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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I live close and my high school was even closer so this was a common lunch spot. Out of all the shawarma places on Lawrence, this was the go to spot and I think it still it is aside from maybe Ghadir. They cut part of the pita and put it in the sandwich so it gets some sauce on it. It's a fun little extra step in eating the shawarma. The shawarma also tastes more curry-y than others. It may have to do with the spicy sauce they use. Although the shawarmas are smaller, they're also cheaper as a result. Instead of paying $15 for two shawarmas that you can't finish, why not get two that you can for $10ish? But that doesn't work as well if you're sharing so value depends on how many people are eating. The interior is nothing special and hasn't seen an upgrade at least in the last ten or so years that I've been going. That's alright since I usually eat out and some seating space is better than none but it's not usually a good place to hang out and relax. Also, they only take cash. So make sure you withdraw some before visiting. read more

Shawarma Empire - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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Reading all of the reviews for this place, I was extremely excited to taste it for myself. When I got here, there was a huge line which also built up my expectations. We got a shawarma wrap and a plate plus falafels on the side. None of these items were remotely good. The meat was dry, the meat portion was small, the vegetables were not fresh and the sauces were underwhelming. Needless to say I will not be returning and I want anyone who is planning to visit to reconsider. Based on the rest of the amazing reviews for this place, my visit may have just been an off-day for shawarma empire. read more

Got the 2x chicken (or could have chosen beef) shawarma sandwiches special for just over $10 with tax. The chicken is very flavourful and juicy with a little bit of those caramelized crunchy bits we all know and love from shawarma. They use the pocket variety of pita and it was very fresh and light. My only issue with the taste was the veggies, more specifically, the lettuce and tomatoes. They weren't the freshest which wasn't surprising given their soggy look in the display case. The tahina and hummus saved the day though like a couple of superheroes to help cover up the texture. The lady was super nice and friendly. Note that parking was tough to come by during a weekday lunch hour. Oddly, the mechanic next door (assuming) had a bunch of cars taking quite a bit of space in the lot. Will be back, but hopefully the veggies will be fresher next time. Rating: 4 Avengers out of 5 read more

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

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

History has always had empires..the British, Ottoman and Persian Empires just to name a few. But today I discovered there's one that shall stand above them all....The Shawarma Empire! Located in a run down old plaza with some horrendous parking stands an absolute food gem of a store. Serving some fantastic Middle Eastern Shawarma and Falafels, the menu is small, simple but delicious! The shawarma comes in both beef and chicken but they were sold out of the beef when we arrived so only able to rate the chicken. The chicken shawarma is fantastic! Tender and flavourful you basically choose to have it in either a sandwich or a platter. Both are great choices with the sandwich being a pita wrap and the platter with rice, salad, hummus and a pita. Portions are huge and the value excellent. The food is simple but so complex in flavour. Little tweaks like bits of fried onions, lentils in the rice, pickles in the veggies really take the food to the next level. I don't think I've had better anywhere else to be honest and I can see why all the high ratings are well deserved. Despite the big lines, service was quick and excellent. This is a family run restaurant that deserves all the success that it deserves. 5/5! Long live the Shawarma Empire!! read more

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This place serves their food with consistency. This place is better than Ghadir. Best friendly servers. Good eatery ambiance.

Best Shawarma ever. Hands down, this pocket sized pita sandwich will blow your mind with flavor. Chicken Shawarma with everything....extra spicy. The secret is the fermented hot sauce. It's addictive. I've asked to buy it by the bottle. It's a family secret. Don't let the line up deter you. The food is worth the wait, as all the people in line at lunch time will attest. Friendly staff and owners. You can taste the love in their food. read more

