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    Zaffron Restaurant

    3.0 (101 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 11:00 pm

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    ZAFFRON RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Zaffron Restaurant

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    Sunny C.

    This was the best meal I had in Toronto during my entire trip. What a great restaurant! Every single dish was excellent. There was a live music performance around 8:30. That really added to the great atmosphere. I was here with my family, 7 of us. The music being sang had quite a few oldie throwbacks, so of course, my aunts and uncles were really into it and began singing along. It was great! The arrival time of everyone had about a 30 minute gap and the waitress was respectful, seated us, and did not pressure us to order. We waited until the last person arrived before beginning our order. We began with some dips. There was a spinach dip, two eggplant dips, a walnut dip, and a yogurt dip. The eggplant dip was so delicious. I ate so much of the bread. I added the eggplant to the rice once the rice came out. Then came the salad. I did not try much of that because it was just regular salad and had olives. No thanks! Then came the soup. Mmmmmmm! It had little bits of carrot, celery, and was a thick barley soup. I love the food here because everything is SO delicious and SO healthy! Wish I could've grown another stomach for this meal. We got a sample platter of meats so that we could try a little bit of everything. There was very soft steak, then kebab beef (soft like what you find in gyros?) and chicken. Not a huge fan of chicken here, but ya got me. This is the place to eat chicken for sure. The grilled flavor is so rich. There are many spices working together, flavors my taste buds have never experienced before. We enjoyed this meat platter with the gloriously large plate of rice. Basmati rice with some butter spread over it. The yellow from the saffron along with another dark red/brown spice that was on the table. I am not sure what it is called, but it was zesty and my uncle said it lowers cholesterol. Delicious and great for your health. Why isn't there more of this food back home? As I was struggling to fit all this food, the most amazing piece of lamb arrived at the table. It was so nicely prepared. The meat fell right off the bones as we shared it. It came in a little heat-proof plate, the kind fancy restaurants use to serve tiny portions of pasta. This piece was not grilled nor elaborately spiced. This was simple. I have never had such a soft piece of lamb meat until this point in time. As the night went on, service became a lot slower. It took a long time to get napkins and tea. Tea took 15-20 minutes to make. There was only 2 other tables in the entire restaurant...and it took so long to make little tea bags. I cant take a star off for that though, the food was really phenomenal. And for those of you who like healthy things, the sodas there are served in glass bottles which means there is no high fructose corn syrup in them. I definitely will save this location to come back to whenever I have the opportunity to visit Toronto again. There is some parking out front, but it is very limited.

    Inside
    Miss Lady ..

    Ridiculously overpriced kabobs. We ordered two single skewers of Kabob and they had the nerve to charge us $27 for it. We can go to Kandahar Kabab and pay $5 per skewer and get the same quality (size might be 25% smaller) Other than that, we had the fesenjan and dizi and pickled garlic. Dizi was kinda bland and tasteless and the fesenjan was typical. On both of these meals, you get a good amount of food for what you're paying. The pickled garlic is exactly like you would expect, very vinegary and sour, not a strong garlic taste. Remember to take the skin off before eating it. The table was unstable which was annoying because it kept rocking while you're eating. It had a reasonable selection of Persian food but I would recommend that they have more traditional rice dishes like Javaher Palow. I would recommend this place for their other Persian dishes, but I would not pay their prices for their kabobs. There is free parking in the back.

    Vaziri (chicken breast & ground beef skewers with garden salad)
    Jasmine L.

    Came here to celebrate Persian New Year after hearing great things about their entertainment, food quality and portions from my Persian friends! It was my first time trying Persian food...and I'm addicted! //THE FOOD// My favourite dishes were... KASHKEH BADEMJAN - eggplant garlic yogurt sauce appetizer. Such a rich combination and it's AMAZING when paired with their in-house naan bread which is topped with sesame seeds. FESENJOON - sweet & sour stew made with pomegranate juices and chicken. My taste buds were immersed with the unique flavours, and the stew was comfortingly warm and thick. KOOBIDEH - It's known to smell like 'eggs' (amongst a similarly off-putting smell...haha), but it tastes WAYYY better than it smells. Koobideh is essentially juicy ground beef patty skewers. Seasoned well and I highly suggest getting the included side dish option of garden salad to go with the skewers (they can also do half basmati rice too). AKBAR MASHTI - Persian dessert ice cream that tastes of saffron and mainly rosewater with chunks of pistachio. Hands down, this has become my new favourite ice cream flavour. I also tried their chicken breast skewer (which was surprisingly juicy!), rice stuffed grape leaves with yogurt, and their Faloodeh Persian sorbet dessert (rose water ice with vermicelli, it's sweeter than I'd prefer but it is neat that you can top it with the lemon juice or the cherry syrup provided). All their dishes were so filling, I definitely took a ton of leftovers home! //THE ATMOSPHERE// I felt like I got a full cultural experience with the live instrument performance, DJ playing Persian party music, and lots of dancing! My friends and I had so much fun! //OVERALL// I'm so glad my first encounter with Persian food was at Zaffron. I am obsessed with their bold flavours and I can't wait to come back for more!

