Middle Eastern restaurants in Canada
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A
Nuba
Tucked under the landmark Dominion Building, this hopping subterranean Lebanese restaurant attracts budget noshers and cool hipsters in equal measure. If you’re not sure what to go for, have the good-value falafel plate ($9), heaped with hummus, taboulleh, salad, pita and brown rice. It’ll make you realize what wholesome, made-from-scratch food is supposed to taste like. More substantial fare – grilled lamb, Cornish hen etc – has been added to the menu since the eatery moved from its hole-in-the-wall site across the street, and there’s also regular live music. Excellent service.
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B
Sanafir
A beacon among Granville St’s grubby sex shops, this loungey, Bedouin-themed eatery is dripping with North African style. But it’s not all about looks. The menu’s small plates are designed for sharing and range from wine-braised short ribs to Indian-spiced scallops. Head to the decadent mezzanine level where you can lay down and feed like royalty. It’s packed on weekend evenings, so you might have to sample a few cocktails at the bar as you await your table.
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C
Byblos
This Iranian café does such good food and is so charming, people who come here tend to make a day of it. The big windows and tables invite lingering and though there are wonderful main courses, most people end up grazing on the Iranian tapaslike dishes all day and into the evening. The feta omelet is by far the most popular followed by the eggplant or chickpea purees. It’s all served with pita bread perfect for dipping. The mint tea is the perfect way to finish it all off.
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D
Le Petit Alep
The complex flavors of Syrian-Armenian cuisine draw diners from all over Montréal. A big menu includes hummus, salads and muhammara (spread made of walnuts, garlic, breadcrumbs, pomegranate syrup and cumin), plus beef kabobs smothered in tahini, spices and nuts. Dine in the bright bistro (the front wall opens up onto the street during nice weather) or, in the evening, the slightly swish dining room next door.
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E
Saffron
A vibrant mural of Persian ruins and bright blue sky dominates the dining room of this charming eatery, one of the newer Persian restaurants on the scene. The ash reshteh, a soup with pinto beans, veggies, garlic and mint is delicious. The most popular dinner choice is the hunters' platter for two with three types of brochettes, salad and rice. There's a lunch special for around C$7 and a take-out menu.
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F
Sultan’s Tent & Café Maroc
Dark and atmospheric, replete with stained-glass lanterns, candles and fringed cushions, Sultan’s features a Moroccan menu. The Couscous Royale ($22) is splendiferous, and for dessert try the sweet keskesu (sweet couscous, cinnamon, almonds, raisins and orange blossom water). Belly dancers may or may not help you digest.
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G
Akram's Shoppe
Walking into spicy-smelling Akram's takes you on a magic-carpet ride through the kitchens of the Middle East – tubs of hummus, fresh-baked pita bread, organic ice-cream, halal meats, pots of nuts, vats of olives and spices, a wall of hookah pipes and freshly made gluten- and wheat-free falafels. Stock up for a picnic.
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