Searching for the best Lebanese food in Toronto? Start with these 4 authentic dishes
Eating Lebanese food is like traveling through time using your tastebuds. While it’s often grouped with other Middle Eastern dining traditions, our culinary identity stands apart. So if you haven't sought out a restaurant that focuses on Lebanese cuisine specifically, you haven't yet enjoyed the full experience.
Many of the dishes we know and love today have been passed down through generations, their roots stretching back many thousands of years. These recipes don’t come together in a rush: they’re built slowly, layer by layer, through marinating, tasting, adjusting, and letting each ingredient have its moment to shine.
In this blog, we’ll dive into four traditional Lebanese dishes that capture this spirit — a delicious entrypoint into one of the world’s most soulful food cultures. And we’re going way beyond shawarma, so prepare to discover something new!
Molokhiyeh
This traditional stew packs an unbelievable quantity of nutrients and flavour into one delicious bowl. It contains a leafy green you might not recognize called jute, which has an earthy and somewhat bitter flavour profile that plays very nicely with bold, confident spices. The leaves are chopped into small pieces then slowly simmered with chicken, garlic, and coriander for a fabulously complex (yet totally accessible) taste profile.
Molokhiyeh is the definition of homey, comforting, and even "medicinal" — like a cousin to homemade chicken soup. At Daymi, we serve this special dish on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Fattet hummus
You’ve almost certainly tried hummus before. But this traditionally Lebanese dish takes chickpeas in a completely different direction. Fattet hummus is a warm, comforting staple that’s often served for weekend breakfasts or big family gatherings. Fair warning, you may not be able to go back to the supermarket stuff.
Picture this: warm chickpeas mingling with garlicky yogurt, a crown of fried almonds, and torn-up pieces of crispy pita for a creamy, crunchy, tangy experience. It’s the perfect starter to wake up your tastebuds for a complete Lebanese dinner.
Riz a djej
Lebanese comfort food at its finest. This simple but deeply nourishing dish begins with a bed of rice and ground beef. On top, portions of perfectly cooked chicken and fried almonds add a juicy and crunchy dimension, respectively, to every bite.
As the dish comes together and the air fills with aromas of cinnamon and toasted nuts, Daymi’s founder Yasmine often finds her mind wandering back in time to family dinners at home — strong nostalgia vibes. You can find this dish on our menu every Thursday and Friday.
Chicken kabsa
This dish is truly a labour of love, and worth the effort every single time. The combination of spices required to bring it to life is complex, so we created a house blend using 10 whole spices that we roast and grind ourselves.
A combination of slow-simmered chicken stock, tomato-tossed rice, rich tomato paste, and imported Basmati rice come together to form the perfect base. Then, the main event: chicken brined for 12 hours in our homemade kabsa spice mix. The rice’s surface is studded with raisins and caramelized onions — a winning combo of sweet and salty — plus dakkous sauce, a famously tangy tomato-based condiment.
Ready to try something new?
At Daymi, every item on our menu is made to unite old traditions with new twists, tying foundational history together with modern sensibilities. Visit us at 1376 Queen St W. or enjoy some Lebanese catering at a location of your choice. As long as it’s Daymi, you’ll know it’s made authentically and from the heart.