was nice and crispy. The crispy pita bread in the fattoush salad gave the dish a textural contrast, In terms of our mains, all the dishes were tasty but I especially enjoyed the makloubeh! Overall, delicious spot in Midtown Toronto for Syrian food in a cozy environment. Service was also spot on as well. Definitely want to return to try their brunch menu!

We enjoyed the Syrian breakfast; everything was so tasty! It's a great dish to share. They ran out…read moreof one of the dishes, but happily replaced it with delicious hummus! Every time I come here, the food is amazing!

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.

Aljazeera is a HALAL Iraqi casual restaurant that specializes in BBQ meats, freshly baked breads,…read moremanakeesh (flat breads similar to pizza), and hot/cold appetizers. All the meats here are charcoal grilled with the exception of the shawarma meats which are taken from a vertical spit. Chicken samoon ($11 CAD = $7.85 USD) - This consisted of freshly baked samoon bread (diamond shaped flat bread) filled with tender pieces of chicken shawarma and some greens. The chicken was extremely flavorful and tender. Iraqi kebab - Ordered this a la carte and it's their most popular kebab. The beef was so tender and had a wonderful charcoal and smoky flavor to it as well as some aromatic spices. Chicken tawook - This is their 2nd most popular meat and it too was extremely tender and flavorful. Overall I was really impressed with the quality and taste of meats here. This is the best Iraqi food I have tried. Service was extremely friendly and helpful. They also have their own black tea here called Wardah Tea which is a cardamom tea that they sell at their original grocery store location in Mississauga. It's extremely good so I had to stop by the grocery store and buy it to take back home.

Fresh and flavourful middle eastern BBQ…read more Atmosphere: We visited late in the evening and the restaurant was still bustling with customers. We walked in through the back (near the parking garage) and were immediately hit with the smell of spices upon entering, and once you walk past the washrooms, the space opens up to a few tables scattered on the perimeter of the restaurant. You order your meal at the counter and wait to dine in or take out the food to enjoy at home. There was glass so you could see how your meal was being prepared, and the restaurant was very clean. Food: The beef and lamb samoon was delicious, with a fluffy bread wrapped around very tender beef and lamb, and all the fixings (turnip, pickles, sauce). The lamb was a little gamey, but tasted very fresh and clean. Then shortly after, the mini BBQ platter arrived and we couldn't believe how much rice and fries were on the plate. The chicken was nice and tender, and lightly seasoned. The beef cubes were also nice and fresh, but could use a little more seasoning (we used the garlic sauce and hummus to add some more flavour). The kabab was my favourite of the three meats, as it was hand-formed and had more spice to it (enjoyable on its own). The fries were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and right out of the fryer with clean oil. The rice also had a yellow tint from the saffron and was quite fragrant. The salad was light and refreshing, although I found the green bell pepper threw off the balance slightly. I wish they provided more bread with the BBQ platter and slightly more meat and less carbs, but it's definitely more than enough to feed a person. Service: The staff both at the counter and serving the food were very warm and genuine, helping us with our choices and bringing us cutlery and food promptly. Great option for fresh and clean-tasting BBQ in a family-friendly environment

I recently had my bridal shower here after being a long time customer. And I couldn't have been…read morehappier with how the day went! I've been coming for years here and loooooove the food. Trust me you will never want any other chicken kebab after you have had this one. Lol. Pretty much everything is made in house and made to order. It takes longer coming to the table but omg it's so worth it. Food done right. I come for lunch often with my coworkers and usually call to order ahead to save time. There pricing is good for lunch and the girls who work there on the regular and really upbeat. My family isn't middle eastern but I love this spot so when I came time for my bridal shower I inquired about events and pricing. And folks, the price was right. Lol. It was great in fact for what the menu and the quality. The girls who worked there kindly let us come the night before to drop off our centerpieces, favours, game station goods and sweets. Not only that, I was please to see that they had set up our centerpieces on the tables and arranged our favours and game table! Having been in bridal parties too many times to count, I know that your average venue won't do these little extras for you. You have to either come in early or send a trusted friend to get it right. I was glad to see it all set up, it gave us extra time and took some stress off the day. The food was a hit with my family and the service was great. I was really able to enjoy my day with miminal stress. I wouldn't hesitate to gave another function here.

