The Best Shakshouka in Toronto | TasteToronto
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The Best Shakshouka in Toronto

Rosa Kumar

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Rosa Kumar

The Best Shakshouka in Toronto

If you're unfamiliar with the delectable breakfast meal, shakshouka is a warm, vegetarian dish of eggs poached in a bed of tomatoes, olive oil, onion, garlic and a smattering of fresh herbs and spices like cumin, paprika, and cayenne; it's a little bit like Middle Eastern huevos rancheros. Shakshouka is often prepared and served right in a cast-iron skillet and can be eaten with naan, toast or pita.

Food historians can't quite figure out the origins of shakshouka. Some believe it came from Yemen, others say the Ottoman Empire, and Israel believes the dish came to them from the Libyan-Tunisian region in North Africa.

You can get to know (and get yourself addicted) to amazing shakshouka right here in Toronto. The following restaurants have a fantastic take on shakshouka, so get ready to have a new brunching favourite in the city.

Manita

Manita is your favourite grocery store, coffee shop, and bar; that also does an absolutely mean breakfast from 9 a.m. Available via walk-in only, their shakshouka is cooked with cream and herbs and served with a toasted baguette.

Manita

Manita is your favourite grocery store, coffee shop, and bar; that also does an absolutely mean breakfast from 9 a.m. Available via walk-in only, their shakshouka is cooked with cream and herbs and served with a toasted baguette.

Eggstatic

Middle Eastern

Eat breakfast like a king is their chef's motto, and Eggstatic takes that expression seriously with their shakshouka: served in a skillet with their signature tomato sauce, sautéed peppers, feta cheese, two poached eggs, and served with freshly baked pita and veggies.

Eggstatic

Eat breakfast like a king is their chef's motto, and Eggstatic takes that expression seriously with their shakshouka: served in a skillet with their signature tomato sauce, sautéed peppers, feta cheese, two poached eggs, and served with freshly baked pita and veggies.

Middle Eastern

Little India

226 Greenwood Ave

Maha's Restaurant

Maha's, the original home of Toronto's Egyptian brunch, keeps their shakshouka simple and traditional, served with their charred balady bread and salata balady. You can get their brunch every day of the week (except when they're closed on Wednesdays) and pair your shakshouka with their honey cardamom latte.

Maha's Restaurant

Little India

226 Greenwood Ave

Maha's, the original home of Toronto's Egyptian brunch, keeps their shakshouka simple and traditional, served with their charred balady bread and salata balady. You can get their brunch every day of the week (except when they're closed on Wednesdays) and pair your shakshouka with their honey cardamom latte.

Eglinton West

994 Eglinton Ave W

Aish Tanoor

Middle Eastern

Aish Tanoor is a kosher Middle Eastern restaurant that has origins in fifties Iraq and sixties Israel, so you know their shakshouka recipe is going to be good. They have their classic version and a meat version that comes with lamb sausages.

Aish Tanoor

Eglinton West

994 Eglinton Ave W

Aish Tanoor is a kosher Middle Eastern restaurant that has origins in fifties Iraq and sixties Israel, so you know their shakshouka recipe is going to be good. They have their classic version and a meat version that comes with lamb sausages.

Middle Eastern

Downtown Toronto

165 University Ave

Cafe Landwer

With locations now all over the city, you can get your Cafe Landwer shakshouka fix all over Toronto at their five different locations. They also have SIX different takes of shakshouka on their brunch menu, including a plant-based option, a halloumi version, and two options served with meat. If you can't decide between getting hummus or shakshouka, they even have a "humshuka" (hummus topped with shakshuka and a poached egg).

Cafe Landwer

Downtown Toronto

165 University Ave

With locations now all over the city, you can get your Cafe Landwer shakshouka fix all over Toronto at their five different locations. They also have SIX different takes of shakshouka on their brunch menu, including a plant-based option, a halloumi version, and two options served with meat. If you can't decide between getting hummus or shakshouka, they even have a "humshuka" (hummus topped with shakshuka and a poached egg).

Simit and Chai Co.

The cozy Simit & Chai on King Street is home to some of Toronto's best chai and simit (and shakshouka). You can customize your shakshouka here with either feta or pastirma, and like their East-End sister location, it comes with a bowl of simit pieces.

Simit and Chai Co.

The cozy Simit & Chai on King Street is home to some of Toronto's best chai and simit (and shakshouka). You can customize your shakshouka here with either feta or pastirma, and like their East-End sister location, it comes with a bowl of simit pieces.

Fat Pasha

Middle Eastern

This fun restaurant serves Middle Eastern and European Jewish dishes. With the weather warming up, you can grab your weekend brunch on their stunning patio to enjoy your shakshouka in nature. Currently, their brunch is being served irregularly, so look out on their Instagram for brunch announcements.

Fat Pasha

This fun restaurant serves Middle Eastern and European Jewish dishes. With the weather warming up, you can grab your weekend brunch on their stunning patio to enjoy your shakshouka in nature. Currently, their brunch is being served irregularly, so look out on their Instagram for brunch announcements.

Middle Eastern

Leslieville

1100 Queen St E

Pasaj

The new Leslieville outpost of Simit & Chai stays true to its generous brunch offering, stunning interiors and Istanbul-inspired bakery aesthetic. Their shakshouka (menemen in Turkey) is topped with feta and served with their famous in-house simit (kind of like a Turkish bagel).

Pasaj

Leslieville

1100 Queen St E

The new Leslieville outpost of Simit & Chai stays true to its generous brunch offering, stunning interiors and Istanbul-inspired bakery aesthetic. Their shakshouka (menemen in Turkey) is topped with feta and served with their famous in-house simit (kind of like a Turkish bagel).

Fashion District

77 Portland St

Shook

Recently having introduced their brunch menu all week long, you can order your Instagram-famous Saturday morning shakshouka from Shook any day of the week! Their take on shakshouka includes smoky tomatoes and toum (a Lebanese garlic sauce).

Shook

Fashion District

77 Portland St

Recently having introduced their brunch menu all week long, you can order your Instagram-famous Saturday morning shakshouka from Shook any day of the week! Their take on shakshouka includes smoky tomatoes and toum (a Lebanese garlic sauce).

Souk Tabule

Middle Eastern

Souk Tabule is an outpost restaurant of the Tabule chain of Middle Eastern eateries, but Souk Tabule comes with an all-day brunch menu with a gorgeous $13 shakshouka and their take comes with a scoop of labneh (strained yogurt).

Souk Tabule

Souk Tabule is an outpost restaurant of the Tabule chain of Middle Eastern eateries, but Souk Tabule comes with an all-day brunch menu with a gorgeous $13 shakshouka and their take comes with a scoop of labneh (strained yogurt).

Middle Eastern