A local blog recommended this place. So the very next day at 11:00 am I went in. The place is tucked in the Lawrence Avenue East (south side) just East of Pharmacy. You might pass and over look the place. I asked for two chicken shawarma plates and a beef sandwich. What I got was three dinner plates. No big deal. Because my wife and daughter prefer mild I asked that all three plates were mild. All three meals were tasty. First off I like the brown rice with caramelised onion on top and peas in the rice. Next came the usual: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, onion, humus and the yogurt sauce. Now the daughter is very picky. She lined her half pita with humus and shovelled in some meat abs salad. She loved it. The wife was very happy and ate all of her chicken Shawarma my wife doesn't like pita. She ate both half portions by duplicating the daughter's effort. The only thing I did not see was the option to add extra meat. Plus the prices were reasonable. Meals are $12.99 and sandwiches are $11.99 read more

Best chicken shawarma I've had in ages. The fermented house hot sauce is absolutely incredible, so flavourful and just the right amount of heat. Excellent lunch all around. read more

Upgrading to full 5-star honors. Having learned from experience that I prefer the chicken over the beef, I went for 2 chicken today, both with extra white sauce, and one with hot. I can conclude that the one with hot is the way to go. There is just such a good balance of everything in this pocket of goodness, and having tried out some competition since my last review (fuzz box, Ibrahim's), I can say with authority that empire is tops in this town in this category. read more

Shawarma Empire - Chicken shawarma, extra white sauce (in yellow mustard squeeze bottle) - $7 for 2. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

I was told the chicken sharma here is one of the best in GTA. Sadly, when I arrived they ran out . However I tried the beef shawarma and it was amazing. Can't wait to go back one day and try the chicken. read more

Shawarma Empire was always known to be the best Shawarma place, so I tried. I ordered Chicken Shawarma plate. The size was big and the price was only $11 with tax. This was wonderful. Salad was fresh, hummus was good, chicken was tasty, and rice came wit lentil. That was very good meal. There were lots of staff and customers. It was hard to order, but one of the staff was watching who had not ordered yet and asking. They were friendly. They had some seats and table not many, but if you want to eat in, you can eat inside. read more

The old gem in the neighbourhood of shawarmas past 11am and shawarmas past 3am. Because shawarma before a date and shawarma after a date when you end up going alone with your boys/girls can only end well with a garlicky exhale of winning. This spot used to be the go-to place where my co-workers and I a decade ago would head to religiously every week because it was ultimately cheap and you buy 2 so you yam one down immediately and save the next for heating in the oven, or like cold pizza we brave the bite into the not so warm tahini but with that still powerful tang of the pickle. The parking lot can get so congested during lunch times, the line ups can get heated in the summer time but those cute pita pockets they stuff all that grub into will make all that not count, incognito, irrelevant and don't forget the mango juice. Fruits and garlic make nice burps, like an essence of stale orchids in the car but so worth it. read more

Simply amazing! Had the chicken shawarma plate. Really really good! Not much else to say Just do yourself a favour and go there next time you have a craving. Worth the drive from downtown! read more

Over 40 years ago in downtown Toronto there was a shawarma place with the best homemade hot sauce. He moved to the corner, then moved to Kensington Market. Years later he moved to Lawrence Avenue East. He retired. Now a relative has the recipe and YES it was just like I remember it. Located in a busy strip plaza means very little parking. The huge spits of tender juicy chicken or beef just mouth-watering. I drove all the way from Mississauga to Scarborough and I was not disappointed. Old school pita pocket filled with meat, your choice of vegetables and topped with more meat, hot sauce and garlic sauce and the piece of pita that was sliced off. Shawarma in the form of wraps/burritos are not the real thing. This is the shawarma I know and love. I know you will love it too. read more

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All the reviews were very helpful! Extra white sauce was delish and I wasn't dissapointed at all. Two of these babies and my stomavh is satisfied, especially for price point. read more