Really good at everything…read more Didn't expect such good middle eastern cuisine in the middle of no where.

Big, spacious restaurant if you'd like to come with either a group, or a more intimate setting…read more The service was exceptional, full marks. Full service bar. We got a round of Lebanese arak which was very smooth and of great quality. The lunchtime good options while not very extensive, are still of good quality. I thought the grilled chicken was a bit tough, but otherwise everything else was top-notch, especially the traditional middle eastern mezes. The pita bread is always fresh and fluffy. Excellent options for both vegetarians and those who aren't.

3 stars for food 5 stars for service hence the 4 star…read morerating. Went during lunch with my family. The salads are plenty but very citrusy. I liked the baba ganoush and hummus. Fresh warm pita is brought to the table. Some of the chicken was room temperature. There should be more options for mains. The food was decent but not memorable. The desserts station offers much variety however i noticed a hair on the syrup jar. Staff should monitor the buffet area frequently to keep an eye on everything to ensure cleanliness. Our server was absolutely amazing. We didn't get her name but she was an older (indian or west-indian?? not sure) woman and was so funny and kind. She made our dining experience amazing.

Three of us decided to try this local spot out for lunch. I had walked by here many times but never…read moreventured inside. We were fortunate as there was one table open in this quaint cozy establishment. Boris, one of the owners, welcomed and seated us. He is extremely friendly and polite. His wife, Sonya, is the cook. I give 101% for service! The food was delicious and perfectly prepared. Portions are large. Everything so fresh. Another 101%. Great ambiance in this elegant dining establishment and would be amazing for a romantic dinner out!

Great food, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere at Three Brothers Mediterranean…read moreRestaurant. A wonderful dining experience!

I LOVE this place. I NEED this place…read more Their pita bread is TRUE Levantine pita eaten in Syria, Jordan and Israel. It's thick, chewy, tasty and takes me back to the Middle East! They make the best pita in Ontario IMPO. I much prefer it to the thin pita which I'm not used to. I also picked up 6 "warak einab" (stuffed grape/vine leaves) for $4. This is so good in the summer with a squeeze of fresh lemon. The store is a Middle Eastern gourmands dream. They have everything you need including "ras al hanut" for meat. Their restaurant is very nice too. We've dined there a few times and always enjoyed it. Their grilled chicken hearts are my favourite.

Sababa in Thornhill doesn't chase trends--it outlives them. I've been eating here for 30 years,…read morewhich in restaurant time is basically surviving a war, and Sababa is still standing, still feeding people the way it always has: honest, soulful Middle Eastern food that shows up every day and does the job right. This is the kind of place where the menu hasn't been "reimagined," because it never needed to be. The chicken skewers dinner is a personal staple--charred just enough, juicy where it counts, seasoned with the confidence. The shawarma is famous for a reason: shaved hot, spiced deep, and piled without apology. You start with the dip platter because that's what you do here--hummus, tahini, baba ghanoush--the opening handshake before the real conversation begins. Attached to the restaurant is a grocery store that feels like a lifeline--shelves of hard-to-find ingredients, spices, and staples that remind you food isn't just something you order, it's something you live with. There's also a takeout counter with a few tables, perfect for quick eats that turn into longer stays because the food demands your attention. Sam Azar founded the place, and the legend goes deeper than the menu--he even made their lentil soup recipe public, giving it away to the newspapers like a gift, not a secret. That generosity still hangs in the air. Today, his children carry the torch, and you can feel the continuity: same spirit, same standards, same refusal to mess with something that works. Sababa isn't flashy. It's better than that. It's dependable, rooted, and quietly excellent--the kind of restaurant you measure your life around, not your Instagram feed. Find calm fam atmosphere, not TikTok madness with a side of chaos. CHEERS!!!

Best Israeli restaurant in Thornhill. Amazing owners,…read morefriendly staff Great food Shawarma and kebabs are one of the best Basic setup here as its a casual establishment. Tons of takeout. Need to come early for dinner as its one of the last places you can still eat for under $30 for a solid meal.

Amazing beef ribs with fries and salad. Large portions …read more Service good . Not fancy , but the quality and value are worth it.