Alforat Iraqi Street Food (North York)

We tried Iraqi food for the first time and got 2 boxes: lamb and beef shawarma arabi, and chicken shawarma arabi. We asked for hummus with it, but got baba ganouj instead and wish they put more of it. Plenty of garlic though and we couldn't finish it! We had a 30-ish minute wait-time which I felt was a little too long.

Note: Iraqi shawarma has pomegranate molasses! Something new we didn't realize.

I would come again but go for something different.

Excellent all around! Great portions and incredibly delicious food. The lady with blonde hair gave exceptional customer service, top notch. Even with takeout, we were offered pea soup while waiting, which was such a nice touch. Everything was well packaged, and the restaurant was super clean. No complaints at all. Ordered two Saj Chicken. Tuesday evening visit.

Both the lamb/beef and chicken sharwama had generous portions on meat and were delicious. The chicken sharwama had a generous helping of sweet pomegranate sauce that makes it different from the typical sharwama joint. The 3 types of bread (you get to pick one) for the wrap are all ok, and are not made fresh to order (or recently to order). The hummus lacks richness, which seems to be the result of not enough tahini. The service was quick, very friendly and helpful. The place is bright and had a good atmosphere for casual dining.

Tried Alforat Iraqi Street Food and really enjoyed the family platter—for $80, it comes loaded with chicken and beef shawarma, kabobs, fries, garlic sauce, hummus, pickles, and coleslaw, with generous portions and great presentation. Also you get lentil soup the moment you enter the restaurant and in this cold it tasted really nice for my throat. The chicken shawarma was my favorite, followed by the kabobs; the beef/lamb shawarma was flavorful but had a very strong lamb smell, so if you’re sensitive to that, I’d skip it. Fries were excellent, the restaurant and washroom were clean, customer service was very welcoming, and parking is free, which is a big plus. Overall, a solid Iraqi shawarma spot.

I was excited to try this shawarma spot. The shawarma is super easy to make seen lots of platter orders come before mine. Long long wait 45 min + I think they forgot about my order till I asked for my receipt. That was okay still for me I have waited long and the food makes it worth it. Eventually as more workers came out the energy picked up and I received my food. They put cooked onions in the wrap which already tasted weird. And my wrap had no molasses sauce which makes the wrap obviously taste better. It tasted like a Costco rotisserie chicken on a pita. Overrated and bland. Also I asked for mild spice and it was super super hot drenched in it and not even marked. They only marked no pickles which we asked for two wraps and it out it lol. Made it very clear a toddler will be eating too. (Ordered a third wrap for him) Will not be going back….

The owners are so friendly and staff are always working with a smile and joking around with customers. We ordered a platter to share for people and it was way too much food.

They gave us complimentary lentil soup in a little sweet dessert which is so nice of them.

The quality and flavor of the meat was just right. And i love that they make their bread in house. We will definitely come back to try other items on the menu.

We went there with a bunch of friends. We were new to the cuisine and also first time at their restaurant. The cashier over there initially said as very welcoming but afterwards she had a weird sassy attitude. We asked her many questions to understand what to do order may that caused inconvenience to her. Finally she suggested to go for Samoon tray to which had ( 3 lamb beef and 3 chicken) and it tasted soo good. They have an own kitchen and you know what they are doing. Bakers donot know English so you cannot customize by speaking to them but they were trying to do in the language they were comfortable in with others. After I took few pictures of the kitchen her attitude changed again and she was again hospitable. She also at the end gave us Turkish sweet which she didn’t knew the name . It costed us $54.99 + tax. Overall a good experience and must try.

AMAZING! I drive all the way from Newmarket to Scarborough just to eat here, and it’s 100% worth the trip every single time. Alforat truly brings authentic Iraqi street food to life. The flavors are rich, the portions are generous, and everything tastes like it’s made with care and tradition.

The restaurant itself is clean, welcoming, and has a great atmosphere that makes you feel at home. The staff are friendly and attentive, always making sure you’re taken care of.

If you want real Iraqi food done right, this is the place. I’d happily make the drive again and again. Highly recommend!

There's just so much shawarma competition in the area to claim this is the best, but it's definitely one of the better ones!

The wrap held together well and had a nice crisp to it. The chicken was a tad dry, but it was still very flavorful. I also wish they put a little more garlic in the wrap as I felt I tasted mostly pickles and chicken. The complimentary lentil soup was appreciated! A decent sized wrap and soup for under $12.50 is amazing value.

The lady working the front was also very friendly.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptional Iraqi Street Food with Unmatched Hospitality!

My recent visit to Al Forat Iraqi Street Food was an unforgettable experience! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly in their beautiful, clean restaurant. The owner’s generosity was beyond anything I’ve seen—when the register was short on change, he insisted I take $20 back instead of $18, refusing to let me pay extra.

The complimentary hot drink dispenser- tea (a nice touch for customers) and the lentil soup he offered while we waited were just the beginning of their incredible hospitality. The food itself was absolutely delicious- I had the hot, crispy falafels and my kids loved their chicken shawarma wraps. Every bite was fresh, flavorful, and authentic.

What truly sets Al Forat apart is their other than the amazing food is the outstanding customer service. They go above and beyond to make sure every guest leaves happy. If you’re looking for amazing Iraqi street food in North York - this is the place! Highly recommended-we’ll definitely be back!