This shawarma joint is located in a shifty strip mall, but don't let the outward appearance deter you! Once you get inside, you'll be greeted by friendly smiles and a nicely-decorated interior. I came for take-out, but they also have some tables if you want to eat in. It's not exactly where I'd go for date night, but it's comfortable enough. The menu is short and to the point - it's not called Shawarma Empire for nothing! I ordered the chicken shawarma plate and the baklava. They were both amazing. The shawarma plate comes with rice, salad, hummus, pickled vegetables, and pita bread, and it's all seasoned extremely well with different spices and sauces. I got mine spicy, but you can ask for mild instead, if you'd prefer. The baklava wasn't anything fancy, but it had just the right texture and that delicious stick-to-your-fingers honey flavor. I loved the food, and the portion sizes were generous for the price. I'll definitely be back! read more

Shawarma Empire - The chicken shawarma plate came with rice, shawarma, pickled vegetables, salad, hummus, pita bread, and various spices and sauces - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

Is my first time come to this joint. last week a friends brought 2 of these beef shawarma and ask me if I want to try one. So I haven't eaten any lunch that day and say sure give it a try . I didn't know where he brought this stuff. As Asian I usually eat out a lot and mostly is Chinese take out food Chinese take out is very reasonable price in Scarborough area and fast alos there is a lot of selection in Scarborough. After that day , I have try other Shawarma in other place, they were OK but not as good as the this one. For the price and quality , this is far the best in this area. That just my option. Let me know if you have another recommendation , I definitely will give it a try . read more

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This is my favourite shawarma place. They mix up the protein and veggies so well, so that every bite to get a difference. Their falafel is so crunchy and fresh. The beef is absolutely delicious. The veggies were also very fresh. The hot sauce isn't as spicy as other places which I really like since I can't handle spice. The wait time might be big though, dependent on what time you decide to go. During a Thursday lunch we waited for about 15 minutes. Price is good. It's better getting 2 for 8 then the 1 for 5. read more

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Very good meal at Shawarma empire! I had the chicken plate and it did not disappoint. My favourite part of this dish was the rice with caramelized onions. Chicken was good, better than most shawarma places. Lines were long but they moved quickly to serve everyone. My husband had the beef sandwich, which was just ok. Falafels were also very good and fluffy. Will definitely return! read more

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

This is the first time trying the food since the new management took over after the Pandemic. Congrats to the new team... you have kept the quality of the food high... I'll be checking you out now that I know the food is of the same quality. read more

although this review is based on the takeout Chicken shwarma, this restaurant's chicken shwarma option is a homemade and ' safe' variety. The falafel delight of chickpea balls were good, bland and uniformly fried, and as I've said, ' safe' , however, this was beautifully compensated by the excellent Tahini sauce and bread. The shredded meat was good but a film of redundant jelly fatty preservative made the meat superficially bitter and slightly dry at first. The onions were artificially added last to the sandwhich, with a tad too much of Vinegar making it seem like a rush slush job. Whatever was in the sandwhich left me a great aftertaste. A subtle hint of coriander or parsley and crunchy red Argentinian onions would be desirable! Gold overall! In need of a little spicy Zinger, otherwise, almost perfect. read more

I love this place! I had a falafel sandwich and it was amazing. It was so good I actually went back for another one. The sandwich was a bit small, in comparison to other places, but the taste makes it worth it. The place is run by great workers and the prices are very cheap. Two falafels are $6.99 plus tax. So so so yummy. I definitely want to go back and I would recommend it to anyone! read more

Love this place. Busy and clean with great staff. Beef and chicken are hand cut from the spits. Falafels are made to order. The plates are filling and the "pockets" are a great deal at 9.99 for 2 (beef or chicken), less for the falafel. Instead of wrapping a thin pita around the meat and garnishes, they cut the end of a thicker pita and jam everything into the pocket. I don't know how they do it without splitting the pita but that thing is bursting full of tasty meat (love the beef) and tangy vegetables etc. So far, one of my go to places. read more

