Ranks among Beli's top Toronto brunch spots for good reason. Everything is well-priced, seating is…read morecozy without feeling cramped, and the service was friendly and extremely fast. Do be prepared for a bit of a wait. We came on a Monday at noon and still waited 30 minutes. Lentil Soup Probably the biggest surprise for me. The soup has the perfect texture: silky but substantial. It's well-spiced and reminds me of South Asian flavors (rasam, to be specific). The accompanying bread and pickles were just the cherry on top! Cairo Classic I had low expectations for this dish, since it seems to be 90% beans. But once again, I was shocked by how flavorful everything was. It came with a single falafel, which may be one of the best falafels I've ever had. If I came back, I'd opt for the falafel dish over this one. Maha's Mind-blowing Chicken The chicken really is mind-blowing. I found the form factor a bit confusing, it seems to be more for presentation than practicality. But the flavors are exceptional.

The 2 things I would rate most highly is the service and the vibe of the place…read more The waiter who attended to our table was very nice and trained very well to answer and give menu suggestions to help in the ordering process. The owner of the place, Maha, was also extremely pleasant going around tables and chatting with the customers. The restaurant space was a little tight, but it has a lot of character. It gives a very welcoming and homey feel. One minor gripe I have is that the utensils appear to be sealed or covered the wrong way. It was the ends of the spoon and fork that was covered with napkin and not the actual surfaces that come into contact with food. The ends of utensils that actually come in contact with the food and mouth just lie there directly on top of the dining table which is not the most sanitary. As for the food, the food serving size of the meal is great and is usually more than enough for a person. Ordering appetizers on top of the brunch meals will be good for only those that are heavy eaters. For food taste, I personally would rate it as OK to good. It was not bad, but just not something I would personally consider to rank as among my favorite breakfast fare. I enjoyed it more for the novelty of trying something different which is Egyptian food. The food was also a little on the pricey side. We (group of 2) came in at 5 minutes after 10 on a Sunday morning and were lucky enough to find seating (2 tables that can seat 4). When we finished and left at 11AM, there was already a long lineup outside.

From the kind and efficient service, to the lively ambiance, to the delicious dishes served, Mandi…read moreAfandi is the all in one package. I tried their Chicken Mandi and Mansaf, both of which were packed with flavour! We were also there during Ramadan, and they kindly offered dates, samosas, and water to break our fast. Will definitely come here again!

Dropped by for lunch on a weekend. The lentil soup was excellent and tasted really good. The…read morechicken was good and the lam was ok. The eggplant with the pita was really good as well. It was like a takeout restaurant but you select your seat and they bring the food to you. They also have takeout containers and bags for you to take home your lefties the platter portions are large.

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

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.

First time trying Papyrus. The service was great and the food was delicious. We had BIG EYE and…read moreover ordered but it was all worth it. There were 3 of us for dinner. We ordered a Sharing Meal for 2, plus a Mixed Hawawshi Plate, 3 desserts and 2 drinks. We ended up having to take some of the food home as there was no way we could finish everything. Our favourite items were: the Dokka, Hummus, Cucumber Pickles & Bissara, the Koshari, the Tameya, and the Bassbousa. Can't wait to go back again.

This was mine and my husband's first time eating Egyptian and we were so happy we did. The food was…read moredelicious. We opted for the family style taste of everything. There wasn't one dish we didn't love and it was even better that everything was vegetarian. We would absolutely come back here. What a great experience.

Shawarma is Too oily. They also don't "warm up" the pita bread. Other than that, I have no problem!read more

$8.75 for chicken shawarma is an unbeatable deal. Plus, it tastes great. The staff working there…read moreare a bit frenzied...pun intended. Seriously, their shawarma is not just affordable but it tastes freakin' great. I'm glad I stopped by for a bite. Keep in mind that they do not have adequate seating. This place is primarily a take-out spot.