#IraqiFood #Shawarma #Falafel #BestStreetFood #Hospitality #MustTry #FoodieFavorite #AuthenticFlavors #GenerousService

Very bad management and service. We had to wait 40 mins for our Alforat family platter to arrive. The food is good but the service is not. The cashier said Friday and Saturday are very busy, which I understand and it’s busy for most of the restaurants. They really need to up their game on getting food out faster. Even the pickup folks were getting frustrated on the wait time for the order.

Samoon is hard to eat but very yummy. Very large portion. I will stick to wrap for ease of eating.

Meat is perfect here. Nice soup as a nice add-on.
Sauce is nice. Extra spicy is great.

A few tables here available to eat! Great customer service.

Great Experience visiting this new gem. We ordered a kabob family platter and it came with colour full rice and bread. It looked, smelled and tasted awesome. Thumbs up for the great service and we were also treated with hot lentil soup when we were waiting while our food was getting prepared. Great ambience and service. The wait time to prepare our food was around 20-25 min, which I felt was little more than I had expected. Definitely recommend.

I recently dined at this branch of Al Firat over the weekend, and it turned out to be a great experience. The Samoon Shawarma was the highlight—it was quite big, packed with tender, well-seasoned meat, and the bread was fresh and slightly crispy on the outside. We also tried the Shawarma Plate (Lamb), which was equally delicious. The lamb was juicy, flavorful, and paired well with the sides.

The hummus, however, was a bit underwhelming. It had a decent texture but lacked the rich, creamy depth I was expecting. On the other hand, the complimentary soup was a pleasant surprise—warm, comforting, and nicely spiced, setting a good tone for the meal.

The restaurant’s ambiance was inviting, with a cozy and relaxed atmosphere that made for an enjoyable dining experience. What stood out most was the staff’s hospitality—they were attentive, friendly, and accommodating with special requests, which added to the overall positive impression.

All in all, it was a satisfying visit, and I’d happily return. 4 out of 5 stars!

I am in love with this place. The food is amazing and the service is superb! Omar Ahmed Waleed - super nice and friendly. This place is such a hidden gem 💎 And the fact that it's an Iraqi restaurant makes me feel so proud even though I'm from South Asia 🇮🇶

This place is legit 10/10 perfect. Food is perfect and they're super friendly and generous. They don't charge extra for things. There is seating inside too. New favourite place. We got the lamb tandoor wrap with pomegranate molasses and a side of falafels with garlic sauce. They gave us free soup and extra turnip. Super friendly people.

I just love their Swarma. Although we ordered rice platter other day and it was not as expected. The quantity of rice was okay but the quantity of meat skewers were not enough! taste was okay though

Gluten-Free Options: Yes - risk of cross contamination
Halal/Kosher: Yes
Vegan Option: Yes
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Nut Free Options: Yes -risk of cross contamination
Dairy Alternatives: No

First Impression: A bright and clean shawarma shop with a welcoming energy.

Order: Lentil soup, lamb and beef plate, lamb and chicken plate, orange soda, black tea.

Favourite/s: Lentil soup, lamb and beef and black tea. They were all of high quality and left me wanting more.

Critiques: The seating next to the door is not the most comfortable during the winter because it’s a very busy restaurant so there are people coming in and out and bring in cold air.

Bonus: The lentil soup and tea are complimentary.

Take Away: This is by far my favourite shawarma in the city. I wish they had more locations!

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No exaggeration one of the best lamb and kebab rolls I’ve had in a while. Chicken shawarma was good but I’ve had better. Multiple flavours of rice provided. Great garlic sauce, couldn’t ask for a better customer service. Highly recommend

Great wrap.
Full flavor and the pita style bread was awesome! Had basic chicken. Very pleased and will go back again for lamb!
First time and service was great, helping us understand what is what.
Thank you!

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I was surprised I didn't immediately consume this before getting home to take a picture, as the smell of the grilled meats permeating through the container was unbelievably enticing. Normally this huge portion might have been enough for two, but you won't want to share this plate of chicken tikka, lamb tikka, and beef kabob that are grilled to juicy perfection with a breath of subtle smokiness that emanates through every bite. While the chicken is marinated with a tangy yogurt sauce, the lamb tikka provides the lamb gaminess that I constantly crave, and the mix of fatty and lean meat in the kabob ensures a crisp exterior and a juicy interior. The grilled tomatoes and onions are super sweet, and compliment the meats like husband and wife as the freshly baked pita bread is the child. The rice is fluffy and serves as a napkin to soak up all the delicious meat juices, and the assortment of pickled vegetables is a nice palate cleanser so no bite is overly fatty. Finally, the hummus and toum sauce add a choice of heterogeneity throughout your meal, so each bite remains exciting and unique.

It takes a lot to impress me and Al Forat did more than that!

Despite being super busy, everything served to us was made with great care and love!

I love the classy complimentary touch of lentil soup being served to you right away, along with unlimited freshly made breads. They have 2 kinds to top it off.

The BBQ platter is a great option with the variety of rice and fries. There were also a multitude of dipping sauce options. Hummus and garlic to die for!

My favorite was the ground beef kebab and the beef shawarma. It was fatty and charred perfectly. It came on a flatbread which soaked up all the fat. Just wow!

The Samoon Bread sandwiches is amazing as well!

Best of all, the prices are extremely reasonable. Highly recommend! They have another location in Scarborough.