We were visiting Toronto from California and decided to stop by for a quick lunch. It seemed like the parking lot is always busy with patrons visiting Shawarma Empire (SE) and other neighboring businesses. Consider yourself lucky if you get a parking spot right away. The restaurant is nothing fancy, a hole-in-the-wall tucked into a busy strip mall on East Lawrence Ave, a very unassuming place. Inside there are no more than a half a dozen tables to sit at as most customers order to go. From the meat rotisseries we observed grilling, there appeared to be 2 beef and 2 chicken. It was obvious that SE did brisk business, not only for their food but also for old-fashioned hospitality it served up.We ordered the food to-go for the 5 of us. 3 of us ordered shawarma sandwiches, it was $9.99 for 2 and we each had a chicken and beef. The other 2 in our group ordered the falafel plate, which included 4 falafel, rice, salad, hummus with pita and pickles. The portions were huge, the food delicious and prepared quickly. The shawarmas were loaded with meat and mouthwateringly delicious with generous servings topped lettuce, tahini and garlic sauce and they also gave us extra pickles at no charge. After placing my order and proceeding to pay with a debit card we ran into payment issues and the true nature and hospitality of Abel-the owner was revealed. It stunned my daughter to see how warmly we were treated and she had never experienced anything like it. The way they handled the situation was classy and in my opinion, was not an exception but the way they do business. I will spare you the details of the purchase transaction, but let me just say they are more attuned to taking care of their customers than making a quick buck. I will definitely be frequenting Shawarma Empire when I am next in Toronto. read more

The meat of the matter is what counts the most so I will give Shawarma Empire four stars. But two things need to be said first: Number 1: How bad is the (so-called) Shawarma elsewhere in this city that I have to drive to Lawrence East to have a decent shawarma? Pretty bad is the answer. I wrote a review about a business calling itself "Tasty Shawarma" that is neither tasty nor even offers a shawarma. Number 2: The empire is like one at the end of the Return Of The Jedi. It must have fallen on hard times. The shop is rather desolate and ugly and only looks good compared to the dirty and rundown plaza in which it is located. Also as far as empires go this one is like saying "pretty ugly" and size-wise akin to the Duchy of Luxembourg. We need to demand more and aspire to better aesthetics, design and cleanliness. All the trash flattened on plaza driveways under skid marks are unacceptable. With that said, my drive to Shawarma Empire was successful. Under the glare of yet another TV tuned to CP24 I found the good/authentic/actual shawarma I cannot find near my home. Hmmm, now that I think of it that is a good thing. Eating too many of those things would make half my skirts obsolete overnight ol. I had a soup and a chicken shawarma (shish taouk) and they were quite good. I felt like the food was something out of Middle East thankfully. I normally do not like tahini sesame sauce, but theirs was good and had a punch to it that I appreciated especially since I am the girl who always declines having hot sauce added to my everything. The chicken was crispy and the bread was thick and hefty. Their sandwich came in a pocket pita full of chicken. I added beets, lettuce and tahini and it was a good sandwich for $8. I am impressed. These people are the real deal. My lentil soup was so good. It looked rather poor and pitiful when it arrived, but it was substantial and at $3 (they call it $2.99) a great deal. It was neither lukewarm nor scalding and worked on a cold day. Nice. The shop has seven or eight tables and the meats are on revolving spits. This in contrast to the inauthentic fake shawarma places without revolving spits or, worse, chicken sitting in trays under a lamp (shudder to think). This strip of Lawrence east has quite a few Arabic restaurants and shops so who know how many very good and legitimate shawarma shops there may be (Ghadir across the street is obviously one). Finally, the man and older lady behind the counter were polite, caring and were careful to say 'thanks' and smile as I ordered and wished me a Happy New Year with enthusiasm as I left. It is important to me to give business to polite and caring business owners and employees. I would like to come back for a shawarma and also try their well-review falafel. read more

this was completely terrible the lettuce, and tomato was dry af and the chicken wasn't juice if i could rate a place 0 stars this would take number one place and the customer service was horrible rude cashier. this was just terrible and it's not even a shawarma its a fuckin filling in a burger shape read more

