Sumaq Iraqi Charcoal Grill

Sumaq Iraqi Charcoal Grill is a casual Iraqi restaurant on Lawrence Avenue East in Scarborough. blogTO ranked it first in its guide to the best shawarma in Toronto, and it drew wider attention when TikTok food critic Keith Lee made it his first stop on a Toronto visit. It has since been expanding to new locations.

The shawarma

The shawarma is spit-roasted and marinated in lemon, made with chicken or veal, and cooked with charcoal for a smoky finish. You can have it in pita, in tanoor bread (a thicker, blistered Iraqi flatbread baked in a clay oven), on a plate or as a platter. blogTO suggests a dash of hot sauce and the vegetable garnish.

Good to know

• Tanoor bread is the more distinctive choice if you have had plenty of Lebanese-style pita wraps.
• Lines can be long after social media coverage, so go early.

Sources: blogTO's guide to the best shawarma in Toronto and Streets of Toronto. Not yet scored by Shawarma.com.