Traditional Lebanese food 101: more than just shawarma
Close your eyes and picture a Lebanese dish. What comes to mind? Is it a shawarma wrap? Maybe a bowl full of hummus? For the average diner, the same few foods tend to pop up over and over. And that’s okay! Our job is to help you discover the rest of our creative, history-rich cuisine beyond the bare necessities.
A few of our favourite things
One of our forever favourites is molokhiyeh: a superfood dish that's as powerful as a bowl of raw greens, but a hundred times more delicious. It’s made with finely chopped jute leaves that are slowly simmered with chicken, garlic, and coriander: nourishing, rich in vitamins, and full of flavour. Molokhiyeh really is the kind of "medicinal" dish that feels so homey and comforting.
Fattet hummus also deserves more recognition, if you ask us. It's a spin on a dish that everyone knows — hummus, of course — and transforms it completely. Layered with warm chickpeas, garlicky yogurt, fried almonds, and crispy pita, it’s creamy, crunchy, and tangy all at once. Super indulgent, yet deeply traditional.
Riz a djej is a classic comfort food that's really easy to make. It’s kind of like a Lebanese version of mac and cheese in terms of comfort and simplicity — something a parent might whip up on a busy school night, or something you’d make after a long day at work. The smell of cinnamon and toasted nuts over the rice always takes our founder Yasmine back to family dinners at home.
The gift of discovery
If you haven't heard of a single one of these dishes, you're not alone. And the idea of exploring something new should be anything but overwhelming. At Daymi, we view curiosity as something to be cultivated: we hope that when people see how well we prepare familiar favorites like falafel and hummus, it builds enough trust for them to explore the rest of the menu.
We also try to stoke people's curiosity through sharing and storytelling. Whether it's our warm-hearted team of servers explaining the thought behind a dish or educational content we share on our socials, we want our food to feel familiar long before it hits your palate.
Ancient history in every bite
Lebanese cuisine is really a world within itself, but if you're not well-versed in its more traditional dishes, you might not realize how different it is from other Middle Eastern cuisines. If you ask us, there's one key element that sets it apart from the rest: time.
Many of the dishes that hail from our culture are ancient. They've been passed down through generations, from grandparents to their children and grandchildren. It traces back thousands of years (literally!), drawing inspiration from countless empires that have long since risen and fallen. From the pioneering Phoenicians to the dawn of Islam and the Ottoman Empire, there are countless fingerprints on the tome of Lebanon's culinary history.
What's more, most Lebanese recipes involve detailed, patient steps that simply cannot be rushed. Think layering flavours, marinating, simmering, and tasting as you go. It’s not a 30-minute dinner you can whip up while juggling other tasks — it's a labour of love that gives each flavour plenty of time and space to come into its own.
We also rely heavily on balance. Every ingredient is meant to complement its fellow flavours, never overpower them or drown them out. That’s what makes Lebanese cuisine the perfect combination of bold and graceful.
Ready to try something new?
Dine with us at 1376 Queen St W. or enjoy some Lebanese catering at a location of your choice. No matter where you dig in, we know you’ll taste the joy and history of our cuisine in every bite.