First time there, won't go back. Ordered as chicken shawarma and when I got home and opened it boy was I disappointed. I didn't think that they served a "kids size" shawarma but they must because that's what mine looked like. This whole sandwich was smaller than my palm. Tasted ok but I could've eaten 3 of them. Call me a pig, a bottomless pit or whatever else you want but I've never been so disappointed with portion size. This place has been around for a few years and I know that I'm not going to ruin their business, nor is that my intention. I just want to warn hungry guys that are around 6ft 4 and around 225lbs......don't go here if you're hungry! read more

Why haven't you eaten here yet??? Shawarma Empire has the BEST falafel sandwich EVAHHHHHHH. The falafels are handmade fresh, right in front of your eyes. They are molded and thrown in the fryer to order. We waited a bit for our food, but I am telling you, it was worth it. The pita gets toasted, and they cut off one side to make a pocket. Then, they put the hot, crispy, moist falafels inside and add the delicious toppings. I opt for the "everything" mix, which has lettuce, tomatoes, cukes, pickled radish, pickles, onions, and a huge dollop of savory tahini garlic sauce. The already stuffed pita then gets stuffed one last time with the top of the pita that was cut off. Waste nothing! The staff are awesome -- very friendly, efficient, and hard-working. Bonus - they serve kanafeh!!! read more

Tastiest shawarma on Lawrence! I have been to this place numerous times and it is consistently satisfying. Their shawarma is delicious (I prefer the beef), it is always fresh, crispy and moist. They have an assortment of fresh toppings, pickles and sauces to put in your sandwich. Unlike a lot of places these guys do not wrap their's in a large pita but rather a small pita pocket. Getting it spicy is a must, their homemade spicy sauce is to die for. The falafel are they best I have had outside of the middle east, there is always a bowl of batter by the deep fryer and they are fried fresh to order. You can order the falafel in a sandwich or on their own. I usually order them on their own (with some tahini on the side) to accompany my shawarma. The falafels are perfectly crunchy on the outside and beautifully fluffy on the inside, the seasoning on them is perfect. This is place is truly a hole in the wall, not the cleanest (but who cares!) and only with a few tables to sit and eat. The guys working the counter are very friendly and quick. The best part about this place is the prices! you can get 2 sandwiches for around 5 dollars, and if you order falafels on their own they are 50 cents a piece (well worth it!). Overall one of my favourites! read more

Right in my hood I had passed this place a dozen times but the parking lot was full and I was just lazy to stop and fight for a spot. However I ventured out a few days ago right after they opened to try them out. First, even though they just opened there was already quite a few people ahead of me. Not an issue because they have enough staff to handle it and they are fast. A small place with about 4-5 tables to sit I would say this is more of a takeout kinda place. You can get plates for about $8.00 -$9.00 or the sandwiches for just under $5 (chicken or beef or mixed for either the sandwich or the plate). There are a multitude of toppings and you get get it spicy if you wish. I ordered the chicken sandwich and it was STUFFED with big and juicy pieces of chicken that were wonderfully seasoned and since I asked for spicy it was just that! Definitely can't go wrong with the price point! I also ordered the mixed (chicken/beef) plate - comes with salad, rice (lentils/rice) and hummus. It was delicious although I wish they were a tinier bit generous with the rice because I love rice. You can get sides - I saw tabbouleh salad for example, but I didn't get any sides and they have combo deals with a side/pop. They only take cash so keep that in mind and since this place is located in a strip plaza (get your adult needs next door!! haha) the parking can be crazy. But if you can put up with crazy for a bit you will be rewarding. Definitely coming back! read more

This place is legendary... 2 shawarmas for $8.99?! They aren't skimpy at all, ingredients are fresh and the taste is so consistent. The interior has a few seats, staff is very friendly. Tip: They often run out of beef towards the end of the day, call ahead to confirm Order a mix shawarma sandwich (beef & chicken) at no extra charge! read more