I love Shawarma and Shawarma Royale offers great quality and taste. They have recently opened up…read morenew locations in Toronto and this location is right outside Pape Station which is very convenient. The owner, store manager and the staff are very nice and friendly and care about providing great customer service. They offer great variety of chicken, lamb & beef shawarma and kebab. They also offer very delicious falafel for vegetarians. The menu includes Greek food like gyro and Greek Salad as well. We tried both and really enjoyed them.

A couple years ago, there weren't many shawarma places on The Danforth, and now there's a lot of…read moreoptions. Of the newer ones is one of the Shawarma Royale chain. Compared to the other options, the offerings at this restaurant are more wallet friendly. Keeping with the royale theme, the sizes have royalty based names. As of the writing of this review, they have introduced a few twists on offer recently with their crispy wrap options. Of these, I tried the Hot & Cheesy which comes with a crispy, red spicy exterior shell that reminded me of a flaming cheese, while retaining the standard chicken shawarma fillings of meat, garlic sauce and pickles. I would recommend eating the crispy options immediately when ready. I also tried the standard chicken shawarma for comparison and it is pretty good too. I like the flexibility in being able to get a smaller or bigger wrap depending on the appetite. I also tried the falafel appetizer, and while the falafels were crispy on the exterior, I felt the filling was a bit too dense for my liking. I did appreciate the thumb indentures on the surface (a trick to ensure the falafel is cooked through in the middle more evenly). I feel service was a bit slower compared to other shawarma places, but they make up for it with variety and being more economical.

We visited Kabul Kabab House in the Gerrard India Bazaar and enjoyed the warm and casual…read moreatmosphere. The restaurant specializes in Afghan and Middle Eastern halal food, with classic kabab plates, rice dishes, and traditional flavours served in a simple and welcoming setting. The space feels relaxed and comfortable, making it a nice stop while exploring the Gerrard India Bazaar area. We tried the "Waziri Kabab Plate", which included a mix of flavorful grilled Beef and Chicken Tikka served with Qabuli rice and sides. The chicken and beef were tender, nicely seasoned, and freshly prepared, making the meal very satisfying. The portions were generous, and the overall experience felt authentic and comforting. The owner is very nice and friendly, making sure the customers are happy.

The best Afghan food in Toronto. Never have I ever tasted such authentic food that tastes like back…read morehome. The service is amazing, everyone is so nice and family like. And the interior paintings are to die for.

This place needs a huge portion warning! The falafel, cauliflower and salad were excellent…read more Service is prompt and courteous.

I didn't think I would like Mediterranean food, since I am pretty picky. I had ordered the lamb…read morekebab with basmati rice on the side. I had high expectations since the pictures on the menu looked very good. I was blown away with the lamb it was super soft and it melts in your mouth. The service was also excellent it took us about 30 minutes total to get the food and drinks we had ordered. They also had some very chill music playing in the background and all of the staff there were all smiling and very friendly

The family who own and operate this successful business have thrived during the most challenging…read morefinancial 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!

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.

The restaurant is VERY STRICT with adhering to a TIME LIMIT for seating…read more Signs on the table say: "We request you limit your sit in time to 45 minutes from the time you receive your order on the table." No matter how much food your party orders, no matter how large your party is, you must adhere to this time limit rule. We ordered Koobideh Kebab (ground beef) and chicken leg kebab with rice. It was very well-flavoured with saffron basmati rice and a chargrilled tomato. It was all very delicious. Darband Restaurant has been one our family's preferred places to dine at over the years, especially when we are looking for decent quality Persian cuisine near the Don Mills area.

Our family's go-to place for Persian food in the North York area. The meats are wonderful,…read moredelicious barg and koobideh kebab, juicy chicken, and the accompanying grilled tomato and rice is decent. We've also tried the stews, which are varied in flavour and spices, but we always prefer the grilled meats. Service is attentive and the restaurant is casual, suitable for both a family meal or a nicer meal out.