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Mike’s relatives have been raving about Dr Laffa (@DrLaffa) for quite some time. We would’ve dropped by a little earlier if they weren’t closed on Saturdays.

Dr Laffa serves up Israeli and middle eastern cuisine including many sandwiches centered around, you guessed it, laffa. The restaurant is located in a very obscure, industrial area near Duffern and Steeles, making it quite the hidden gem. The space is casual and low-key and with their large portions, it’s popular with the take-out crowd.

The interior

Although takeout is popular, we were eating here. So, they brought our table some complimentary Israeli appetizers (aka Israeli banchan) consisting of carrots, kosher pickles, pickled vegetables and coleslaw. None of them particularly stood out for me but maybe I just haven’t developed a taste for them.

The complimentary starters

The menu features an assortment of different hummuses including ones topped with chickpeas, mushrooms and falafel. We decided to go with the Hummus with fried eggplant ($7.99). Sure, it was on the expensive side but it came in an enormous bowl and we ended up taking half of it home with us.

The hummus with fried eggplant

The hummus tasted fresh and had a great flavour to it. I’m glad we decided on the eggplant topping – it tasted delicious with the hummus and gave the dish an extra oomph.

The hummus with fried eggplant

For my main, I went with the Falafel Sandwich ($4.50 on a pita/$5.99 on laffa). I opted for the laffa, of course. I loved the laffa – it tasted similar to naan and has a softer, chewier texture compared to pita bread.

The falafel sandwich

I’m usually not a fan of falafel but Dr Laffa has certainly made me a convert! Falafel can often be dry and crumbly but the falafel here had a nice crisp exterior and was moist and flavourful inside. It was filled with tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, hummus and tahini, which packed the sandwich full of flavour. It was a real steal at $5.99! You won’t be leaving hungry.

The falafel sandwich

Mike went with the Shawarma Sandwich ($6.99 on a pita/$9.99 on laffa). If you’d prefer, you can also get a shawarma plate (with rice, sautéed vegetables or fries) for $13.99. The meat was moist and had a great flavour to it. They didn’t skimp on the sauce either, which I really appreciated. A really solid shawarma sandwich.

The shawarma sandwich

Dr Laffa’s delicious food makes up for its lack of service and atmosphere. While everything we had was a hit, the star of the meal was easily the falafel sandwich. I’ll have to be back to try their other offerings!

Dr Laffa

At a glance:
• Serving up Israeli and middle eastern food
• No-frills and low-key; popular for takeout
• Located in an industrial area near Dufferin and Steeles
• Substantial portions & reasonably priced
• Must order: the falafel sandwich on laffa

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4 stars
• Service: 2 stars
• Atmosphere: 1 star

Dr. Laffa Restaurant on Urbanspoon



  1. Leprechaun (Reply) on Monday 1, 2012

    I wonder why it’s not open on Saturdays. That’s a bit odd.

    • Jess (Reply) on Monday 1, 2012

      It’s because Dr Laffa is a Jewish restaurant and they don’t work on the sabbath.

  2. Mark (Reply) on Monday 1, 2012

    Forgive me, I have been here several times and find it one the best kept secrets in the GTA. However, I do not understand why you say “lack of service”? Is it a reference to it not being open on Saturdays? They have amazing service, in my opinion.

    • Jess (Reply) on Monday 1, 2012

      I’ve only been here once so perhaps it was an off-day. But the amazing food was more than enough to make up for it! The service during my visit won’t be stopping me from coming back for more 🙂