    Shirazi salad, barley soup and complimentary pickles.
    Dorna R.

    Amazing kebob options here! The food was absolutely delicious and the service was great. We ordered the barley soup and shirazi salad as appetizers, and Sultani kebab as the main. The soup was full of flavour and perfect for the cold day, the salad was refreshing and I really liked the dressing on it. They also gave us complimentary bread and pickles. The bread tasted like it was baked in a wood-burning oven, so good! Then the main came: sultani is one skewer of ground beef kebob and one skewer filet mignon (comes with rice and a smokey tomato). Both kebabs were juicy and smokey and flavourful. Their Persian tea comes with sugar cubes and is a perfect way to end your meal on a cold winter (or spring) day. The portion sizes are huge here: one main, one soup and one salad was just enough to fill up two people. Will definitely be back when I am in the area!

    a plate of food on a table
    Ali A.

    Their soltani was delicious. The restaurant offers a variety of Persian food. The price was reasonable. Looks a nice venue for gathering and throwing parties. I think they have live music but since it was our first visit, I cannot tell you when and how it would be:)

    E S.

    We had a pleasure to meet Mr. Eskandari the owner and his friendly and professional staff. We enjoyed the food very very much as they were very tasty and delicious. The service and environment were just great. I do appreciate Mr. Eskandari's support as we were traveling from US to Canada and when we landed at the airport and started to search on yelp for restaurants and found Zaffron. I remember I called him three times and asked for the direction, reservation, and menu .. and he answered them all patiently and when we walked in I realized I was talking to the owner all three times. This nice attitude comes from his confidence and work ethic he has and the great service he offers. We will come back soon in our next trip to Canada in July and enjoy the restaurant, food and meet him again.

    Shirazi Salad. Love this stuff!
    Lana D.

    3.5/5 - this place is usually friend and my go to place for Persian food. We used to go quite often but lately it just hasn't been the same. When we arrived I thought there was a private party going on but apparently every Friday and Saturday night they have live entertainment. As per the other reviews below, yes the entertainment is super annoying. I couldn't concentrate ordering with my server because yes the singing was bad. Note to self - don't come on Fridays and Saturdays. It seemed pretty packed when we arrived and people end up clearing out by the end of our meal. The food is decent. Usually I go for koobideh which is their ground beef with basmati rice. Today I felt like having half salad and their garden salad is typical iceberg with thousand island dressing (don't recommend it). Today it was good. I usually add butter to the rice because I find it slightly dry. We also had shirazi salad (cucumber, tomato and spices) which was nice. I enjoy their bread as well. Our server was super nice, my friend often sees her and she is very sweet and courteous. We finished our meals with tea and by the time we were done the restaurant was closed and they didn't rush us out which is nice. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. But when I'm craving Persian and in the area I might stop in.

    Friendly staff bur poor management and very low quality food, i cant stress enough how bad it is, im pretty sure the owners never been to a decent restaurant before or never heard of customer service, either way its just a waste eating there. The whole point of a review is for people to express their opinion without getting harassed by the management. Also just because a Resturant been there for many years that doesn't necessarily mean their any good. Pictures are just simply screenshots of how management replies to just about any negative feedback.

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    thank you for the great pictures and review

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    Page 1 of 3

    Aleppo Kebab

    Aleppo Kebab

    4.5
    (88 reviews)
    11.5 km
    $$

    I thought thirds time a charm, but it didn't work, I got the Lawrence plate 12.99 they give a lot…read moreof food but the bbq sauce was way too overpowering, and it had a bitter after taste, I called them and the order was ready pretty quickly they did do a renovation it looked a lot better inside, but yeah the taste of the Lawrence plate was not good at all, the way they make it look on social media, and real life completely different. I think bbq sauce on shawarma should be illegal, it doesn't work at all. I thought Johnny Shawarmas was a lot better than this. This is the last time I will come to Aleppo kabob price wasn't bad for the amount of food they give you but taste was not good at all.

    What just happened?…read more I used to love this place. In fact, I would drive 30 minutes each way just to pick up some of those tasty kebabs and that unforgettable garlic sauce. The food was so full of flavour and care, it stood out among Toronto's many Middle Eastern options. Lately, I'd been seeing a lot of their mouthwatering Instagram videos--chicken shawarma piled high, platters being loaded up with garlic sauce and fries, etc.... What can I say? The marketing worked. I started thinking about Aleppo Kebab and decided to order some for lunch via Uber Eats. Unfortunately, the meal fell flat. The shawarma was bland, and flavourless. The rice, once fragrant and almost biryani-like, was now just plain and forgettable. The salad was not dressed, the garlic dip tasted like it came out of a can, and the sujuk rolls were coated in a chalky flour residue that made them unappetizing. I'm not sure if this was just an off day or a more systemic issue. But every part of the meal was underwhelming. It's disappointing, especially when I know what they're capable of. They've clearly stepped up their marketing game--but if the food doesn't live up to the hype, no amount of social media will keep people coming back. I'll give it one more try before writing it off completely, but here's hoping the Aleppo Kebab I once raved about makes a comeback. Until then, 2 stars is fair.

