Shawarma Empire

Whether you're someone who has loved shawarma forever or who first tried it after seeing 2012's The Avengers movie, you know how delicious this handheld wrap situation can be. Especially when it's a good one. So what is a shawarma? It's a dish from Middle Eastern cuisine that consists of seasoned meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical spit. Originally made of lamb (so look for lamb if you want the orig), today's shawarma may also be made with chicken, beef, or other meats. Thin slices of meat are shaved off the cooked surface as the spit continuously rotates. The word "shawarma" refers to the turning spit itself. Commonly served as a wrap, there are usually an array of additional toppings to choose from; diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, pickled vegetables, and tahini sauce, among others.
Most people have their favourite shawarma place, I know I do. It's called Barakat and is located in London, Ontario. But when I heard that blogTO had named Shawarma Empire as the #1 Best Shawarma in Toronto, I naturally had to try them for myself.

You'll find Shawarma Empire in Scarborough, so be prepared to go on a little journey. They're located in a strip mall that is filled with other Middle Eastern businesses which was my first clue that this place is actually legit. Going inside, it's a very fast food-style operation, which is to be expected. The walls are sky blue and there isn't very much going on for decor. But who needs atmosphere when all you need to feast your eyes upon are the three rotating spits, packed tall with chicken and beef.
The menu offers sandwiches (they're calling them "sandwiches" but these are essentially the wraps), plates, salads, and side orders. I've never been much into the plates at these places because I always just want a shawarma - and to me that translates to a wrap in my hands. Another thing that I should clarify is that while I am well aware that shawarma can involve any type of meat, to me the ubiquitous choice is chicken. Therefore, when I say "shawarma," I am referring to a chicken wrap 100% of the time. In addition to offering chicken or beef they also do falafel and it's always nice to see a veggie option.

First, I grabbed a canned Pop from the fridge on the side. I instantly grabbed a Vimto, which appeared to be the most appropriate beverage available. This drink originated in England but is now the dominating beverage of choice in the Middle East. The flavour is made up of grape, raspberry and blackcurrant. Although it pretty much tastes exactly like a cream soda. It's really good!

To eat, I ordered 1 Chicken Shawarma ($5.99). (You can also order 2 Shawarma for $9.99, so that's a nice little deal.) I was asked what I wanted on it, to which I replied "everything" and if I wanted it to be spicy, I said "yes." It didn't take long until my hot pocket of goodness was in my hands. The first thing that I noticed to be uniquely different about Shawarma Empire is the bread. Instead of using a wrap (like every other place that I've ever tried) they are stuffing pita bread instead. I felt good about this. Is it more authentic this way? Did it get changed to a tortilla-style wrap in North America? Probably. That sounds like something that we would do. My "sandwich" was filled with cucumber, tomato, pickles, pickled turnip, parsley, and lettuce. A spicy sauce was added. I'm sure that there was also a tahini (or comparable) sauce used as well. Many places do a garlic sauce. Most of all, I was impressed by the generous pile of chicken jammed into my pita. They certainly did not cut any corners there. Every bite that I took was alive with big, savoury flavours. The chicken involved that perfect textural mix; some perfectly caramelized crispy pieces along with tender juicy ones. I also found the seasoning on the chicken to be quite unique. It seemed bolder and more involved than what is available at a typical shawarma shop. Again, I found myself leaning toward the assumption that this particular offering was likely closer to "the real thing." All of the vegetables were bright and fresh, my all-time favourite being the neon pink pickled turnips. (If I walk into a shawarma shop that doesn't offer these, I'm out.) The pita bread was warm and chewy. I really, really liked this shawarma. I can confidently say that it's the second best shawarma (see my definition above) that I've ever eaten and very likely the most authentic overall.

I noticed that desserts were an option and decided to load up. Baklava ($2.25) is on the menu, however Kanafeh (one of my favourites) is not. Although I could see it sitting there, taunting me. Upon ordering the kanafeh, the friendly woman preparing my order lifted out a huge piece from the pan, put it into a container, and proceeded to douse the dessert with a liberal amount of sweet syrup on top. Upon doing a slight bit of research, I wouldn't be surprised if Shawarma Empire gets their kanafeh from neighbouring restaurant Kunafa's, which would explain why it's not on their regular menu. Made with cheese and dough pastry drizzled in a sweet syrup, this treat is heavenly. The white-brine cheese (called Nabulsi) creates a gooey, melty base while the flaked pastry adds texture. The whole thing is soaked in a light sweetness. Very good.
Baklava is likely more familiar to most, a rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers of flaky filo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with a honey syrup. This version was quite excellent, with thick layers of nuts packed in, again without holding anything back.

I was pretty happy with Shawarma Empire. I will agree wholeheartedly that this is the best shawarma that I have eaten in the city of Toronto. It's worth the trek to Scarborough and certainly worth a try.

I don't like slow cooked meat, so I'm not normally a fan of shwarma. I had heard that Shawarma Empire has the best shwarma in Toronto (GTA), so I was excited to try it. It really was the best shwarma I've ever had. I love the texture of the wrap they use, I love the seasonings of the meat, and I love the way that they wrap it - so that all ingredients are evenly layered all throughout so that you get a bit of everything in every bite. Really well executed and thoughtful. I will say, though, that it's a bit hit or miss when it comes to the dryness of the meat. Once it was perfectly moist and once it was very dry. I noticed that they gave me preshaved meat from the bottom of the tray and that was the problem. Next time I will ask them not to do that.

After going through all the reviews for best shawarma in Toronto, I tried here (based on zomato and google reviews) and I am extremely satisfied with the taste, quality, and quantity.. Especially the price.
Chicken was tender & juicy, also few crispy chunks. Veggies were fresh and rice was good too.
Just Go for it, you wont regret it....

Have been here countless times.  Best tasting shawarma I have ever had.  Toppings are always fresh. The meat is perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside soft and juicy on the inside. Everything is always fresh. Not to mention the shawarmas are buy one get one free. The shawarma dinner plate is filled to the brim.  Including, chicken, rice, salad, hummus, and a pita.  You can definitely eat twice from this plate and be full. The servers are very warm and remember your order and face.  I have always been greeted with a smile. Because of the excellent food and service, they are always extremely busy and quite often have a line up outside the store. The amazing things is, even with the long line up. They are soo fast, you don't wait long.  You can also call in your order prior to arrival.  Highly recommend.

Tastebud tantalizer. This establishment is a must visit if you crave the best shawarmas and falafels in Toronto. Great cuisine at a fantastic price. The ultimate combo!

Excellent shawarma and felafel!. I stopped at this place, because I love shawarma, and because the reviews were fantastic. Located in an old, seen-better days strip mall, driving on Lawrence one could easily miss it. It is small inside, but there is seating for a few. The prep area is open, and a door to the kitchen was open while three men cooked. I was served by a woman who was friendly and efficient. I got the two-for-one chicken shawarma sandwiches and an order of felafel. The felafel was the best I have had in Toronto, maybe ever. It is made on site, as they scoop little lumps and drop them right into the deep fryer. It is light, and has just the right texture. The shawarma was outstanding. Apparently the sauce is homemade and it reminded me of a Mexican flavored sauce. The sandwich is packed full of everything, and the meat is perfect, with a tiny bit of crispiness on the outer layer. The menu also has soup, fries, baklava, and a rice and lentils dish, and a few other things. A definite bargain, top notch food!