Never judge a book by its cover. If my coworker didn't bring me here then I don't think I would've ever came here on my own. The shop was packed with the Friday lunch crowd. The plates are a must-try, mostly because their rice is so unique. The rice is packed with lentils and grilled onions, a nice change from the oily rice you'd get from other places. It's the rice your boyfriend told you not to worry about. At $10 per plate, you get more than enough food to fill yourself up. You can also get the 2 for $8 shawarma deal so you can try different proteins. The baklava here is also surprisingly good and big enough to share. I'm only docking a star because service was a bit slow and they did mix up our order and forgot to give us a plate, but I guess you can't have it all! read more

Oh yeah, this place is great. Absolute hole in the wall, in an scuzzy overcrowded plaza where finding parking is akin to what it's like at the mall on x-mas eve - at least when I went on a Saturday. With that all out of the way, people are lined up here for a reason. Food is delicious and incredibly cheap. The people are also very friendly in spite of the chaos. And don't worry, you won't wait long as they keep it moving. I ordered the shawarma platter, and it was like $8 and full of GOOD food. I love rice with lentils and crispy onions. A great shawarma or wrap places hinges on having really well seasoned meat, which these guys knock out of the park. If there's any doubt awarding a '5', I just defer back to the value pulling it over the top. read more

Of all the places in Toronto that I had a chicken shawarma, I have never tasted better. I can't say that it is an authentic Lebanese style shawarma, because the owners are Palestinian so they do it different - but good different. They have the most amazing hot sauce that is unique to their store because I have never had it anywhere else and all attempts to make it at home were failures. It is a family run business, they are the one's working behind the counter, they are super friendly in all my times that I have been there, their attitude is consistent and so is their food. Always up to par, delicious fresh meat, crisp toppings, amazing hot sauce and the best deal ever, two for one! You can't beat it. I also have had their Falafel sandwich and that is equally as impressive. They have the right sauces and it is the only place I have ever seen make my falafel to order. They were fresh and full of flavor...crispy exterior and fluffy, moist interior. They have more parsley than I am used to in them but that is due to their Palestinian cuisine touch. Every chance I get, I go here and no where else in Toronto for my Shawarma. read more

Gets my vote as the best shawarma on the east side. I go here at least twice a week (close to work, yay!) and the staff is highly skilled and a delight to watch as they prep, unfortunately the layout of the place makes for some awkward line etiquette, but it's all part of the charm! The chicken and beef are always perfectly crisped. The falafels are quite good and always cooked to order. The hot sauce is homemade in small batches, and they use pocket pitas instead of wraps, which I prefer. The sandwiches are quite large and it's an undertaking for me to finish two of them. The menu is simple, but there's no reason to venture very far away from their incredible shawarma and falafel sandwiches. The spinach pies can be good, but it's sometimes hit/miss and the puff pastry is loaded with butter. The shawarma plates are very good for those who avoid gluten. I have not tried the basboosa, so I'll have to update this review when I do. I heartily recommend their signature dish, the chicken shawarma sandwich, spicy with everything on it. Bon Appetit! read more

Shawarma Empire - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

A total hole in the wall place. We came here based on the reviews seen here. And it did not disappoint. The people we so nice. Food portions were huge. We came for lunch and this was basically our only meal of the day! Lol Got the chicken plate and beef plate. So flavourful! Will definitely be coming back. Helpful to know - they only take debit or cash. read more

Shawarma Empire - Chicken and beef plate. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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It's fine. Chicken is flavourful but quality is average at best. Tahini sauce is tasty, on the thicker side. Pita bread is small. Service is just ok. Overall, not sure what all the hype is about. read more

I typically order beef or chicken, but dined-in for a falafel plate. Instantly thought OH... THIS IS GOOD at first bite. Rice, falafel, sauces, salad, hummus... all mouth-wateringly delicious. I scarfed my food down in 5 minutes. Probably the best falafel I've had in this area. Would definitely visit again. No complaints! read more

Shawarma Empire - Gorgeous falafel plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - Scarborough, Ontario

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