    Photos
    Aleppo Kebab
    Aleppo Kebab
    Aleppo Kebab
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    Beef Sandwich
    Shamshiri Restaurant

    Shamshiri Restaurant

    4.1
    (15 reviews)
    3.7 km

    The food was amazing and the portions for huge! There was so much rice and everything was very…read moreflavourful. The staff was very nice and attendant, service was good. Restaurant itself is very small with very minimal parking but other than that it is a very nice spot.

    Decided to try this place out for a weeknight dinner as we were in the neighbourhood. We called in…read moreour order and were told it would be ready in 25-30 min. When we arrived, the smallish restaurant was packed with diners (only about 7-8 table in all) and there was a line up of people who were waiting for their takeout orders. We ended up getting our order 55 minutes after, not 30 minutes as we were told on the phone, so minus 1 star. Since it was our first time trying the restaurant, I ordered more food than we needed for our dinner to share with my in-laws who live nearby; family combo 2 and lamb neck dish. Little did I know that both orders would come with humongous portion of rice, which took us forever to finish. The family combo came with 2 juicy strips of well-seasoned koobideh, 1 skewer of breast and 1 skewer of dark meat joojeh kabob, 4 char-grilled tomatoes and good amount of grilled chilies (not spicy). The lamb neck dish included 3, fall-off-the-bone tender lamb pieces that were impossibly delicious. We opted for the rice with fava beans for this dish and it was super flavourful with addition of dill and other herbs. The overall first experience here was good and I hope to try out more of their offerings soon.

    Photos
    Shamshiri Restaurant
    Dark meat
    Dark meat
    Homemade Doogh

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    Homemade Doogh
    Ocak Basi

    Ocak Basi

    5.0
    (4 reviews)
    4.9 km

    Amazing food experience of real Turkish food. We had a feast and thoroughly enjoyed our time here…read morerelaxing after a long week. The owner was our host and he was so friendly while juggling multiple tables and training new staff. We started with Baba Ganoush and Coban Salad, adventured into the unusual with the Kelle Paca and feasted on the Chicken Shawarma and Beyti Kebab. Quantity is generous with each dish and we ended up packing up the equivalent of one full meal between all the dishes to take home. I love that they have a coal grill right in the restaurant, grilling up delicious meats fresh to order but there was no smoke in the dining area. Also, there is a cafe area and a bar area when not eating, as their were patrons hanging out and relaxing in the spacious area. My personal favorite for the night was the Kelle Paca as I've never seen it in any restaurant. It is a hearty tomato based soup made of head meat. It sound crazy but is absolutely delicious! I like the different chunks of meat, all slightly different in texture and taste. End the meal with some traditional tea!

    Visited with a friend at lunchtime - we really enjoyed it. We got the combination platter for two…read more The bbq was delish, and the mezze were great - hummus, olives - complimentary tea to start and fruit to finish! The service was courteous and friendly. The vibe is fun, decor felt authentic Turkish. I'll be back with my family :)

    Photos
    Photo
    Photo
    From the sidewalk looking at the restaurant front the driveway where there's a sign with the restaurant's name & phone number. May 2021
    From the sidewalk looking at the restaurant front the driveway where there's a sign with the restaurant's name & phone number. May 2021
    From the parking lot looking at the restaurant front entrance. May 2021

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    From the parking lot looking at the restaurant front entrance. May 2021
    Efendi Restaurant - Bayview

    Efendi Restaurant - Bayview

    4.0
    (33 reviews)
    4.4 km

    Lovely ambiance with modern classy decor. Came for a family dinner with a reservation and was…read moreseated in a round booth to enjoy our meal. To make things simple the four of us shared the mixed kebab for 2, mixed pide and the pomegranate salad. With the complementary bread and dips, it was the perfect amount of food. Food quality was great, with so many great morsels on the mixed kebab platter. Very much worth it!

    Food is amazing, but service is non existent…read more Food 5/5 Service 1/5 Ambiance 4/5 Came with a reso for five adults and got seated promptly. The restaurant got busier throughout the night. The restaurant has a beautiful interior and high ceilings. Service here is little to none. Which is unfortunate since their food is so good. After taking our orders we were never checked on. Asked 2 different servers for extra serveware and never got it. Had to ask more than once to get water. Overall the service is BAD. What saves this place is definitely their food, as it's very delicious. Definitely start with their variety of dips for sharing. Here's what we got: Mix Appetizers 5/5 - Came with hummus, baba ganoush, spicy mashed and haydari. All delicious and served with fresh bread. Mixed Pide 5/5 - This was also great for sharing and tasting the variety of pide options. Came with cheese, minced meat, and sausage. Mix Kebab for 2 5/5 - This was more than enough to share with the five of us, as portions are large, especially when you are ordering other sides. A variety of meats including lamb, chicken, beef served with rice and salad. The meal ends with complimentary tea. Overall, delicious spot with great food but just lacks any type of service. So good that I'd still come back for their food.

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Beyti Kebab
    Beyti Kebab
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    Zaffron Restaurant - persian - Updated August 2026

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